Will the easing of lockdown change how Brit’s shop come April 12th?
Nine in 10 shoppers say they will continue doing the bulk of their shopping online – despite high street stores looking set to open in April.
The study of 2,000 adults found almost half find shopping online far less stressful than going in store, and 28 per cent like that they don’t feel pressured to make a purchase.
Brits are now comfortable buying clothes, shoes and jewellery without seeing or trying them on first.
One in 10 respondents have even happily bought a car via the internet without even so much as a test drive or viewing, with a further fifth willing to do so when the time comes.
And more than seven in 10 adults say there is no longer a need to worry about going from shop to shop, when everything is so readily available via the internet.
James Taylor, Sales and Marketing Director at Vauxhall Motors, who commissioned the survey, said: “There can be a lot of misconceptions around making bigger purchases online, but we are seeing that it’s becoming a much more normalised way of shopping.
“Making expensive purchases, doesn’t have to be nerve racking. The worst that can happen with an expensive online purchase is that you don’t like it – but just as with a pair of jeans you buy online, grace periods, returns and refunds are perfectly common. At Vauxhall for example, we offer a 14 day money back guarantee at our online showroom so customers have further peace of mind in buying their new car online.”
Researchers found Brits are happy to consider purchasing a vehicle online without seeing it in person first if it is from a trusted car brand, if there are deals that differ from in-store, and if it is available on a user-friendly website.
And 25–34-year-olds are the most likely to shop online, with a third of over-55s also saying the same.
Those aged 45-54 buy the most clothes online – although people aged 25-34 buy the most shoes without trying them on.
Over-55s, interestingly, are most likely to book a holiday online, rather than going into a travel agent for more personal detail.
However, the OnePoll study found despite the majority of adults now preferring to shop online, 61 per cent said there are still certain items they would only buy in-store.
A house, sofa and spectacles are among the items Brits are still nervous about sourcing from the web.
Seven in 10 said they want to see these items in person first, and a third feel it’s just not the same if they were to buy them online.
Trust is a big issue for 23 per cent of adults, while 25 per cent still aren’t as confident about making an online purchase as they are in-store.
James Taylor, continued, “It’s interesting to see those of all generations are becoming more inclined to shop from home. However, for some people, in some circumstances you still can’t beat that physical aspect of browsing and purchasing items in store, which is why our showrooms remain a vital part of our business too.”
