More will shop online, use smartphones this holiday season
More of you are expected to do your holiday shopping online and more will be using your smartphones to do it, according to a survey by Deloitte Consulting LLP.
About 500 people from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs responded to the Deloitte survey related to consumer habits.
This holiday season, 44 percent of the respondents are expected to shop online, mostly for the convenience, find better prices and free shipping, among other reasons. That's slightly higher than the 43 percent last year and 34 percent in 2010, said Tom Compernolle, principal at Deloitte Consulting, who advises clients about those shopping habits.
Shopping online has gone mainstream, something that wouldn't have been considered about 10 years ago, Compernolle said.
“It's become more second nature now,” he said. “It's no longer an infant industry. It's matured.”
And the other aspect that's matured is the use of smartphones. About 56 percent of the respondents said they used smartphones and of that group, about 65 percent they'll use those smartphones to shop during the holidays, he said.
Last year, those who had smartphones totaled about 47 percent and of that group, 25 percent said they would use those smartphones to shop.
“That's a huge jump and with that kind of market momentum, that's expected to go up again next year,” he said.
Surfing: Two St. Viator High School alums won Hoffman Estates-bases Sears' online reality show, “Bridal Wave.” Season two winner, Jacquelin Johnson of Chicago, will get a $10,000 Kenmore kitchen makeover. The former Rolling Meadows bride was one of eight featured on the live show that chronicled her wedding-planning journey while receiving guidance from experts. As part of the show, brides created personal blogs on www.kenmore.com to interact with friends, family and fans for the chance to win the kitchen makeover. Her fiancé is Mike Pohl of Chicago and cousin to Daily Herald reporter Kim Pohl.
ŸAT&T, which has its Midwest headquarters in Hoffman Estates, said this week that it plans a $14 billion expansion of wireless and wireline IP broadband networks over the next three years to support growing customer demand for high-speed Internet access and new mobile, app and cloud services. The additional investment goes into its 22-state wireline service area and in states where it provides wireless services. No word yet on how much of that goes into Illinois, a spokeswoman said.
Ÿ In recognition of Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day, Oak Brook-based Advocate Health Care is honoring the brave men and women who serve our country with a special tribute on its Facebook page throughout November.
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