With the end of the holiday shopping season approaching, the 2024 ICSC Super Saturday Survey indicated 233 million people, representing 89% of all adults in the United States, plan to shop in period leading up to Christmas. Some 71% of consumers plan to shop Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas, a gain of six percentage points compared to the 2023 survey.
As they make their choices, 94% of consumers responding to the survey from the former International Council of Shopping Centers said they plan to purchase goods, while 64% said they plan to spend on experiences such as dining, entertainment and personal services.
Other findings include, according to ICSC:
- Physical stores remain important in holiday shopping, as 84% of consumers responding to the survey intend to shop in store or visit a store to pick up an online order.
- In holiday shopping leading up to December 25, more Gen Z consumers plan to spend compared to Gen X and Baby Boomers, with 92% of GenZers planning to visit a shopping center.
- Consumers who plan to shop through Christmas are primarily finishing gift shopping, at 53%, and taking advantage of late season deals and promotions, at 39%.
- When considering where to shop, 75% of consumers said price and value are the most important factors in choosing where to shop, followed by in-stocks.
- Still, consumers value convenience, with 38% of consumers saying proximity to home or other stores is key and 30% saying speedy pickup and shipping options are important.
“Retailers are seeing strong consumer turnout during the 2024 holiday shopping season so far, and we expect this momentum to continue through the days leading up to December 25, including on Super Saturday,” said Tom McGee, ICSC president and CEO. “While consumer focus remains on value and deals, shoppers will also be focused on efficiently completing their last-minute holiday shopping. Retailers that successfully offer a variety of convenient shopping and fulfillment methods and maintain their product availability and stock are poised for success as we close out this strong holiday shopping season.”
