Data from Nielsen Online sheds some new light on the matter that is so important to merchants—online and offline—during the busy holiday shopping season.

In an online survey of nearly 1,000 shoppers, 81% indicated that the ability to shop anytime during the day was why they chose to shop online during the holiday season.

With 77% of respondents, saving time was the next most popular reason to shop online. Next came the ability to comparison shop (61%), followed by finding merchandise easily (56%).



Only 46% of respondents cited low prices as a reason to shop online. Even fewer, 24%, claimed to be attracted by low shipping costs. So convenience beat pricing hands down, right? Well, it depends.

“Coming into the holiday season, retailers are keenly focused on promotions, which certainly have the ability to move the needle in the short term,” said Ken Cassar of Nielsen Online. But he didn’t stop there.

“In the long run, however, convenience keeps people coming back to the Internet,” added Mr. Cassar. “It’s available whenever consumers are ready to shop, offers a wide selection and obviates the need to fight the crowds at the mall.”

Like it or not, smart retailers must offer low prices and convenient services.