AliExpress, an international online retail marketplace under Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, is today revealing consumer attitudes towards pre-holiday purchases and planning, which comes as it launches its Summer Sale.
The Consumer Insights Report, which surveyed 2,000 people across the UK, was designed to uncover the way that seasonal trends and activities influence consumer spending habits.
Londoners dominate every region in the UK when it comes to spending on luggage online, spending £96.46 on average per person in the last three months. In contrast, no other region reached over £60 per head on baggage expenditure.
People in Greater London prepare for holidays later than most — on average, one month (four weeks) in advance, compared to almost two months (six weeks) across other regions.
The AliExpress Summer Sale (16th – 25th June) offers customers an unprecedented range of products, with discounts reaching up to 80% off. AliExpress has items for every occasion, from popular choices such as travel accessories to more niche purchases such as an EU driving pack and fishing tackles.
Almost 8 in 10 people surveyed (77%) said that they plan to purchase products before their holiday this year. This contrasts with the 23% who plan to purchase nothing at all before their holiday.
The Pre-Holiday Shopping Rush: What Consumers Are Buying
The data reported by AliExpress also shows that nearly 8 in 10 (77%) respondents plan to purchase items before their holidays, with clothing & shoes (45%) topping the list, and beauty & health products (34%), grocery & beverages (31%), books and magazines (24%), travel accessories (23%) also featuring in the top five categories.
Luggage & bags (21%), sports & entertainment equipment (12%) and toys & hobbies (11%) are also popular purchases, showing that consumers are focused on enhancing their holiday experience.
Savvy Shoppers: Price Comparison and the Quest for Discounts
Today’s consumers are savvy shoppers, actively comparing prices and seeking out the best deals before making a purchase. Clothing & shoes (28%), groceries & beverages (23%), and home appliances & consumer electronics (19%) are the categories most likely to be price-compared.
Furthermore, a significant majority of shoppers surveyed actively seek discounts, with about 70% likely to wait for a sale or discount on home appliances & consumer electronics and clothing & shoes.
Loyalty programmes (58%), codes at checkout (35%) and waiting for discount periods (32%) are the most popular methods for unlocking savings, with over-55s the most likely to use loyalty/reward schemes than any other age group. This highlights the importance of offering attractive incentives and value-driven promotions to capture the attention of budget-conscious holiday shoppers.
In the UK, where consumers surveyed spent an average of £795 online in the last three months and dedicate over three hours a week to browsing and researching products, securing the best deal is a priority. UK consumers buy an average of 11 items online in the last three months.
Bonnie Zhao, AliExpress UK General Manager, said: “Brits continue to place an emphasis on getting value for money, especially when they are already outlaying money for activities like travel, music festivals and concerts. We have seen an increase in consumers shopping at online marketplaces this year, and AliExpress is a preferred destination for so many as it offers customers unbeatable options at affordable and competitive prices.”
Keeping consumer service in mind
Putting the best interests of the consumer in mind is paramount, and that is why AliExpress continue to place service improvement first and launches several campaigns to make sure that the customer gets excellent customer service and value for money.
These include:
- Free shipping and free returns*
- Faster delivery time – 3 days for products shipped locally and 7 days for cross-border orders.
- Flash Sale – Thousands of products for £1 or less for a limited time during the Summer Sale, with new products added every 12 hours
- Shake & win: download the AliExpress app and shake your phone to win big for your summer. Prizes include an electric vehicle 2-month test drive.
- Big Save channel – A selection of well-known brands and premium products at the best price.
Shoppers can make purchases by downloading the AliExpress app and enjoy free shipping and free returns with delivery guarantees. AliExpress continues to make service upgrades in the UK.