MEDIA ALERT: Retailer Dos and Don'ts for the Holiday Season

eBay Local highlights consumer preferences for in-store shopping

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Dec 12, 2011, 08:00 ET

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- eBay, the world's largest online marketplace and a leader in mobile commerce, today reveals the top ways retailers can engage in-store consumers this holiday season.

Do offer complimentary gift wrap – 32 percent of shoppers indicate free gift wrapping encourages them to spend more in-store; snacks and holiday music also drive spending.
Do appeal to community pride – Consumers feel pride when they buy from local retailers; 41 percent plan to allocate around half their holiday budget to buying at local stores, which is an average of $350 according to NRF data.
Don't go overboard with eggnog and tacky sweaters – Consumers dislike it when stores serve alcohol (27 percent) and when salespeople don excessive holiday wear (16 percent).
Do make your product data accessible online and via a mobile site – Nearly three-quarters of shoppers research deals online before heading to the store; 59 percent use mobile devices to compare prices and 40 percent check inventory via phone.

"Retailers need to find creative ways to engage customers and have them spend more time in their stores, which ultimately leads to more purchases," said Jack Abraham, director of local, eBay. "Sales from the holiday season can make up 30 percent of a store's annual revenue and a few simple extras such as complimentary gift wrap, a local affiliation and accessible product information can make a major difference in pushing sales forward."

About eBay Inc.
Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is about enabling commerce. We do so through eBay, the world's largest online marketplace, which allows users to buy and sell in nearly every country on earth; through PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely, easily and quickly send and receive online payments; and through GSI, which facilitates ecommerce, multichannel retailing and digital marketing for global enterprises. X.commerce brings together the technology assets and developer communities of eBay, PayPal and Magento, an ecommerce platform, to support eBay Inc.'s mission of enabling commerce. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000 cities around the world. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

SOURCE eBay Inc.