Four in 10 to Shop on Black Friday; Ads, WOM Sources of Product Info

More than 4 in 10 U.S. consumers (44 percent) say they plan to shop on the day after Thanksgiving - “Black Friday” - and more than half say they rely on advertising and word-of-mouth for information on products, according to the findings of an Accenture survey, reports MarketingCharts.

(See chart of Black Friday shopping plans of consumers.)

Among the key findings of the Accenture Holiday Retail Survey 2007:

• Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) cite advertising as their primary source to learn about holiday products. More than half (55 percent) cite word of mouth (see chart of primary sources of product info).
• Nearly six in 10 respondents (57 percent) said they will set a budget for holiday gift buying before heading to the stores, but about half (51 percent) of respondents said they are likely to overspend their budget (see chart of consumers’ holiday budgeting plans).
• More than two-thirds (70 percent) of respondents are concerned about the safety of products made in China:
  • Almost half (48 percent) said they have chosen not to buy items manufactured in China, and 9 percent said they have returned an item made in China.
  • More than a third of respondents (37 percent) said they are unconcerned about where the goods they buy are made.
• When asked what bothers them most about holiday shopping in stores, the greatest number of respondents - 77 percent - cited crowded malls, followed by long lines (65 percent); see chart of what bothers consumers most about holiday shopping.
• About half of respondents (49 percent) said that gas prices will not affect their holiday spending, but nearly the same amount (45 percent) said they will make fewer shopping trips this year due to gas prices.

Study findings regarding ‘green’ shopping:

• Almost half of respondents (47 percent) said concern for the environment is an important influence on their shopping behavior, and nearly six in 10 (57 percent) said they are willing to spend more on “green” products (see chart of consumers’ green shopping attitudes).
• More consumers seek environmentally friendly products than look for environmentally friendly retailers (60 percent versus 46 percent).
• Some shoppers, however, are influenced by retailers’ environmental practices, with 35 percent of respondents saying they are influenced by retailers’ recycling programs.

MarketingCharts provides additional findings, including on shoppers’ attitute toward ‘hot’ products and gift cards.

About the study: The web-based survey of 532 U.S. consumers age 18 and older was fielded in November 2007.