Although many Christian retailers aren't fond of Santa, seeing jolly old St. Nick in the store with children enhances the holiday shopping experience for nearly 7 out of 10 (66 percent) U.S. shoppers, according to LoyaltyOne nationwide survey on the consumer mindset. Additionally, 76 percent of consumers said that hearing carols and other holiday music in the store enhances their Yuletide shopping trip.

The survey results also indicate that Santa’s in-store future is safe in the hands of young millennials. Seventy-one percent of consumers age 18-24 said encountering Santa in the store enriches the holiday shopping experience. That exceeds the 66 percent score for the general population (18-65 and over) and rivals the 65-and-over age group (72 percent) for the highest score among all demographics surveyed.

Shoppers seem unwilling to cut retailers any slack when it comes to poor service, however. Just over 7 out of 10 consumers (72 percent) disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, “I am more understanding if a salesperson is rude during the busy holiday sales season.” In fact, 81 percent of consumers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I am more offended if a salesperson is rude at a time when he or she should value my business.”

Dennis Armbruster, vice president of LoyaltyOne, said the survey demonstrates the importance of customer service.

“Pricing is important, but it’s not everything,” Armbruster said. “This research underscores how critical it is for retailers to make the overall holiday shopping experience memorable and delightful. These results are illuminating, I think, for retailers who are unsure about the significance that consumers still attach to traditional elements of the holiday shopping experience, such as Santa and seasonal music.”

“Additionally, this research should dispel any notion that a customer’s encounter with a salesperson is less of a high-risk touchpoint during the holiday season hustle and bustle,” Armbruster said. “Retailers that fail to address poor service during the holidays jeopardize customer loyalty and risk significant revenue losses.”

Other highlights from this month’s survey of consumer attitudes reveal differences between the general public and millennials regarding in-store holiday shopping. At 78 percent, young millennials (18-24) scored higher than any other age group for appreciating in-store carols and seasonal music. Forty percent of young millennials and 31 percent of older millennials (25-34) said they had a poor shopping experience last year that ruined their holiday mood versus 20 percent of the general population

Just 53 percent of young millennials said they disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement, “I am more understanding if a salesperson is rude during the holidays,” compared to 72 percent of the general population. At 65 percent, older millennials were less patient with salesperson rudeness than young millennials but more patient than the general population.

Forty-two percent of older millennials and 37 percent of young millennials said an encounter with a condescending salesperson would prevent them from returning to a store for holiday shopping, compared to 32 percent for the general population.

Among the general population, 50 percent said an encounter with a salesperson who took a “That’s not my department” attitude would prevent me from returning to a store, followed by 32 percent citing a condescending salesperson. Just 18 percent said they would not return to a store after an encounter with a salesperson who knew nothing about the item they were seeking. Nearly 1 in 3 consumers (29 percent) said that during each holiday shopping season, there is at least one store that loses their business due to a rude salesperson or poor service.

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