Consumer confidence high, but electronics aren't top of Santa's list

Consumer confidence is high in the lead up to the Christmas trading period, with holiday spending expected to be up on last year – but consumer electronics aren't rating highly for potential Christmas presents.

The new research from SAS research shows 79% of Australian consumers surveyed and 77% of Kiwis, expect to spend the same or more on Christmas this year.

"Most down-under retailers can expect to enjoy a good holiday shopping season this year," says Alan Lipson, SAS Global Retail marketing manager.

But he warns that competition for a share of purse will be keener than ever as consumers increasingly resort to the internet to seek out bargains and compare prices.

Across ANZ consumer electronics and sporting goods were well down the list of potential Christmas presents, with books, music and movies, toys and games and apparel and accessories likely to be the most received Christmas presents.

The survey – which polled 3458 consumers across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, shows online shopping vaires by country and across purchase types.

Kiwis are just as likely as Americans to go online to buy toys and games, while UK shoppers are even more likely to do so.

 ANZ shoppers are unlikely to buy jewellery online, but we're less likely than our US and UK counterparts to buy sporting goods online.

Shoppers in all five countries surveyed said they would trawl across different websites – or visit different stores – in pursuit of the specific brand of product they wanted.

While consumers in ANZ  will spend plenty of time at bricks and mortar outlets, they remain price aware.

In Australia, department stores and discount retailers will be visited more frequently than specialty shops and boutiques, while warehouse outlets will see a lot of traffic in New Zealand.