According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), an estimated 157.2 million consumers are expected to shop on the final Saturday before Christmas, often referred to as "Super Saturday." This figure represents a significant increase from last year's 141.9 million shoppers and is the second-highest total ever recorded, following only the 158.5 million observed in 2022. 'Super Saturday remains a crucial opportunity for consumers to tick off their last-minute shopping lists before Christmas Day,' said Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights at NRF.
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With only four days remaining between Super Saturday and Christmas, many shoppers are expected to embrace multiple channels to complete their holiday purchases. Approximately 69.5 million people, or 44%, plan to shop both in-store and online, marking a rise from last year's 58.3 million, or 41%. Meanwhile, 49.4 million, or 31%, intend to shop exclusively in-store, a decline from 52.8 million, or 37%, in 2023. Furthermore, 38.2 million consumers, or 24%, plan to shop online only, representing an increase from 30.8 million, or 22%, last year. 'Whether they've planned ahead or left things to the last minute, most consumers still have purchases to make before December 25,' remarked Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics. 'As in previous years, over half of shoppers expect to complete their gift-buying in the days leading up to Christmas.'
The primary shopping destinations for consumers this season include online, with 49% expected to shop through this channel. Department stores remain a popular choice, with 37% planning to visit them, followed by 27% targeting discount stores and 25% heading to clothing and accessory stores. Like in previous years, 71% of shoppers intend to continue their shopping in the week following Christmas. The main reasons for this are taking advantage of holiday sales and promotions, which 48% plan to do, using gift cards, with 26% expected to take part, and returning or exchanging unwanted gifts and holiday items, cited by 16% of shoppers.
NRF defines the holiday season as running from November 1 to December 31, and forecasts indicate record-breaking levels of spending, with an expected growth between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023. Holiday spending is projected to reach between $979.5 billion and $989 billion. The survey, conducted between December 2 and December 9, included 7,861 adult participants and carries a margin of error of ±1.1 percentage points.
Source: www.homeaccentstoday.com