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Dive Brief:
Just 22% of U.S. consumers plan to spend more this holiday season, and 27% expect to spend less, according to a national survey from Experian in conjunction with ad platform GroundTruth.
Nearly 40% of those surveyed will split their retail shopping experience between online and in-store, and almost half (45%) say they will start shopping for the holidays before November, while most will finish in December.
While other research has indicated that AI is having an impact on the way some consumers shop this holiday season, only 12% of shoppers expect to use it for their holiday purchases, per the Experian report.
Dive Insight:
Although online shopping continues to grow in importance, 80% of consumers still prefer the in-store experience, according to Experian.
As the survey states, “this makes physical retail more than a transaction point; it’s a validation touchpoint.” A significant portion of those surveyed say they will begin their shopping journey online and then visit brick-and-mortar stores to see products before making a purchase.
Experian’s prediction for a pullback in spending this holiday season for some consumers comes as others have predicted muted holiday sales.
Spending by Gen Z consumers is projected to decrease by nearly a quarter, which could send total holiday sales down by 5%, according to a PwC report. And a holiday report from Bain & Company predicts a 4% increase in sales for the November and December period, which is below the 10-year average. Deloitte predicted that holiday sales in the U.S. would grow between 2.9% and 3.4% compared to last year.