Are you a smart shopper? A new study* shows most of us do research and planning online before making big purchases or tackling the Christmas shopping, then we head to the store itself to check the merchandise is what we had in mind. If this sounds like you, retail marketing expert, Dean Vociasno from smart phone app ShopFully can help you with hacks to prepare and save this Christmas season.
Plan Your Purchases Ahead
Planning ahead is key! 71% of ShopFully respondents say they first research product information online through websites, social media, smart phone apps, and e-newsletters before heading into the real world to buy something. Having a plan for what your want to tick off your shopping list means avoiding the ‘aimless wander’ through stores and centres, and saving masses of time for busy mums!
โResearch the retailers who supply the products you want to purchaseย before you hit the shops,” says Dean, adding that using an app like ShopFully makes it easy to compile info on sales and prices from different stores (and it updates product information as it becomes available, making sure you always know about the best new deal!). The new smart phone appย Shopfully isย launching in Australia โ the first mobile platform to help customers prepare and plan their purchases while driving them into physical stores from the touch of a button on their smart phone.
Start Shopping Early
When you think of Christmas crowds, you might not believe it’s possible to actually enjoy a day of shopping! But by starting early, you can avoid the crush and actually savour the experience of purchasing for loved ones (or yourself!), as well as feeling more in control instead of madly cramming your bags with emergency gifts!
In fact, the ShopFully study shows that 35% of clever respondents do their Christmas shopping one month before Christmas, and Dean agrees itโs all about time management.ย โSome stores offer advance Boxing Day sales before Christmas so itโs worth perusing listings early,โ says Dean.
Set a Budget
Christmas can be an expensive time of year with presents to purchase, plenty of social events, not to mention travelling to visit family. But at the same time, a lot of people’s holidays fall over the Christmas period, and for some, businesses closing for holidays can reduce your earning potential. These are all factors that need to be considered when adding gift shopping so make and keep track of your spending!
Your list should include:
- Who you are buying for
- What you want to buy them
- How much you are willing to spend on them
Opt for cash instead of credit cards so you canโt spend outside your means. An app like ShopFully will help guide you to the retailers who have sales on helping you work within budget and avoid buyerโs remorse! ShopFully respondents said their intended method of payment this Christmas as:ย Savings 37%,ย Cash 31%, Credit card 23%ย with After Pay 4%&ย Layby 5% being the least popular.
Stick to Local Shops
Researching whatโs available around your neighbourhood is key to a stress-free Christmas.
Location-based marketing is on the rise and to avoid sales fatigue, marketers are using geo-targeted technology to deliver customised material to specific demographics that seek out that information thus empowering a smarter shopper. That means you’ll see the best deals closest to you when you’re surfing your app- and you can be sure you’re not missing out! โAdjust your settings on your smartphone to allow location services to deliver content that is relevant to your whereabouts,โ says Dean. Over 53% those surveyed by ShopFully said they would not travel far for the perfect Christmas gift, if it is not close to their usual routine they wonโt bother, so let your smart phone show you the local options!
*A recent survey by leading retail app ShopFully asked 4,894 Australian respondents to share their plans for Christmas shopping. The results show that although consumers are becoming smarter shoppers using digital to research first, 75% of respondents still identify as physical shoppers in store. With 7 in 10 Australians now owning a smartphone, the shopping landscape is being revolutionised and mobile-invested campaigns are a must this Christmas.
More about ShopFully
ShopFully co-founder Stefano Portu
This information was brought to you by Italy-based startup ShopFully which has just launchedย in Australia. It’s the first mobile platform to help customers prepare and plan their purchases while driving them into physical stores from the touch of a button on their smart phone.ย
Shopfullyย originated in 2010 by founders Alessandro Palmieri and Stefano Portu (pictured). In 2016 ShopFully was ranked in the top 5 shopping apps in the Google Play and iOS stores amongst shopping categories in 5 markets: Italy, Brazil, France, Mexico and now Australia in 2017 where they already have 1 million downloads in its first year.
