January Sales
- A fifth of Brits plan to spend more in the January sales than over the festive season -
Sunday 26th December: New research out today reveals that cash strapped Brits will be spending-to-save this festive period with an estimated £4.8 billion(1) being spent in the January sales this year – an extra £500 million than last year.(2)
The ‘Annual Sales Spending Report’ by Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance(3) found that more than half (58 per cent) of Brits are hoping to bag a bargain in the New Year sales. Brits will be spending the most on clothes, shoes and accessories forking out 79 per cent more on these items than a year ago, with one in five (20 per cent) planning to spend more in the New Year sales than over the Christmas period.
Seven per cent of those polled plan to spend more than £250 on bargain buys, with Brits spending on average £92.58 each this sales season. This is despite 20 per cent admitting to having a sales item in their wardrobe that they have never even worn. The average Brit will buy fifteen items in the January sales with ten per cent of Brits buying more than five items of clothing.
A third of men questioned (33 per cent) head to the sales solely to stock up on cheap gifts for their partner – with 29 per cent admitting they have stored sales items to give to their spouse as a birthday or Christmas present.
One in seven Brits (14 per cent) admit they will engage in sneaky “sales tactics” to get their hands on the best deal; almost one in five (17 per cent) will hide desired items in places rival shoppers will not be able to find them and six per cent even admitted they would be prepared to use some force to have first dibs on an purchase.
Brit’s top 10 sales purchases:
1. Clothes (58 per cent)
2. Shoes (24 per cent)
3. Accessories (23 per cent)
4. DVDs (18 per cent)
5. Books (14 per cent)
6. Toiletries (14 per cent)
7. Home Electricals (14 per cent)
8. Make-up (9 per cent)
9. Toys (8 per cent)
10. Cookware (7 per cent)
Almost one in five women (17 per cent) plan to wake up at the crack of dawn to bag a bargain with more than one in ten (12 per cent) admitting they are prepared to queue for up to two hours to be the first in line for the sales.
A fifth of women (21 per cent) follow “clothes etiquette” and believe it is not acceptable under any circumstances to buy an item of clothing their friend has already bought – regardless of the bargain. 23 per cent agree that this is allowed but only if you wait a certain amount of time – with one in ten (ten per cent) saying you should wait at least a month before you can buy and wear the same item of clothing or accessories as a friend.
Brits spend an average of six days in a lifetime(4) trying on clothes in the changing room that they never even end up buying. Just over half (52 per cent) of Brits prefer to go shopping alone than with a friend or partner.
Jacky Brown, at Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance, comments: “The January sales are getting earlier every year as so many families are eager to grab a bargain rather than fork out a fortune over Christmas.
“There are some great bargains out there but when adding the value of these together, sales shopping can be a costly affair. That’s where the importance of having ample home contents insurance comes in as it’s crucial not to underestimate the cost to replace purchases should anything unfortunate happen.”
Gender Divide
- A quarter of men (25 per cent) will spend more in the January sales than over the festive period – this is compared to just 17 per cent of women
- Men spend an average total of £82.98 on sales items every year
- 59 per cent of women would find it flattering if a friend bought the same item they had seen them wearing – this is compared to 42 per cent of men
Regional Divide
- 72 per cent of people in Wales will be looking to bag a bargain in the pre-Christmas and January sales, compared to 55 per cent of those in the South East
- Those in the North East are the thriftiest region with 45 per cent of those polled stocking up on cheap bargains in the sales to give to their friends and family as presents - Those in the West Midlands are the sneakiest region polled with a fifth (20 per cent) engaging in sneaky sales tactics – such as hiding clothes in places other rival shoppers won’t find them
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For further information please contact the Sheilas’ Wheels press office at Mischief PR on 020 3128 6600 or email sheilaswheels@mischiefpr.com
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Notes to Editors:
(1) Source: Office of National Statistics. Total UK adult (over 18s) population is 51,568,600. £92.58 x 51,568,600 = 4,774,220,988. (2) Sheilas’ Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 1,004 men and women in the UK, aged 18 and over, from across the country, between the 5th and 8th November 2010. (3) Sheilas’ Wheels used the independent online research company Fly Research who surveyed 1,030 men and women in the UK, aged 18 and over, from across the country, between the 9th and 11th December 2011. (4) 3 hours per year x 50 years in an average adult lifetime divided by 24 hours = 6.25 days in a lifetime.
