Verizon Wireless and KRC Announce Holiday Survey Findings

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Holidays and Technology

  • 81% of smartphone users will wish someone a happy holiday over text message; 35% will do so via video chat.

    • Women (85%) wish their friends and family happy holidays over text message more frequently than men (75%).

    • Millennials are significantly more likely to wish someone happy holidays over text (92%) and video chat (47%) compared to other age groups.
    • The West is the most tech savvy region with 42% saying they will send their greetings by video chat (33% Midwest, 31% Northeast, 33% South).
  • 86% say that they feel closer to friends and family due to smartphones.
    • Even if they don’t get the chance to see them in person over the holidays, Millennials (89%) and iPhone users (93%) are the most likely to feel that technology brings them closer to their families.

  • 58% say they’re likely to download a video on their smartphones for a recipe or decorating tip.
    • This is most likely for Millennials (73%), women (61%) and parents (71%).

    • Only a third of those over 55 (33%) are likely to use their smartphones for holiday decorating or baking wisdom.
  • More than a third of Millennials (35%) say they download holiday-specific apps.

Shopping Habits and Technology

  • More (40%) say they plan to shop on Cyber Monday than Black Friday (36%).

    • People in the West (39%) are most likely to go shopping on Cyber Monday compared to other regions (33% Northeast, 36% South, 36% Midwest).

    • Compared to other age groups, Millennials (ages 18-34) are the biggest Cyber Monday shoppers (42%).
    • However, Millennials prefer Black Friday (44%) slightly over Cyber Monday (42%). Those between 35 and 54 prefer Cyber Monday (41%) significantly over Black Friday (33%).
  • 59% have used a smartphone to make Black Friday shopping easier.
    • The vast majority of these tech savvy people also shop on Cyber Monday (71%).

    • Those in the West (67%) are significantly more likely to use their smartphones for Black Friday shopping help compared to other regions; nearly half of all Midwesterners (45%) and Northeasterners (44%) do not use them.
  • There is a high demand for Black Friday apps that would make shopping easier.
    • 80% say knowing where to get the best Black Friday deals would make their shopping experience easier.

    • 78% say that they would benefit from knowing which stores have the shortest lines.
    • Another 79% say they would like to know how many of the hottest deals are left at each store.

Discovering new ways to use mobile devices brings greater value to customers around the holidays. This season, Verizon and leading content providers such as Pandora, Amazon and others, have teamed up to provide consumers with the most value from their mobile devices by unveiling the first-ever Connection Day on November 26. Customers will receive special offers and additional data to enjoy this holiday season for whatever they deem fit, including shopping perks, watching their favorite movies or simply keeping in touch with friends and family.

How do you use your mobile device during the holiday season? Be sure to join the conversation on Twitter at @VZWnews and @VZWChuck!

Gifts, time with family, technology. What would Americans be most willing to give up during the holidays? The answer may surprise you.

According to a survey from Verizon Wireless and KRC Research, only 4 percent of Americans would be willing to give up seeing family over the holidays. Second most-important? Smartphones. Only 10 percent say that they’d be willing to part from their phones, compared to 21 percent who could go without gifts.  

Those results are part of a survey of 1,000 Americans conducted earlier this month by Verizon Wireless in partnership with KRC Research that explores how people use their mobile devices (smartphone or tablet) during the holiday season. This included how consumers use their mobile devices to prepare for the holidays, stay in touch with loved ones, and whether mobile technology impacts their shopping experiences on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The summary of the survey results are below:

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