New research reveals what Canadians are really buying online

Environics Analytics and J.C. Williams Group are pleased to introduce ClickSpend™, the first database that will allow the retail sector to analyze the online and in-store shopping habits of consumers

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2018 /CNW/ - As consumers hunt for deals on Cyber Monday, new research by Environics Analytics and J.C. Williams Group reveals what Canadians really want to buy online. Although the dollar value of what Canadians spend online is consistent across the country, the composition of those purchases can vary considerably between consumer segments.

Environics Analytics' newest data product, ClickSpend™ Powered by J.C. Williams Group, is the first database that will allow retailers and shopping centre developers and owners to analyze the online and in-store shopping habits of consumers across 14 broad spending categories, including clothing, health products and food. Environics Analytics models the survey estimates down to small areas of geography to provide actionable insights about online shopping expenditures by neighbourhood to help the retail sector track market share and identify online and offline opportunities.

"For the first time in Canada, brick-and-mortar retailers will be able to assess the opportunity and potential competitive threat posed by online channels and shifting shopping habits," says Michele Sexsmith, Senior Vice President and Practice Leader for Retail, Real Estate, and Entertainment at Environics Analytics. "ClickSpend allows retailers to identify the impact of e-commerce on their local real estate and marketing decisions so they are better able to meet changing consumer expectations."

ClickSpend reveals notable differences between cities and neighbourhoods. Although households in Quebec City and Winnipeg each spend approximately $2,500 a year online, their virtual shopping carts are very different. Households in Quebec City tend to buy more food and groceries online, while Winnipeg households are more likely to buy recreational gear online. There are strong differences within communities, too. In Toronto, online purchases of electronics are concentrated in suburbs like Mississauga and Markham, but less so in Brampton and the city's East-End Danforth area.

In conjunction with data from Environics Analytics' suite of financial products, ClickSpend is derived from the Canadian E-tail Report, a semi-annual online survey conducted by the J.C. Williams Group. Estimates are produced using several cycles of the survey, encompassing more than 7,500 nationally representative respondents. The 14 spending categories captured by ClickSpend represent $343 billion in household expenditures (excluding services), with $41 billion of those purchases occurring online. The purchase categories covered by this database are a subset of the estimated $1.15 trillion that Canadian households are expected to spend this year.

For additional findings from the ClickSpend release please visit environicsanalytics.com/en-ca/ClickSpend2018.

About Environics Analytics

Environics Analytics is the premier marketing and analytical services company in Canada. The company offers a full range of analytical services to help customers turn data and analytics into insight, strategy and results. Environics Analytics' team of quantitative marketers, modellers and geographers are experts at helping organizations identify their business challenges, develop data-driven solutions and achieve success along every phase of their analytics journey. To learn more about Environics Analytics, please visit www.environicsanalytics.com.

About J.C. Williams Group

J.C. Williams Group is one of North America's leading full-service retail and retail-related consultancies with over 40 years of industry experience. The consultancy offers its clients practical, creative, and in-depth knowledge of retailing and marketing, including up-to-date know-how and techniques to make retail operations better and more profitable. J.C. Williams Group has offices in Toronto, Montréal and Chicago.

SOURCE Environics Analytics

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