Shopping for holiday gifts
A survey conducted by ENGINE Insights shows that 85% of U.S. adults plan to shop in physical stores for holiday gifts this year. However, 72% of shoppers plan to go during less busy days and times of year to limit potential exposure to COVID-19.
While many shoppers will venture out into physical stores, 75% of consumers will shop for gifts on Amazon, and 62% plan to purchase gifts with online from retailers that have brick-and-mortar stores. Concerns over products not being available later in the season is driving 54% of consumers to start holiday shopping early this year. Fifty-seven percent report they are more determined than usual to find the “perfect” gift for family and friends this year.
When it comes to holiday advertising, 87% of consumers are more interested in messages of connection and togetherness. Only 30% report that they would be “much more likely to welcome informative advertising related to COVID-19 messaging.”
The research was conducted Oct. 21-23, 2020. Read more.
Global travel under pressure
Travel will look different this holiday season, with 76% of consumers choosing to spend the holiday closer to home, according to research from Euromonitor International. World arrivals are forecast to be down by 50% by the end of 2020, and 21% of global consumers say they will move permanently away from international travel (data gathered July to October, 2020).
While certain portions of the travel industry are expected to rebound more quickly, Euromonitor International’s world forecast travel sales index predicts it will take three years to recover to pre-crisis levels. It also expects airlines to take a minimum of four years to recover.
To accelerate recovery, many countries are turning to technology and innovation. For example, Heathrow airport began trialing a digital health pass, CommonPass, with a goal to build trust between countries and passengers by sharing COVID-19 test results via QR code. In the Middle East, ozone technology and thermal cameras have been used for mass disinfection and temperature scanning.
Read more (registration required).
Celebrating with a glass of wine
Fifty-eight percent of American adults 21 and older report they will buy wine this holiday, according to research from Civic Science. Of these buyers, 66% plan to spend the same amount of money on wine this year as they usually would. Thirty-four percent report they are very likely or somewhat likely to give someone wine this holiday.
Fifty-three percent of holiday wine buyers plan to spend under $50 this season for entertaining purposes. And when it comes to type, red wine is the choice for holiday meals, with 48% of respondents reporting they likely to serve red wine.
The research was conducted Oct. 29 - Nov. 9, 2020. Read more.
Hiring remote workers
According to research conducted by The Conference Board, 36% of U.S. companies are willing to hire 100% remote workers anywhere in the U.S. or internationally. Only 12% were open to the idea before COVID-19. However, half still prefer employees live within commuting distance of the office.
While uncertainty remains, about 60% of companies have already returned or plan to return to the office by March 2021. However, more than one-third of respondents anticipate that 40% or more of their employees will work remotely (defined as at least three days per week) 12 months post-pandemic. Only 19% of companies report having remained open or returned to the workplace at the end of September 2020.