Survey Sees Surge in Last-Minute Holiday Shopping

An estimated 233 million Americans – 89% of all U.S. adults – plan to shop leading up to Dec. 25, and on “Super Saturday” alone, 71% of consumers plan to shop, 6 percentage points higher than in 2023. (The NRF sees a similar surge for that day.) The ICSC’s findings are contained in a just-concluded consumer survey of a demographically representative sample of 1008 U.S. respondents.

Other findings from the ICSC survey include:

• Ninety-four percent plan to spend on goods, while 64% plan to spend on experiences, such as dining, entertainment, and personal services.
• Physical stores remain an important part of holiday shopping, as 84% of shoppers intend to shop in store or visit a store to pick up an online order.
• Gen Z is expected to be a major force in holiday shopping leading up to December 25; more Gen Z consumers plan to spend compared Gen X and Baby Boomers and 92% – more than any other generation – plan to visit a shopping center.
• Consumers who plan to shop through December 25 are primarily aiming to finish gift shopping (53%) and take advantage of late season deals and promotions (39%).
• As shoppers search for deals and promotions, 75% of consumers say price and value is the most important factor in choosing where to shop, followed by in-stock products.
• Convenience is also valuable, as 38% say proximity to home or other stores is the most important and 30% note speedy pickup and shipping options.

“Retailers are seeing strong consumer turnout during the 2024 holiday shopping season so far and we expect this momentum to continue through the days leading up to December 25, including on Super Saturday,” said ICSC President and CEO Tom McGee. “While consumer focus remains on value and deals, shoppers will also be focused on efficiently completing their last-minute holiday shopping. Retailers that successfully offer a variety of convenient shopping and fulfillment methods and maintain their product availability and stock are poised for success as we close out this strong holiday shopping season.”

Click here for more from the ISCS study.