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A National Retail Federation survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics finds 56% of holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their spending plans. Many expect to seek sales, compare prices and use coupons, while shoppers remain split between starting early and waiting for seasonal 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. Among those expecting an effect, respondents reported plans to seek sales, compare prices online and use coupons, pointing to affordability as a factor in how many people approach holiday purchases.
Of shoppers who said the economy would affect their plans, 43% expect to shop for sales more often, while 31% plan to comparison shop online more often and 29% say they will use coupons more often. These figures describe planned strategies among the affected shoppers, not all consumers. The survey material does not provide the total number of respondents or field dates.
The report also points to different approaches to timing. Forty-three percent plan to begin browsing or buying before November, close to the 42% who did so the previous year. Among early starters, half say they want to spread their budgets across time, while 37% cite prices and promotions as a reason to start early.
Waiting is also linked to value-seeking: 46% of shoppers starting in November or December say they wait because they expect to find the best prices and promotions then. Across shoppers overall, 64% say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping, compared with 63% last year. The survey says 91% of U.S. adults plan to celebrate winter holidays including Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
How Budgets Shape Shopping Plans
The findings suggest retailers may face shoppers who are willing to buy but are attentive to price, timing and value. For consumers, the reported strategies include spreading purchases over several months, comparing online prices and waiting for promotions. The data do not establish how much people will ultimately spend or whether their plans will change as the season progresses.
Shopping destinations remain varied. Online shopping leads at 53% among the destinations listed, followed by grocery stores and discount stores, each at 43%, and department stores at 42%. These figures describe where shoppers plan to shop; they do not measure sales or indicate how much spending each channel will receive.
Retailers’ promotion schedules may matter across the season rather than only at its start. The survey indicates that some consumers begin early to manage budgets, while others anticipate better deals later. That split makes it difficult to infer from the figures alone when the largest share of actual purchases will occur.
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Early Browsing and Holiday Deals
The NRF report describes a familiar mix of early planning and late-season deal seeking. The share planning to start before November is 43%, versus 42% the previous year, while the share likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most shopping is 64%, compared with 63% last year. The one-percentage-point differences are reported comparisons; the source does not say whether they are statistically meaningful.
NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Allison Zeller said shoppers are balancing value with holiday traditions and that retailers are responding with products, promotions and shopping experiences aimed at helping customers find value. Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said shoppers are choosing different start dates, with many still planning to use Thanksgiving weekend promotions.
“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
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Spending Totals Remain Unknown
The supplied report gives consumer intentions, not final purchases. It does not state how much shoppers expect to spend, whether they will reduce total spending, or how those plans compare with last year’s holiday spending. It also does not include the survey’s sample size, field dates, margin of error or detailed methodology, limiting what can be concluded about the precision and representativeness of individual estimates.
The figures show that respondents anticipate using particular strategies; they do not confirm that shoppers will follow through. The report also does not identify which products or household groups may be most affected by affordability concerns.
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Plans Will Meet Seasonal Promotions
The survey captures expectations ahead of the holiday shopping period. As the season advances, actual purchases and retailer sales results will show whether early browsing, later deal-seeking and coupon use match consumers’ stated plans. Thanksgiving weekend promotions are a likely point of attention because nearly two-thirds of respondents said they were likely to do most of their shopping then.
Further reporting would be needed to establish how spending changes from the prior year and whether shoppers’ choices differ by income, age or other demographic groups. The current findings offer a snapshot of planned behavior, not a final account of holiday sales.
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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 cost-saving strategies do affected shoppers plan to use?
Among shoppers who expect the economy to affect their plans, 43% plan to shop for sales more often, 31% expect to comparison shop online more often and 29% plan to use coupons more often.
When do shoppers plan to start holiday shopping?
Forty-three percent plan to begin browsing or buying before November. Others plan to start in November or December, with 46% of that group saying they wait for the best prices and promotions.
How many expect to do most of their shopping on Thanksgiving weekend?
Sixty-four percent say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping, compared with 63% in the prior year’s survey.
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