In the final stretch of the holiday season, retailers are well-prepared to cater to consumers’ needs with a wide array of gifts, decorations, and festive items, both online and in physical stores. A recent survey indicates that nearly 142 million shoppers across the U.S. are expected to participate in Super Saturday, the last major shopping day before Christmas, marking a significant increase from the 126 million in 2017.
This year, Super Saturday falls just two days before Christmas, prompting a surge in last-minute shopping. Of these shoppers, 37% plan to shop exclusively in stores, a rise from 28% last year, while 41% will use both online and in-store options. About 22% will shop solely online.
As of early December, holiday shoppers have completed around half of their shopping lists. Over a third are still deciding on purchases, possibly waiting for better deals. During Thanksgiving weekend, 85% of shoppers anticipated equal or better deals in the remaining holiday season.
Super Saturday this year is particularly significant for last-minute shoppers, with many planning to buy their final gifts in the week leading up to Christmas. Popular shopping destinations include online stores, department stores, discount stores, clothing and accessory stores, and grocery stores. The most common purchases so far are clothing, toys, gift cards, books, and personal care items.
Post-Christmas shopping is also expected to be robust, with 70% of consumers planning to shop in the week following December 25, driven by sales, gift card usage, and returns or exchanges.
The survey forecasts that holiday spending will reach new heights, growing 3-4% over 2022, with total spending estimated between $957.3 billion and $966.6 billion. This projection surpasses last year’s $929.5 billion, underscoring a robust holiday shopping season.
