From every angle, 2020 has been a year of exception. Phrases like "unprecedented times" and "the new normal" have become so trite, they've all but lost their meaning. At a time when little seems reliable, it's understandable why many online retailers feel like they're dangling over the edge of a totally unpredictable holiday shopping season.

The good news? Consumers continue to shop and their shopping habits so far, amid the pandemic, shed valuable light on what the season will bring, according to a recent survey of 1,500 self-identified online shoppers conducted by ShipperHQ.

According to the survey, 20% of online shoppers said they will do more of their holiday shopping online this year. Bigger picture, 31% of respondents said they've been shopping more online overall than ever before. These figures suggest an important opportunity for online and multichannel retailers to capture new audiences and re-engage existing ones this holiday shopping season – as long as they provide what shoppers truly want. Let's take a look.