• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, October 31, 2013

One in four consumers plans to make a purchase from a retailer they never bought from before, giving brands new opportunities to reach new customers. Men will spend 15% more than women, and adults ages 25 to 34 will spend 19% more this year compared with last, per a study released Thursday.

The Google 2013 Holiday Shopping Intentions Study finds that 64% of women, compared with 56% of men, are more likely than men to start shopping early and purchase on the big days. The research conducted by Ipsos suggests 41% of shoppers will not complete holiday shopping until mid-December, despite early research that 24% of shoppers won't complete holiday shopping until the last minute, and 8% will not complete holiday shopping until after Christmas Day.

While nearly two in three shoppers plan to shop around for gift ideas, 63% do not have specific brands in mind, and 59% are open to purchasing from new retailers. There is still time to attract new and existing consumers by turning the Web site into a digital store window decked out for the holidays with lots of information for prospective customers.

Aside from the desktop, marketers need to consider mobile store windows. Smartphones will play a key role in holiday shopping this year. The study reveals 76% of smartphone owners plan to use them for holiday shopping, up 17% from last year. More purchases will get done via mobile as well. In fact, one in four smartphone owners surveyed plan to use their devices to make a purchase, up 21% from the prior year.

Brands can persuade shoppers with a variety of deals. The study suggests that 81% of shoppers will rely on discounts, 76% will take advantage of free shipping, and 60% will act on purchase incentives.

Shoppers aren't just crossing channels from mobile to store -- they are crossing devices from mobile to PC. Some 80% of consumers will use more than one device simultaneously, and 84% will start researching products on one device and complete the purchase on another. Research and reviews will help consumers decide on their purchases.

Millennials ages 18 to 34 will drive online and mobile shopping. In fact, 95% plan to use the Internet as a holiday shopping resource, versus 87% of adults ages 35 and above. Mobile will also help consumers locate the stores. One in three millennial smartphone owners plan to make a holiday purchase on their phone, up 28% year over year. In contrast, 17% of adults 35 and above who own smartphones plan to make a holiday purchase on their phones, which is up 13% over last year.