Topical trends…Brits summer shopping habits unveiled

The UK’s leading independent price comparison site, PriceRunner, reveals what savvy Brits have been searching for online this summer. 

With a little more freedom after months in lockdown, Brits have been making the most of day trips, visiting loved ones and exploring the UK coast and countryside with staycations on the rise this summer.

As many of us continue to work from home, prepare to go back to school and make the most of the sunshine, PriceRunner has revealed what we are searching for online and look to make savings on. 

You’ve got to hit a bucket or two

• Golf – Up by a massive 335%, it seems to have been a summer of hitting the golf course. With fans still unable to attend matches and tournaments, the spike could signal that sporting fans are taking up new hobbies instead to enjoy time outdoors with friends during weekends and staycations.
• Electric vehicles – As part of government plans for greener transport, it was announced that E-scooter trials will be brought forward from next year to help encourage more people off public transport and onto greener alternatives. Yet to be legalised for use on roads, cycle lanes, tracks and on pavements, it would appear that Brits are feeling hopeful for future changes, as PriceRunner reported a 240% spike in searches for electric vehicles, which includes E-scooters, Hoverboards, Segways and E-Skates.
• Camping Gear – With many households swapping an annual abroad trip for a camping adventure closer to home, PriceRunner reported searches for camping gear are up 152%. Camping sites are receiving more enquiries for bookings than ever before and it shows no signs of slowing down, with booking site Pitchup.com saying demand for pitches in August had been twice as high as last year, with demand for September also strong*.
• Printers – With many offices still operating remotely, employees have been setting up to work effectively from home and as a result, demand for printers grew, with a 42% increase in searches in June/July compared to April/May 2020. Ink and toners had a similar increase, up 44%.
• Child Car Seats – Roads across the UK had been quieter than usual due to lockdown but according to the RAC**, drivers planned on packing in 45million day trips in August to make the most of the ‘staycation’ summer. A legal requirement for children until they are 12, as parents geared up to get back behind the driving seat searches for child car seats increased by 45%.

The annual summer sales are underway with huge discounts to be found online and on the high street. To help you make your money go further and avoid falling into a sales offer trap, PriceRunners’ Consumer Expert, Anna Lavfors, has put together her essential  summer sale shopping tips:

1. Write a shopping list in advance – Planning is key to avoid being easily swayed into an unwanted purchase just because it looks like a bargain.
2. Set a budget – Be realistic about what you can afford and whether the item is an essential one, e.g. if you saved for a few more months would you be able to get more for your money and be happier with the purchase longer term? Before setting a budget, take a look online to see what the average price of the item in question is, as this will ensure it is sensible. 
3. Check the price history and always compare prices before buying – Consumers often don’t realise that they can check the product’s price history, which quickly uncovers whether a deal is truly a good one. You can see prices for the previous 12 months, and all prices in the price history of each product on the site. So, if you find a good deal with big savings on the day, looking at the price history can reveal that the summer sale price is actually higher or the same as what the product has previously cost.
4. If shopping online, check shipping costs – These can often not be included in the price shown and can add on a fair amount extra if the package needs to be sent special delivery or from overseas.
5. Check whether it is easy to return products and the rules for exchanges.
6. Act quickly - Shops typically have an extremely limited quantity of the cheapest products.
7. Finally, you can always check the most up to date deals via the PriceRunner deals section, which has an overview of products with price reductions.

On average, shoppers can save 30 to 40% just by comparing prices and choosing the cheapest retailer, with hundreds of leading brands and retailers featured and deals and promotions updated daily

With a handy ‘price history’ tool to help reveal whether an offer price is actually a good deal and the ability to set up price alerts to receive notifications when prices drop or your target price has been reached; PriceRunner will help you to quickly become an expert savvy shopper, finding the best products at the best prices.

Browse the latest deals and offers at Pricerunner.com.

ENDS

Notes to editors

*Source – BBC News Online, August 2020

**Source – RAC Press Release, August 2020

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