A gifting study commissioned by e-commerce marketing platform Omnisend and conducted by market researcher Cint, revealed parents are most often first on gift shopping lists this holiday season.
Omnisend reported 51.2% of respondents said mothers and/or fathers are on their gift lists, followed by spouses at 50.83% and children dropping to third place at 49%. The company said the study illustrates a new trend underscoring the year-closing holidays are not primarily for children anymore.
With people living longer and families getting smaller while making lifestyle changes at the same time, children are less of a focus as the year-end holidays approach. The trend is also evident in the evolution of Halloween from a kid-focused to a more general celebration.
The Omnisend study is based on a survey of more than 1,000 consumers across the United States and has a margin of error of +/-3%.
The survey further found that 82% of consumers plan to purchase gifts on large online marketplaces, including those operated by Amazon at 94%, Walmart at 63% and Etsy at 22%. Amazon Haul, developed by the retailer to compete on price with Chinese marketplaces such as Temu, where 23% of survey respondents planned to shop, and Shein, which 10% planned to visit, makes its debut this holiday season and could shake up the marketplace, particularly as regards younger consumers who have responded well to low price-dominated assortments now offered by all three.
Still, brick-and-mortar retail is very much in the mix, Omnisend observed, as Americans plan to buy gifts in physical locations, including large retail stores, at 59%; discount stores, at 42%; small business stores, at 22%; and specialty or boutique stores, at 10%.
Overall, respondents said they intend to spend less this season than last, at 37%, although 30% planned to spend more, 24% planned to spend the same and 9% were undecided.
In other survey results:
- 44% of Americans said they would participate in group gifting, with Kris Kringle/Secret Santa formats being the most popular, at 50%, followed by Yankee Swaps and White Elephant exchanges at 41%.
- 65% of consumers planned to spend less than $30 on a group gift, 31% planned to spend more and 7% admitted to spending below the given group-gift budget.
- 45% of survey respondents said they self-gifting during the holiday season, with most buying items they’d buy anyway to take advantage of sales, at 67%, while 32% maintained they would reward themselves with spontaneous treats and 25% stated that gifts they’re getting for others sometimes seem like something they might like themselves, so they buy a second one.
- 29% of consumers intend to participate in Small Business Saturday this year, with 71% planning to visit local small business stores, 18% expecting to shop on small business e-commerce sites and 10% shopping on Etsy and other similar craft/specialty platforms.
