Shoppers Motivated to Make 2020 Holiday Season Extra Special

12/16/2020

Shoppers Motivated to Make 2020 Holiday Season Extra Special BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ’s offers a variety of convenient shopping options, including curbside and in-club pickup, for members looking for creative last-minute gifts to check off their holiday wish list.

Nearly three in four Americans are determined to make this holiday season as special as they can following a difficult year, according to a new survey by OnePoll on behalf of BJ’s Wholesale Club.

The survey of 2,000 Americans, conducted in October, found that six in 10 Americans have specifically been saving up to make the holidays exceptional this year, and that creative gift-giving is one way to do that. BJ’s survey showed that 60% of Americans expect to receive more “creative” gifts than ever before.

According to the survey, when it comes to holiday gifting and shopping:

The average American will be buying gifts for nine people this holiday season.

59% of Americans believe that their holiday gifts will be more thoughtful this year, because they’ll be shopping online.

44% of Americans plan to use buy online, pickup in-store, and 29% plan to use curbside pickup for their holiday shopping.

In fact, the Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation (NRF) expects that online and other non-store holiday sales will increase between 20% and 30% to between $202.5 billion and $218.4 billion, up from $168.7 billion last year.

BJ’s has made significant progress rolling out new digital services this year. For example, in August, the retailer launched free contactless, curbside pickup at all locations.

Additionally, with a recent consumer research study from New York-based digital shopper marketing platform Chicory finding that there are 18% more online grocery users now compared with pre-COVID times, BJ’s expanded its buy online, pick up in-club service to include fresh and frozen grocery items in late October.

Meanwhile, for in-store holiday shopping, BJ’s has implemented operational procedures to help ensure a safe environment for its members and associates, including enhanced cleaning and sanitation, mandated face coverings, social-distancing cues, and personal protective equipment for employees.

“We want our members to feel great about their gift-giving, both for the joy a thoughtful gift brings to a loved one, and also for the amazing value they’re getting by shopping at BJ’s,” said Molly Cox, SVP, GMM, general merchandise at BJ’s. “We’re giving members the joy of choices with so many ways to conveniently shop for last-minute gifts, either in-club or with free curbside pickup and free pickup in-club.”

BJ’s recently achieved a record third quarter. Same-store sales, excluding fuel, increased 18.5% and digitally enabled sales increased 200% during the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared with the prior year.

Westborough, Massachusetts-based BJ's Wholesale Club operates 219 clubs and 149 BJ's Gas locations in 17 states. The company is No. 27 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer's 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.