The percentage of Italians who will buy at the 2018 winter sales is increasing: 61,4%, against 58,5% last year. Women will buy more than men (67,9% against 55,4% of men), but the latter, especially in the North East, will spend slightly more than women, over 200 euros. Men will prefer to go to trusted/regular shops as opposed to women who intend to look for the "cheaper" price in other shops. The percentage of online purchases is also high (15%), a preferred channel especially in the regions of Northern Italy.
Italians will mainly buy clothing on sale (93,7% against 92,1% in 2017), footwear (77,1% against 79,2% last year), accessories (scarves and gloves ) for 35,1% (they were 32,1% in the 2017 forecast) and underwear (29,0% against 27,4% last year). We will continue to attach great importance to "quality", although the price factor always influences the purchase of a particular product. So if on the one hand quality is sought, on the other the buyer is not willing to exceed the established budget. The percentage of Italians who wait for the sales period to buy designer/branded products has increased (19,7% compared to 17,6% recorded during the January 2017 sales). The competitor most feared by retail businesses is the online channel, which exceeds large-scale distribution: respectively 44,3% and 30,5%. About 60% of retail trade companies are against the total liberalization of sales.
These are some of the main results of the survey on the purchases of Italians on the occasion of next season of the 2018 winter sales created by Confcommercio Imprese for Italy in collaboration with Format Research.
THE PROPENSION TO PURCHASES
The percentage of Italians who, compared to a year ago (January 2017 sales) intend to take advantage of the 2018 winter sales, is still growing. They will be 61,4%, a share almost three points higher than that recorded on the occasion of January 2017.
THE MAIN PRODUCTS OBJECTS OF PURCHASES ON SALE
Italians will mainly buy clothing on sale (93,7% against 92,1% in 2017), footwear (77,1% against 79,2% last year), accessories (scarves and gloves ) for 35,1% (they were 32,1% in the 2017 forecast) and underwear (29,0% against 27,4% last year). The most purchased products will be clothing, footwear and accessories, mainly women who will buy them.
WHERE THE PURCHASES WILL BE MADE
Trusted/regular shops are still the main places (60,5%) where Italians will buy products on sale, especially men (60,8% vs 57% of women). Slightly more women prefer to look for the “cheaper” price in other shops. The percentage of online balance purchases is increasing (15%).
THE QUALITY AND VARIETY OF THE PRODUCTS SOLD DURING THE SALE PERIOD
Compared to last year, the judgment that consumers reserve towards products sold on sale, with reference to the quality of the goods, was substantially stable. While, it improves consumers' judgment with reference to the variety of products sold on sale.
THE RATIO BETWEEN QUALITY AND PRICE IN CLEARANCE PURCHASE ACCORDING TO CONSUMERS' OPINION
Italians continue to give more importance to the quality of products than the price. The share of consumers who attach greater importance to the price is up slightly compared to the 2017 balances (+0,4%).
Above all, older men (over 64), residing in the southern regions, attach greater importance to the price.
THE GUARANTEES OFFERED BY PRODUCTS SOLD ON DISCOUNT IN TERMS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION
The percentage of consumers who feel protected when they buy products on sale is increasing.
ONLINE PURCHASES
The web continues to grow as a shopping channel, with an increase of 5,2 percentage points in the share of Italians who declared having made (at least once in the past) online purchases, they are 63,8 against 58,6 in 2017 This trend could also influence the choices to make clearance purchases online: the data is also confirmed by the decrease in consumers who believe that clearance purchases at traditional points of sale are more convenient (2,1% against 2,9. XNUMX% last year).
SURVEY ON RETAIL TRADE COMPANIES
THE FORECASTS IN VIEW OF THE 2018 WINTER SALES
Businesses' expectations are up, albeit slightly, compared to January 2017: 24,7% believe that during the upcoming winter sales their stores will be visited to a greater extent than in the previous season (it was 23,3% in the 2017 forecast ).
THE DISCOUNTS THAT WILL BE PROPOSED TO THE PUBLIC
Approximately 30% of retail businesses will offer no more than a 49,7% discount on items on sale. Last year they were 48,2%, lower by about one percentage point. The percentage of companies that will offer products with more than 2,6% discounts drops to 50%.
THE TOTAL LIBERALIZATION OF SALES AND PROMOTIONAL SALES
58,9% of retail businesses do not agree with the total liberalization of sales. This share is slightly down on the one recorded twelve months ago (59,5%). The companies that disagree with the liberalization of sales are mainly micro and small companies active in the leather goods and footwear/clothing sectors, mainly located in the regions of Northern Italy. Almost eight out of ten retail trade companies agree with the idea of establishing a single date for sales throughout Italy at the end of January.
THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCTS OFFERED FOR SALE
More than four out of five trade companies state that the quality of the products sold on sale is "very" or "fairly" good (87,2%). This share is slightly higher than last year (it was equal to 86,5%).
