Reorganizing finances to celebrate the holidays 

Many shoppers plan to spend their average amount on holiday gifts regardless of rising prices. A survey conducted by the National Retail Federation found that 62% of shoppers believe it is important to prioritize spending on holiday celebrations and gifts this season, even if they need to cut back in other areas. Forty-three percent say they can’t afford holiday spending but are rearranging where their money is being allocated to make their plans work. Forty percent plan to use their savings and 22% will sell assets to supplement income. Some shoppers will take advantage of services like buy now, pay later (32%) and others have decided to go into credit card debt (40%) to celebrate the holidays.

The research was conducted in late September 2022 with 2,000 consumers. Read more.

Canadians choose connection over spending 

This holiday season, Canadian consumers are planning to lower their spending by making smarter financial decisions and prioritizing connection. The Deloitte 2022 holiday retail outlook found that this year, Canadians will spend 17% less than they did in 2021. Thirty-seven percent say they plan to shop for holiday gifts earlier this year. Seventy-two percent say they are willing to switch to alternative brands to find the lowest prices available and 43% say they will spend more time comparing prices to find the best one. Forty-one percent are planning formal meals and 37% are hosting get-togethers with friends and family to celebrate the holidays. 

The research was conducted with over 1,000 Canadian consumers. Read more. 

Generations prepare for the holidays

People are getting ready for the holidays in their own ways. According to Jungle Scout, 66% of Millennials and 16% of Gen Z plan to shop for specific brands this holiday season and 13% of Gen X and 13% of Baby Boomers plan to search for deals and discounts for wish-list items. This year, 59% of consumers will purchase physical gifts, 29% will give gift cards and 29% will gift virtual products like subscriptions or memberships. Millennials (25%) get more gift ideas from social media compared to Gen Z (23%), Gen X (8%) or Baby Boomers (7%). When looking through social media platforms, consumers are most influenced by Facebook (70%), Instagram (69%) and TikTok (67%).

The research was conducted on October 14, 2022, with 1,008 consumers. Read more.

Limiting holiday spending

As prices continue to increase, many people are reconsidering where and who to spend their money on. According to Pureprofile’s Christmas report, people in the U.K. are spending an average of £325 on gifts this holiday season and 22% are only purchasing gifts for children this year. The top three gifts include food, confectionery or drinks (42%), clothing (39%) and gift cards (35%). Forty-five percent say they will spend less on holiday celebrations this year, compared 25% in 2021. Twenty-eight percent plan to travel this season while 72% will stay close to home to lower costs. 

This research was conducted in September 2022 with 2,638 Pureprofile panel members. Read more. 

Economic uncertainty affects shopping behaviors

Many consumers are reconsidering how much they want to spend this holiday season. According to Big Village, 72% of consumers say they will shop for less people this year to limit the amount they spend. Seventy-three percent are willing to choose value brands over name brands and 55% are less likely to purchase luxury or big-ticket items compared to previous years. Fifty-nine percent started holiday shopping earlier this year, with 62% taking advantage of Black Friday sales and 26% shopping on Cyber Monday. Although some are choosing to shop online, 84% of consumers still plan to make in-person purchases.

The research was conducted with 1,008 U.S. adults. Read more.