Retailers’ Christmas optimism out of kilter with consumers

A YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults shows consumers are approaching the festive season with the same amount of caution as last year. Two-thirds of respondents (66%) said they would spend the same as last year online, with 16% saying they will spend less. Only 17% are expecting to spend more than they did in 2012.

But this is out of kilter with what retailers are hoping. According to a Peerius survey of the leading 25 retailers, 88% are expecting online sales to grow by 20% or more this year.

Peerius director Roger Doddy said: “These findings are a timely reminder for retailers that there is absolutely no room for complacency.  If retailers are to deliver the online sales performance they are hoping for, and on which survival may well depend, the hard work starts now because it appears that delivering growth will mean taking a larger share of spend, rather than benefiting from significantly higher spending overall.”