This holiday season, shopping may look more like detective work for many Americans.
Sixty-four percent of Americans admit to being total stalkers - when it comes to snooping on items they're hoping will go on sale, according to new research.
The survey of 2,000 Americans found that the average respondent will wait an extra eight days to purchase an item they're shopping for - just in case the price drops.
Half of the respondents reported checking in on a specific item at least once a day when price-stalking.
Yet a full 59% of respondents who employ this tactic have even missed out on their item of choice by waiting, saying their desired purchase went out of stock instead of on sale during their wait-and-see period.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the shopping app Flipp to celebrate the launch of their new Watch List feature, the research also examined the other money-saving tactics that Americans plan to use this holiday shopping season and beyond.
The survey revealed that families are particularly conscious of seasonal spending.
Sixty-four percent of respondents who are parents agreed that shopping for everything they need for their family, especially during the holidays, can easily become a budget-breaking task.
Moreover, 66% of parents say that saving money while holiday shopping is more important this year than ever for their family.
"It's easy to underestimate the value of searching for the best deals, saving coupons and even 'price comparing' for that perfect item," said Nafisa Kassam, Chief Deals Officer of Flipp.
"But the reality is that being strategic about purchasing - shopping smarter, and not harder - can lead to substantial savings for families through the year." Price-stalking items online was far from the only money-saving strategy respondents have embraced to help their households stay on budget this holiday season.
Parents and non-parents alike reported employing a wide range of tactics to spend less when shopping - and most are actually more likely to utilize these before or after the holiday season, as opposed to during it, suggesting that the holiday rush is alive and well, even in the era of online shopping.
In fact, six in 10 respondents reported finding some of the best deals of the holiday season prior to Black Friday.
Filling up your cart but not checking out to see if you're offered a discount incentive to purchase (43%), using coupons (57%) and buying in bulk (42%) were all common strategies.
And the extra time and effort spent to get the best deal can certainly pay off.
The average respondent who employed one or more of these strategies, or similar ones, saved a cool $407.48 every year by doing so - and 7% even reported saving over $1,001.
Respondents were also asked about their top hacks for shopping like a pro.
Asking for price adjustments, scouring the email list for discounts, buying throughout the year and shopping clearance first were among those they shared.
But perhaps no one knows the importance of saving money during the holidays better than parents - seventy-four percent of whom said that saving money on their kids' gifts goes a long way towards stretching their budgets."People tend to get caught up with seasonal discounts, but the reality is that deep discounts and great deals exist year-round if you know where to look for them," added Kassam."Instead of putting enormous pressure on yourself to save big for your family during the holiday shopping season, you can ease your budget by keeping an eye out for great deals year-round with the help of shopping apps and other digital tools."
