Online Shoppers ‘Buy at the Last Minute’

by Stephen Logan on 1st March 2010

Online shoppers wait until the last minute before making their purchases, according to figures from Google.

Data published on the Google Affiliate Network blog indicates that advertisers might want to increase their use of PPC services as major events approach.

The research is based on the Christmas holiday period, but Google points out that the coming months include landmark dates such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the summer graduation season.

Almost half (44 per cent) of people surveyed admitted that their purchases were completed late in the festive shopping season as they waited for last-minute sales and promotions.

Even more people, 46 per cent of those queried by Google, said that they continued shopping after the holidays to buy treats for themselves.

However, targeting festive shoppers all year round could be wise, as previous figures published on the Google Retail Blog found that 44 per cent of people started their holiday shopping before August 30th in 2009.