Rocket Fuel Holiday Shopping Survey Finds 91% of Consumers Plan to Buy Gifts Online in 2014

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Rocket Fuel FUEL, a leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) advertising and marketing solutions for global agencies and brands, today announced the release of its annual survey on consumers' holiday shopping habits and preferences. The survey results revealed strong support for online shopping, with 91% of consumers planning to buy at least one gift online in 2014, and 40% planning to shop exclusively online. The survey also showed that consumers have an increased interest in and heightened awareness of online advertising and promotions during the holiday season.

“With over $100B at stake, 2014's most successful digital marketers will tap into the online holiday zeitgeist to drive sales,” said Robert Jones, Senior Manager of Research and Insights at Rocket Fuel. “Consumers pay closer attention to advertising during the holiday season, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and smart promotional tactics will drive savvy shoppers to buy more this year than they did in 2013.”

According to the National Retail Federation, November and December retail sales are projected to be approximately $616.9 billion this year and online holiday spending is expected to grow by 11% to $105 billion in 2014. In line with this growth, Rocket Fuel's survey results revealed three out of four (71%) holiday shoppers plan to spend as much or more in 2014 than they did last year.

Key findings of the survey include:

91% of Consumers Plan to Buy Holiday Gifts Online
The majority of consumers will do at least some of their holiday shopping online in 2014, with 40% planning to do either most or all of their holiday shopping online. According to survey respondents, the most popular online shopping destinations are: Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Target.com.

Black Friday Online Shoppers to Spend 56% More than In-store
It's clear: Black Friday is moving online. Consumers who plan to exclusively shop online plan to spend 56% more than consumers who are exclusively in-store Black Friday shoppers.

63% of Consumers are More Open to Online Offers and Promotions During Holidays
Nearly two thirds of consumers pay more attention to advertising during the holidays, and 63% say they are more open to online offers and promotions. Conversion rates also increase on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, for which Rocket Fuel has historically seen a 100% conversion rate increase in certain verticals, including Fashion, Travel & Lodging, and Retail.

42% of Consumers “Webroom” Before Purchasing a Product
Approximately 2 out of 5 consumers say they research products online either “very often” or “quite often” before purchasing. This process, frequently referred to as “webrooming,” involves researching a product online and then heading to a retail location in person to make a purchase.

Texas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Alabama Residents are Late Shoppers
While every state shops differently, many southern states are among the last to holiday shop. Idaho and Mississippi tend to be the least likely to shop on Thanksgiving Day, but are the most likely to shop on Black Friday.

For more information and to review the full report, please visit http://rocketfuel.com/blog/q4-2014-holiday-shopping-research-consumer-trends-to-watch.

Methodology
The survey findings cited herein are based on an October 2014 survey of 1,228 consumers ages 18 and older regarding their holiday shopping habits; results were compared with the previous year's study. Rocket Fuel does not take any responsibility for the survey results, including without limitation, the accuracy, content, or means of data collection. Further, Rocket Fuel does not make any warranty, representation, guarantee, express or implied, about the survey results. Any reliance on, or use of, the survey results and/or this press release is entirely at your own risk.

About Rocket Fuel
Rocket Fuel delivers a leading programmatic media-buying platform at Big Data scale that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve marketing ROI in digital media across web, mobile, video, and social channels. Rocket Fuel powers digital advertising and marketing programs globally for customers in North America, Europe, and APAC. Customers trust Rocket Fuel's Advertising That Learns® platform to achieve brand and direct-response objectives in diverse industries from luxury cars to financial services to retail. Rocket Fuel currently operates in more than 20 offices worldwide and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “FUEL.” For more information, please visit http://www.rocketfuel.com or call 1-888-717-8873.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20141119005315/en/