Recent survey reveals planning behind festive season shopping

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Many shoppers did not go to a specific destination for their shopping, with 40% saying that they made their gift purchases whenever they found the perfect item.

"The results of the survey show that South Africans are increasingly counting on rewards programmes to add value, particularly at a time of the year when expectations are high, but pressure on personal finances are even higher," says Jaco Oosthuizen, CEO of Multiply, the wellness and rewards programme offered by Momentum.

15% of respondents buy their gifts online, with nearly one third of those clicking to complete their festive season purchases during the first half of December. 22% of respondents do their festive season shopping online throughout the year, with 14% leaving it to the last possible minute.

The most popular gift category was the 'home and lifestyle' category, with a little more than half of respondents saying that they would buy these gifts. "This also goes to show that shoppers are thinking along more practical lines, purchasing gifts that will add value to the everyday lives of recipients. The next most popular category was toys and games, with 19% of respondents purchasing these, followed by technology.

"South African festive season shoppers are being careful with their spending this year, with just over one third saying that they will spend between up to R250 on gifts for members of their extended family. Thirteen percent of respondents are not buying gifts for their extended family at all."

Of the respondents that have children, and that are buying gifts for them, nearly half will purchase between two and five gifts for their offspring, while one third will buy their child a single, large gift. Of those buying gifts for their children, one third will spend between R500 and R1000 on each child, with a further one third spending between R250 and R500.

Respondents spend more money on their partners than they spend on their children, with 29% saying that they will spend more than R1000 on a gift for their significant other and a further 29% saying that they will spend between R500 and R1000.

"This year has been a tough one for consumers, but they're increasingly wising up to the benefits of rewards programmes, and how they can reduce festive season financial pressures by using programme discounts and vouchers. They're also planning their shopping carefully by budgeting ahead of their shopping expeditions and using their rewards programme discounts and vouchers, with only 12% saying that they anticipate overextending their credit cards," concludes Oosthuizen.

Detailed results

The Multiply Festive Season Survey ran on News24.com between 17 November and 2 December 2014, with 76% of respondents were female, 24% of respondents were male.

• Respondents described their lifestyle as:

  • Married, no children - 9.7%
    
  • Married, with children - 42.3%
    
  • Retired empty nester - 2.2%
    
  • Single, no children - 30.4%
    
  • Single, with children - 15.5%

• Respondents said that they prefer to do their festive season shopping in these locations:
  
  
  • In a department store - 1.9%
    
  • In a mall - the bigger the better - 42%
    
  • In boutique shops - 1.0%
    
  • Online - 15%
    
  • Wherever they find the perfect gift - 40.1%

• Respondents said that they do their festive season shopping:
  
  
  • All year through - 22.2%
    
  • At the last possible minute - 14.7%
    
  • During the first half of December - 32.1%
    
  • During the first half of November - 18.8%

• Respondents said that these were their gift categories of choice:
  
  
  • Home and lifestyle - 51%
    
  • Magazines and books - 9.9%
    
  • Sports and outdoor - 5.1%
    
  • Technology - 14.7%
    
  • Toys and games - 19.3%

• Respondents said that they pay for their festive season shopping:
  
  
  • I don't eat during December so that I can buy gifts - 5.3%
    
  • I max out my credit card - 12.6%
    
  • I save my money during the year and pay cash - 37.9%
    
  • I save up my rewards programme points and discounts the whole year - 2.9%
    
  • I use a combination of cash and rewards programme points - 41.3%

• Respondents with children buy this many gifts for their children:
  
  
  • Between five and ten gifts - 6.2%
    
  • Between two and five gifts - 47.1%
    
  • One big gift - 38%
    
  • Who's counting anyway? - 17%

• Respondents are willing to spend this much money on gifts for their children:
  
  
  • More than R1000 - 20%
    
  • Between R10 and R250 - 12.4%
    
  • Between R251 and R500 - 33%
    
  • Between R501 and R1000 - 34%

• Respondents are willing to spend this amount of money on a gift for their partner, if they have one:
  
  
  • 13.8% don't have a partner
    
  • More than R1000 - 28.5%
    
  • Between R10 and R250 - 7.2%
    
  • Between R251 and R500 - 20.8%
    
  • Between R501 and R1000 - 29.7%

• Respondents said that they would spend this amount of money on gifts for their extended family:
  
  
  • I don't buy gifts for my extended family - 13%
    
  • More than R1000 - 5.8%
    
  • Between R10 and R250 - 35.7%
    
  • Between R251 and R500 - 33.3%

  • Between R501 and R1000 - 12.1%