Amazon is top site for festive ideas but pets are top dog

Amazon remains the top destination for UK consumers who are seeking ideas for festive gifts and other seasonal purchases, with over half (52%) of all Brits turning to the ecommerce giant for insipration. However, despite budgets being tight it is family pets who remain a priority for many.

That is according to a new survey of 1,000 UK consumers commissioned by commerce experience platform Nosto, to uncover the key festive shopping trends in 2024, which also quizzed 1,000 people in the US.

It reveals that nearly twice as many people plan to visit Amazon that use Google search (31%), while eBay (21%) is in third place, followed by Instagram (17%) and TikTok (15%).

However, away from the main online shopping sites, nearly a fifth (19%) will go directly to the websites of their favourite brands and 8% will use generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

Overall, the data suggests that only 13% of Brits will splash out more money this Christmas than last, with half (50%) aiming to spend about the same. Around half (44%) say the rising cost of living will impact their festive shopping budgets.

As has been previously predicted, a significant slice of the population (22%) say they are likely to buy more second-hand gifts than last year, with 22% also aiming to make seasonal online purchases across borders. Around 11% say sustainability/environmental concerns will influence their shopping this year.

Curiously, some Brits say their festive spending will be impacted by the outcome of the US election – with 18% revealing they will be in the mood to buy more if the candidate they like gets voted in as President. This is naturally much stronger in the US, where 30% will splash out more if they get the confidence boost of their chosen candidate winning.

Of the three-quarters (77%) of UK consumers who plan to try to save on their seasonal shopping this year, a quarter (25%) said they would try to compare prices on at least three online stores, while a fifth (19%) will look for low-cost purchases on Temu, AliExpress and other Chinese marketplaces.

Meanwhile, 21% will aim to shop online at stores with lower shipping charges or those that allow collect-from-store for free; 16% will buy pre-owned items if they can find good quality at low prices, and 14% admit that they will try to make savings by waiting to buy gifts in the post-Christmas sales.

Even so, many Brits will still prioritise their furry friends, with 27% planning to buy gifts for their pets.

Nosto regional head of customer experience for the UK, IE & Nordics Phil Gregory said: “Overall, the research paints a picture of a cautious festive shopping season in the UK with consumers continuing to feel the pinch from the rising cost of living.

“As well as being price competitive, online retailers need to focus on optimising the shopping experience they provide – consumers really value features such as good on-site search functionality, on-site reviews and ratings and the availability of visual user-generated content from other shoppers.

“A lot of shoppers said they’d visit their favourite online retailers or brands for inspiration – so it’s important to identify and treat returning customers with special care.

“Retailers who can, should also take advantage of the variety of trends the data has highlighted – like the growing willingness to buy second-hand and to wait until after Christmas to buy gifts in the sales, as well as the fact that people are still willing to buy presents for their pets even if they’re watching their budgets.”