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The National Retail Federation’s annual survey found 56% of holiday shoppers expect economic conditions to affect their spending plans. Many say they will seek sales, compare prices and use coupons, while shoppers are split between starting early and waiting for holiday promotions.
More than half of holiday shoppers say the state of the economy will affect their spending plans this season, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. The results point to greater attention to sales, online price comparisons and coupons as consumers try to manage holiday costs.
Among shoppers who expect the economy to affect their plans, 43% say they will shop for sales more often, 31% plan to compare prices online more often and 29% expect to use coupons more often. The survey describes these as strategies for making holiday shopping more affordable; it does not say how much shoppers expect to spend or how their total budgets compare with last year.
Shopping schedules also reflect budget considerations. Forty-three percent plan to start browsing or buying before November, close to the 42% reported for the previous year. Among early starters, half say they want to spread out their shopping budgets, while 37% cite prices and promotions they do not want to miss.
Shoppers who plan to wait until November or December also cite deals: 46% of that group say they expect to find the best prices and promotions then. Meanwhile, 64% of consumers say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping, compared with 63% last year. The survey also found that 91% of U.S. adults plan to celebrate winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
How Budgets Shape Shopping Plans
The findings suggest that value-seeking is influencing both when and where consumers shop, rather than pushing everyone toward one schedule. Some shoppers are starting early to divide costs over time; others are holding out for promotions, with many expecting to make most purchases during Thanksgiving weekend.
For retailers, the reported behavior makes pricing and promotions central to reaching shoppers. NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Allison Zeller said retailers are responding with products, promotions and shopping experiences aimed at helping customers find value. The survey reports consumer intentions, however, and does not establish whether promotions will change purchasing decisions or how retailers’ holiday sales will perform.
For households, the results offer a snapshot of common approaches to managing seasonal expenses, not a recommendation or a forecast for any individual budget. The reported percentages capture what respondents say they plan to do; actual spending and shopping patterns may differ.
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Early Browsing, Later Purchases
The survey indicates that starting to browse early does not necessarily mean completing purchases early. While 43% plan to begin before November, nearly two-thirds say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping. Early planning and later deal-seeking can therefore occur within the same season, though the source does not specify whether respondents may be included in both groups.
Consumers also expect to use several kinds of retailers. Online shopping leads, with 53% saying they plan to shop online. Grocery stores and discount stores each register 43%, while 42% plan to shop at department stores. These figures describe intended destinations and do not indicate the share of purchases each channel will receive.
Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said shoppers are choosing when to shop according to what works for them, with many still planning to take advantage of Thanksgiving-weekend deals. The source compares some results with last year but does not provide the survey’s sample size, field dates or detailed methodology.
“With affordability top of mind, holiday shoppers are taking a thoughtful approach to spending, balancing value with preserving traditions that make the holiday season special.”
— Allison Zeller, NRF vice president of industry and consumer insights
Survey Limits and Spending Unknowns
The source does not give the survey’s field dates, sample size, margin of error or full methodology, limiting what can be assessed about the results. It also does not report expected holiday spending totals, whether consumers plan to spend more or less than last year, or how inflation and other economic factors influenced individual answers.
The percentages describe respondents’ plans, not completed purchases. It remains unclear whether shoppers will follow through, how much they will spend across different retail channels, and whether promotions will be deep or widely available. The reported figures alone cannot establish how holiday sales will turn out.
Holiday Shopping Will Test Intentions
As the season progresses, actual shopping activity will show how closely consumer plans match behavior. Thanksgiving weekend is a key period to watch, given that 64% of consumers say they are likely to do most of their shopping then. Retailers’ promotions and shoppers’ response to them will also help show whether the reported focus on affordability translates into purchases.
The survey provides an advance view of intentions, not a final measure of holiday spending. Later retail results and any further survey releases may clarify how shoppers distributed purchases, which destinations they used and whether economic concerns altered total spending.
Key Questions
How many holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their plans?
Fifty-six percent say the state of the economy will affect their holiday spending plans, according to the NRF survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
What money-saving strategies do shoppers plan to use?
Among shoppers who expect the economy to affect their plans, 43% plan to shop for sales more often, 31% to compare prices online more often and 29% to use coupons more often.
When do consumers plan to do most of their holiday shopping?
Sixty-four percent say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping. Separately, 43% plan to begin browsing or buying before November.
Where do consumers plan to shop?
Online is the leading planned destination at 53%. Grocery stores and discount stores each account for 43%, and 42% plan to shop at department stores.
Does the survey show how much consumers will spend?
No. The source reports intended behaviors and shopping plans, but does not provide expected spending totals or show how actual purchases compare with last year.
Source: rss
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