Larger gifts Greeks are preparing to do Christmas 2021, while in the midst of a health crisis, a large percentage of Greeks have increased the amount they save for the holidays.
According to the Holiday Shopping Trends 2021 survey conducted by Sitecore on Christmas shopping in Greece: The pandemic requires more careful and experience-focused shopping. Research highlights mental health, self-care and a preference for minority businesses as consumers’ top priorities.
What the Greeks are planning for Christmas
Just three months before Christmas, the Greeks have already started making plans. About 66% of consumers in Greece plan to make bigger and more careful purchases this Christmas season, partly due to the fact that 42% of them say they have saved more for this year’s holidays compared to last year. Greeks also place their mental health high, after another difficult year, due to the pandemic, with 50% seeing gifts in themselves as a form of treatment.
The Holiday Shopping Trends 2021 survey brings to the surface questions about how consumers feel about this year’s holidays and their thoughts on gifts, holiday shopping and the expenses they intend to make. The resulting data provide valuable information in the areas of retail, travel, automotive and more, in order to be able to offer more unique experiences that will more effectively meet the ever-evolving preferences and demands of consumers.
What the research showed
-84% of consumers report that the pandemic pushed them to focus more on their mental health, their own, but also the needs of family, friends and colleagues.
-77% value travel and other cultures more now than in the pre-pandemic era.
-83% appreciate more the time spent at home and the simple pleasures of life now, because of the pandemic.
* Stores do not sufficiently support small businesses from minorities:
92% of consumers believe that it is necessary for stores to offer more products from companies belonging to minorities, with only 36% saying that they see more such products when shopping.
* Buying local products and more careful shopping is a priority for most:
-63% of consumers are willing to pay more for home-made gifts
-65% of consumers are annoyed when they realize that what they bought is made in China, while at first they thought it was domestic
-75% of consumers said that the pandemic made them think more carefully about how they spend their money
* Self-care now includes gifts to ourselves:
-50% of those who buy gifts for themselves state that they treat it as a “cure”
-51% of consumers would like to have a new wardrobe after the pandemic
-29% of consumers would like to give themselves a trip for this year
* New consumers reimburse:
-49% of Generation Z and 47% of Millennials are more willing to make big improvements in their lives after the pandemic
-34% of Generation Z expect to spend more money this year, with Boomers (54%) and Generation X (53%) intending to spend about the same as last year
-78% of those under 44 said that after the experience of the pandemic “they value travel and other cultures more”.
The conclusions
“The last 18 months have been extremely difficult and while many are optimistic that a return to normalcy will come very soon, people are still worried,” said Paige O’Neill, Sitecore Chief Marketing Officer. “As consumers try to cope and prepare for what lies ahead, they are optimistic that the 2021 holidays will be a bright spot, if not a catalyst, for what lies ahead. It is also particularly encouraging to see that all types of consumers want to support their local community, including minority businesses. “Industry needs to respond with more opportunities to such businesses.”
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