Holiday Survey Results
Released: 12/18/03
Media Contact: Andy Perez or Bonni Pear
Miller-Pear Public Relations, (312) 649-0466 or info@millerpear.com
Editor's Note:high resolution color jpegs are available
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHICAGO-AREA SHOPPERS CHOOSE CLOTHES OVER
CAMERA PHONES AS THEIR FAVORITE HOLIDAY GIFT
RESULTS OF SHOPWOODFIELD.COM HOLIDAY SURVEY RELEASED
Schaumburg, IL (December 16, 2003) -- Chicago-area shoppers spoke 'loud and clear' about their favorite gifts and their shopping habits when they took the recently completed Shopwoodfield.com Holiday Survey. Thirty-three percent of respondents chose winter gear clothing as their favorite holiday gift as opposed to the 21% who preferred a camera phone despite the hype of camera phone sales predictions. Fifty million camera phones are expected to sell worldwide this year. The survey also found that 70% of Woodfield shoppers play Santa to more than 10 people this holiday season.
Men should listen up to the 21% of respondents who think a diamond for the right hand is the best gift of the season. A diamond ring for the right hand reflects a woman's spirit, independence and style. Survey takers chose their favorite hot gifts of the season in the following order: winter gear clothing (33%), diamond rings for the right hand (21%), camera phones (21%), skin care and beauty products (11%), home furnishings from glassware to accent pieces in the hot seasonal color of red (10%) and Hokey Pokey Elmo (4%).
Woodfield shoppers are in the giving mood as 70% claimed they have more than 10 people on their Holiday buying gift list including the 4% who say their gift list rivals Santa's. Seventy-three percent do their shopping during the first two weeks of December while less than 1% admit to waiting til December 24th to buy gifts. Receiving a present of a gift certificate such as the Woodfield gift certificate which is redeemable at all of the center's nearly 300 stores and restaurants is favored by 97% of shoppers.
When asked where they eat while shopping 51% visited a table-service restaurant, 30% chose fast food eateries, 10% were on the go with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll and 1% of shoppers took the time to say that their hands are too full with shopping bags to eat! Wrapping presents by hand is still preferred by 89% of survey takers but 6% admit to putting the gift in a holiday bag and calling it a day.
Visitors to Woodfield shopping center's web site, www.shopwoodfield.com from November 25 - December 8 were asked to rate the season's predicted hot sellers in the electronics, toys, beauty, clothing, home furnishings and jewelry categories. In return, they had an opportunity to win a $500 Woodfield gift certificate or a limited-edition, Radko-inspired Woodfield holiday ornament. Five hundred people responded to the survey. The winner of the gift certificate was Deepa, from Palatine, Illinois.
Woodfield is the premiere one-stop shopping experience in the Chicago area with nearly 300 of the world's favorite retailers including dozens that can't be found anywhere else in the Midwest. Merchants range from the unique -- fine art and jewelry dealers, Italian sunglass salons, sports merchandise emporia, and Belgium chocolate purveyors -- to renowned department stores Nordstrom, Marshall Field's, Lord & Taylor, JCPenney and Sears, along with 30 restaurants and food specialty shops. Notable newcomers since last holiday season include family clothing retailer H&M, toy merchant Lego, Hawaiian jeweler Na Hoku, young women's retailer Rampage, athletic wear retailer Puma, sunglass and apparel retailer Oakley, sunglass emporiums Solstice and Occhiali da Sole and children's clothier Janie & Jack.
From burgers and fries to the freshest seafood, steaks and salads, dining at Woodfield is a gastronomic delight. Many restaurants offer sit-down service including Todai Seafood Buffet, a Japanese all-you-can-eat seafood house, The Cheesecake Factory, home to 30-plus cheesecake varieties each day, Asian noodle shop Stir Crazy Cafe, hamburger champions John's Garage and Red Robin, kid favorite Rainforest Cafe and the salad-lover paradise of Ruby Tuesday.
Located at Route 53 and Golf Road in Schaumburg, 25 miles from downtown Chicago, Woodfield welcomes more than 27 million visitors annually and is the top tourist destination in Illinois. For information on Woodfield's extended holiday shopping hours, seasonal programs and services, call (847) 330-1537 or visit www.shopwoodfield.com.