More people are planning to shop for groceries online during the 2024 holiday shopping season, pointing to the potential for a healthy digital boost for grocers, per Coveo’s annual holiday shopping outlook.

Coveo’s “Gift or Grinch? Unwrapping This Season’s Shopper Spending Plans” points to a robust upcoming fourth quarter for retailers overall with 76% of shoppers planning to maintain or increase gift purchases this holiday season. Interestingly, one notable finding is that 55% of consumers say they plan to grocery shop online or use delivery apps for holiday meals and parties during this time. Of these respondents, 20% say this is an increase to their typical online grocery shopping routine. 

Furthermore, the online grocery shopping figure rises considerably for younger generations — 68% for millennials and 69% for Generation Z. This means that younger generations are relying even more on the digital experience for meals and festivities during the holiday peak months.

Also notable is that among all respondents surveyed, 44% identified food, beverages and wellness products as the category they find to be most tempting for impulse buys online, which was the second highest category for spontaneous purchases, overall – only a single percentage point behind fashion. 

Coveo’s study found that 85% of shoppers categorized themselves as being prone to impulse buying online across a variety of shopping categories.

Why digital channels are appealing

As for attracting shoppers, Coveo’s respondents confirmed the appeal of digital channels for deals and coupons. In fact, 80% of shoppers said they discover special offers via purely digital sources, including email, social media platforms, online search and online marketplaces. The most popular response for finding deals in general was through online or in-store store advertising and signage. The least popular was print mailings and coupons — only 20% of respondents selected this choice, a figure that drops to 13% for UK respondents. 

Overall, 90% of the respondents said they are open to being persuaded to add items to their existing online order.

Another top takeaway from Coveo’s 2024 holiday report is that the grocery sector is ripe for significant digital growth. The anticipated boost online during the 2024 holiday peak and preferences for spontaneous shopping opportunities in this category, along with the general appeal of digital coupons, are all indicators of a successful future for grocers’ online sales.

We will continue to see more focus on the grocery digital customer experience, particularly as younger generations continue to move the needle, driving demand for digital purchases in this sector.   

About the study

Coveo’s “Gift or Grinch? Unwrapping This Season’s Shopper Spending Plans” examines different facets of digital customer experience trends through the lens of consumer sentiment towards the 2024 holiday shopping season. The report defines the holiday shopping season as the period from Black Friday and Cyber Week through the December holidays. It was  conducted in the summer of 2024 by Coveo in partnership with Arlington Research.