NEW YORK — A new survey finds most Americans admit to being total stalkers — when it comes to shopping for the best price that is. Sixty-four percent of shoppers say they snoop around and wait for items to go on sale before buying.
The OnePoll survey of 2,000 Americans finds the average respondent will watchfully wait an extra eight days before jumping on an item they’re shopping for – just in case the price drops. Half of the poll reported checking in on a specific item at least once a day when price-stalking.
Unfortunately, patience doesn’t always pay off. Nearly six in 10 shoppers (59%) who go price-stalking have missed out on their item of choice, saying their desired purchase went out of stock during the wait-and-see period.
Saving money is at the top of the shopping list
Commissioned by the shopping app Flipp to celebrate the launch of their new Watch List feature, researchers also examined the other money-saving tactics that Americans plan to use this holiday shopping season and beyond.
The survey reveals that families are particularly conscious of seasonal spending. Sixty-four percent of respondents who are parents agreed that shopping for everything they need for their family, especially during the holidays, can easily become a budget-breaking task. Moreover, 66 percent of parents say that saving money while holiday shopping is more important this year than ever before.
“It’s easy to underestimate the value of searching for the best deals, saving coupons and even ‘price comparing’ for that perfect item,” says Nafisa Kassam, Chief Deals Officer of Flipp. “But the reality is that being strategic about purchasing – shopping smarter, and not harder – can lead to substantial savings for families through the year.”
Smart shopping can save you hundreds of dollars
Price-stalking items online is far from the only money-saving strategy respondents have embraced to help their households stay on budget this holiday season. Parents and non-parents alike say they’re using a wide range of tactics to spend less while shopping. Most are actually more likely to utilize these before or after the holiday season however, suggesting that the holiday rush is alive and well even in the era of online shopping.
Common strategies include filling up your cart but not checking out to see if retailers will offer a discount incentive to purchase (43%), using coupons (57%), and buying in bulk (42%). That extra time and effort trying to get the best deal can certainly pay off. The average respondent who employed one or more of these strategies, or similar ones, saved a cool $407.48 each year. Seven percent of the poll even reported saving over $1,001.
“People tend to get caught up with seasonal discounts, but the reality is that deep discounts and great deals exist year-round if you know where to look for them,” Kassam adds.
“Instead of putting enormous pressure on yourself to save big for your family during the holiday shopping season, you can ease your budget by keeping an eye out for great deals year-round with the help of shopping apps and other digital tools.”