More than eight out of ten holiday shoppers (83 percent) said they would shop for holiday gifts online, and a similar number, 80 percent, said they are likely to purchase gifts online from small businesses, according to a new survey commissioned by Yahoo! Small Business and conducted by Harris Interactive. With leading marketing research firms - including Jupiterresearch - predicting a significant increase in online shopping this holiday season, Yahoo! Small Business says its survey results are further evidence of strong support among consumers for e-commerce with small businesses.

Yahoo representatives did not respond to further questions about online holiday trends.

According to the survey, nearly a third (30 percent) of holiday shoppers polled said they will do at least half of their holiday shopping online. In addition, nearly two thirds of holiday shoppers (63 percent) said online specialty or 'niche' retailers are the "best places" to shop for unusual or hard-to-find gifts.

The nationwide survey polled 1,813 U.S. online adults who plan to do holiday shopping. The survey, conducted in late October, measured sentiment among the general online adult population about holiday shopping online. "Results from the survey suggest that holiday shoppers look to small online retailers for unique, distinctive gift items, and a large majority would be likely to buy gifts online from small businesses," says Yahoo in a written statement.

"Holiday shoppers are ready and willing to buy gifts online from small businesses that offer variety and value," said Rich Riley, vice president and general manager of Yahoo! Small Business. "The survey results are an encouraging confirmation that small business e-commerce has become an integral part of the holiday shopping experience for many consumers."

Pain at the pump
Nearly four out of five holiday shoppers surveyed (79 percent) said they would change their shopping habits if gas prices remain high or climb higher during the holiday buying season. Asked how they might change, many shoppers indicated they would be on the road less and on the Web more:

Make fewer shopping outings, but plan better to reduce unnecessary use of gas - 45%
Shop online more - 43%
Make fewer shopping trips and spend less in general - 42%
Shop at stores closer to home - 38%
Make as many shopping trips as before, but spend less money to make up for increased gas costs - 4%
Other - 2%

Finding unusual gifts online
Nearly three in five holiday shoppers surveyed (59 percent) said it was important that their favorite specialty or gift stores have an online presence. Seventy percent said they had no preference between shopping online with small versus large businesses. But shoppers did express their opinions about what they considered to be the "best places" to shop for unusual gifts:

Online specialty, niche, or boutique retailers - 63%
Small specialty retail stores in my area - 45%
Mail order catalog retailers - 39%
Large chain or department stores - 25%
Other - 9%
Not sure - 8%

Open all night Shoppers in the survey also stated that the key reasons they would shop for holiday gifts online with small businesses include convenient hours, avoiding crowded parking lots and the ability to find just the right gift, while fewer see low prices as a key factor:

Ability to shop anytime (day or night) - 75%
Avoiding crowded parking lots and long lines at malls and shopping centers - 68%
Better selection of unique, hard to find gifts - 60%
Easier to find personalized, distinctive gifts - 53%
Convenience in having gifts shipped to out-of-town friends and family - 40%
Past experience - reliable service in previous online holiday shopping - 40%
Better value, low prices - 36%
Other - 5%

"These data confirm that small business retailers need to be in front of online consumers as they use the Internet to shop for products during the hectic holiday season," said Kelsey Group analyst Greg Sterling. "Consumers clearly want what small retailers have to offer and those who can't be found online are missing a significant potential opportunity."

Devin Comiskey is the Managing Editor of ECommerce-Guide.