New research shows that one in five people across the UK won’t bother trying to shop exclusively on the high street this Christmas, according to GoCompare Money.
Despite shops being open as normal and lockdown restrictions lifted this Christmas, some 20 per cent of shoppers will be buying gifts for friends and family from websites online, rather than making a traditional trip to the high street this year.
The research, which asked more than 2000 people how they would be doing their Christmas shopping this year, also revealed that just one in 10 shoppers (11%) would be opting to buy all their presents directly from shops, with the 65+ age group the most likely to venture to towns and cities to buy all their gifts for loved ones.
More than half of the respondents (58%) will be doing a mixture of physical and online shopping, while 5 per cent are keen to buy from independent shops where possible.
Shopping exclusively online is most popular with the 35-44 age group with nearly a quarter (23%) opting to do it all from the comfort of their own home.
And while influencers may be spending the next two weeks showing off possible gifts on their social media accounts it seems an online step too far, as only 1 per cent said they would purchase a gift directly from the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok or Instagram.
The survey conducted last month, showed that nearly half of those questioned (45%) had made a start on their festive shopping, a quarter had yet to begin, while 12 per cent were not planning to start until mid-December and a very organised 9 per cent had already finished it.
Commenting on the findings, Richard Jones from GoCompare Money, said: “After our reliance on shopping online during the pandemic, it’s perhaps not surprising that people are continuing those habits for Christmas spending. Not only can you shop online in your festive pyjamas in the comfort of your own home, but there are usually very good deals to be had on retail websites.
“If you are after some Christmas shopping deals, there are ways you can try and bag a bargain online. For example, if you leave things in your online basket for a while, and fail to check out, some retailers will try and coax you into spending with emails advertising better prices or discount codes you can use online. At GoCompare we always encourage customers to shop around and this is much easier online than physically going to the shops because all the information you need is at your fingertips.”
Christmas is the season to be jolly but spending too much money could leave your bank balance as unhealthy as eating all those seasonal chocolates so make sure you don’t impulse buy - try to draw up and stick to a budget so you don’t overspend.
For more money-saving tips from GoCompare, visit the website here.
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