As the last weekend before Christmas approaches, new research has found that more than a third of consumers limit their in-store purchases because of heavy bags.
The survey, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Dropit, suggests that High Street retailers are at risk of losing profits over Christmas unless they can help shoppers with the problem of heavy and inconvenient shopping bags. It found that 35% of the 2,000 shoppers surveyed sometimes limit their in-store purchases.
A similar number (36%) said they would be more inclined to do their Christmas shopping on the High Street if they did not have to carry their shopping around with them afterwards.
The survey found that UK consumers seek the major convenience associated with online shopping – namely home delivery. One in two (50%) respondents said they like online shopping because they can have their goods delivered to their door, while three in five (60%) respondents said they enjoy shopping online because of the convenient times at which they can shop.
Karen Cabili, founder of Dropit, said: "Consumers enjoy the hands-free experience of buying online, but they also want the benefits of High Street shopping - the ability to see products up-close, to try on clothes and to enjoy the social aspects of shopping with friends and family. Up until now, the inevitable prospect of being laden down with shopping bags has outweighed those benefits for many consumers."
