Engagements
Engagements, like weddings, have become higher profile, more elaborate family and social events over recent years, creating new opportunities for gifting.
As they looked out over the year ahead, 23% of consumers responding to the Occasions Survey said they were at least somewhat likely to celebrate a family or friend engagement, down two points year over year, and 16% foresaw their own engagement, the same as in 2024.
At 21%, consumers are less likely to have a home or housewares gift in mind for the occasion, down from 24% a year ago.
Kitchen and bedroom products tied at 29% for the top home and housewares pick for an engagement, followed by organization and home products at 28%, but a third of survey respondents said they intend to give a gift card. Men are more likely to purchase cleaning or home environment gifts for an engagement present, at 26%, than women, at 11%; organization or home decor products, at 31% vs. 25%; bedroom items, at 31% vs. 27%; and bathroom or personal care products, at 22% vs. 18%. Kitchen products were a tie between the two, at 29%. A third of consumers would purchase a gift card for an engagement occasion, with women more likely to buy one at 35% than men at 32%.
More consumers expect to purchase an engagement present in the second half of the year rather than the first. As for education, 27% of post-graduates planned to celebrate a family and friend engagement versus 25% of college grads and 20% of non-college consumers to anticipate a family and friend event. At the same time, 17% of consumers who didn’t attend college plan to celebrate their own engagement, compared to 16% of post-grads and 11% of grads.
23% of respondents expected to experience a friend or family engagement. Consumers 35-44, at 32%, were those most likely to anticipate such an engagement, just topping those 18-34 at 31%.
For your friends and family, how likely is it, if at all, that an engagement will take place at least once in the next 12 months?
For yourself, how likely is it, if at all, that an engagement will take place at least once in the next 12 months?
34% of consumers from households earning over $100,000 expect to experience a friend or family engagement. The next most likely households earned between $50,000 and $100,000, at 23%, and less than $50,000 at 20%. Urban consumers topped the geographic designation at 25% compared to 23% of suburbanites and 19% of rural consumers.
16% of consumers anticipate their own engagements, with consumers aged 18-34 tied with consumers aged 35-44 in their expectations at 23%.
What general product categories of home and housewares gifts would you be likely to purchase for an engagement? (Select all that apply)
Urban consumers were more likely, at 21%, to get engaged versus suburban, at 15%, and rural, at 12%.
In the next 12 months, how likely is it, if at all, that you will purchase a home and housewares gift for an engagement?
In general, what time of the year would you say you are most likely to purchase home and housewares gifts for an engagement?
Households earning more than $100,000 were most likely to celebrate the event in their own lives, at 21% vs. 16% of lower- and 14% of middle-income consumers.
Final Thoughts
Engagements are the start of the wedding journey for consumers, but today, they often occur among people who already live together. This may cause gift-givers to choose a home and housewares present that is practical or decorative but includes some form of personalization, such as couple names and engagement dates. Promotion of personalization capabilities may give retailers an advantage in getting the attention of gift-givers who will also be involved in the bridal shower and wedding occasions later.
The 2024 Global Wedding Report from The Knot states that couples increasingly turn to technology to help them organize forthcoming events once engaged. Online resources have become more sophisticated, The Knot pointed out, and recourse to the available technology can include anything from watching videos to scrolling through social media for wedding inspiration, even before connecting with service providers via video conferencing or using AI to help in planning. As such, operations and data collection that help retailers connect with the newly engaged can translate into sales at engagement parties and continue throughout the bridal shower, the wedding preparation and beyond.
