One-Third of Consumers to Shop on Black Friday

Thirty-four percent of shoppers plan to shop on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, according to a recent survey conducted by St. Louis-based Maritz Research Inc. The Maritz Poll was conducted online Oct. 6-17, and surveyed 1,192 randomly selected adults about holiday shopping, buying behaviors and gift-giving trends. Of the 61 percent of respondents who said they plan to avoid Black Friday, 10 percent used words like "crazy," "madhouse," "hectic" and "insane" to describe the experience. Almost one-third of those planning to shop on Black Friday say they will spend more than $875 on gifts this holiday season, with 17 percent planning to spend more than $1,000. "For those who wonder why retailers invest so much effort and creativity into one shopping day, these numbers speak volumes," said Mark Rein, director of strategic consulting for the Maritz Retail Research Group. "The poll also revealed strong demographic indicators, such as 44 percent of those with household incomes between $75,000 and $100,000 planning to shop on Black Friday." Black Friday has generational implications with the majority of Gen Y respondents (58 percent), as well as a significant portion of Gen X (40 percent), planning to shop. "Gen Y, which is known for its affinity for fashion and impulse spending, is a prime target for retailers," Rein said. "A good Black Friday showing by this group is key for many retailers trying to jump-start this holiday season." Seventy-seven percent of respondents cited sales, low prices and bargains as the reason they shop on the day after Thanksgiving. Tradition and custom trailed far behind, with only 9 percent, as the second most popular reason for Black Friday shopping. From a list of stores that was provided, survey respondents indicated where they planned to shop. Among the top scoring retailers were Wal-Mart (68 percent), Target (54 percent), Best Buy (46 percent), Kmart (33 percent), Sears (33 percent), Circuit City (31 percent), Kohl's (30 percent), Macy's (24 percent), RadioShack (20 percent) and Victoria's Secret (18 percent).