According to a study commissioned by Argos, the U.K. retailer, 59 percent of U.K. shoppers agreed they "morph" their retail purchasing behavior at Christmas in order to "compete," with a noticeable shift to more online shopping.
Some 17 percent of all shoppers said they actively switch their priority to online at Christmas when, for the rest of the year, they tend to do their shopping in-store. Forty percent said they would be shopping mostly or exclusively online.
A further 10 percent said they are more likely to specifically use a tailored delivery solution, like buy-online, pick up in-store, during the holidays than the rest of the year.
Based on a survey of 2,057 U.K. consumers by Opinion Matters in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, the study also identified eight tribes that also showed how online shopping and social media is changing gift buying for some but not all shoppers. The tribes are:
Secret Shoppers (one third of shoppers) - Prefer to shop alone and tend not to ask or give opinions on purchases.
Advos (10 percent) - Strike the most balance between online and offline and become very loyal to preferred retailers.
Cruisers (10 percent) - Have the most time on their hands and like the social side of store shopping.
ReTrads (10 percent) - Still prefer to go into a shop for face-to-face advice and interaction before buying a product.
Shopping Einsteins (8 percent) - Most likely to use tablets or Smart TV for shopping and often wait for flash sales to hop on deals. A fifth tend to research online but choose to shop in store, higher than other tribes.
Digital Magpies (7.7 percent) - Pride themselves on securing the best deals and the very latest gadgets and technology. Most likely to be use smartphones to do their shopping and twice as likely to shop while at work compared to the average shopper. Highly influenced by online forums.
Radar Shoppers (7 percent) - Hit stores at the last minute because their purchasing is impulsive and unplanned.
Peacocks (one in forty shoppers) - Pride themselves in brands that treat them well. Tend to brag about their purchases most likely group to be influenced by friends and family.
Among the tribes, particularly standing out, according to the researchers, were Digital Magpies and Shopping Einsteins "who are leading the pack in identifying and spotting bargains and using digital tools to snare them first, gaining competitive advantage and turning shopping into something of an art form."