eHoliday Study 2009 – Frequently Asked Questions

What benefits do I get from taking the survey?
Is the survey long?
Who can participate?
What about survey confidentiality?
Who takes the survey within each company?
What if I am not able to participate in the pre-holiday survey?
Which consumers participate?
What is the timing of the retailer surveys?
What do the surveys ask?
How can I access the 2008 eHoliday Study Results?

What benefits do I get from taking the survey?
There are three great reasons to participate in the annual Shop.org eHoliday Study. Participants receive:

• Ongoing holiday season analysis and data
  For the annual eHoliday research, we conduct two retailer and consumer surveys (one pre-holiday, one post-holiday). Following completion of each survey, participating retailers receive a summary of those results. This means several in-depth, real-time analyses of how retailers and consumers are tackling the holiday season. Additionally, you also receive the aggregated survey data in Excel format to analyze as you wish (no individual data will be shared, we report data results only in aggregate).
• Research to plan the upcoming Holiday!   The 2010 Shop.org Holiday Strategy & Planning Guide
  In the summer of 2010, we'll draw from the full 2009 eHoliday research of both retailers and consumers to provide you a new 2010 Shop.org Holiday Strategy & Planning Guide.  In the meantime, Shop.org Members may access the 2009 Shop.org Holiday Strategy & Planning Guide (log in required). 
• Contribution to the eCommerce Community
  Your participation in both the pre- and post-holiday surveys is crucial for us to learn and share within the Shop.org eCommerce community online holiday best practices and lessons learned. You directly benefit from research that helps you to define strategy, craft tactics, analyze needed investments in your site and marketing, improve promotions, and benchmark your results.

Is the survey long?
We know you are always busy, and especially so around the holiday season. As such, we designed each retailer survey to take you no more than 20 minutes to complete.  For a small investment of time, you'll get countless insights.

Who can participate?
This is a survey of retailers, therefore only retail companies may participate. If you're not a retailer, you are not eligible to participate. To find out if your company is registered to participate, please email us.

What about survey confidentiality?
Survey results are provided shortly after we complete each wave of the study. We only report survey results in aggregate and do NOT reveal individual company results. Shop.org has been collecting  research information from its members for many years and has never broken its promise to keep confidential information just that – confidential.

Who takes the survey within each company?
We're looking for one primary contact per retail company to participate in each retailer survey (one pre-holiday, one post-holiday).  Please let us know if you would like to participate!

What if I was not able to participate in the most recent holiday survey?
No worries -- we gladly welcome your participation in the next (Fall 2010) round of eHoliday research!  Your insight and thoughts as a retailer will be invaluable additions to our overall eHoliday findings.

Which consumers participate?
For the consumer questions, our research partner BIGresearch taps its consumer panel.

What is the timing of the retailer surveys?
The first survey was conducted in the latter half of September through early October and is now closed -- watch the general eHoliday information page for the results of the pre-holiday survey.  Consumers are also surveyed just following the Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday weekend.  Finally, we survey both retailers and consumers again just after the holidays (late December and early January).  

What do the surveys ask?
The retailer surveys consist of multiple-choice questions on topics such as holiday revenue forecasts, marketing campaigns and promotions, Web site features, gift cards, customer service, and fulfillment. Only aggregated results will be released, and no company-specific information will be released.

How can I access the 2008 eHoliday Study Results?
To access the results of the annual eHoliday surveys, you must either (1) be a current member of Shop.org, or (2) have participated in the current retailer survey. For reference, Shop.org Members may download the full set of 2008 eHoliday results.