Given the ongoing economic malaise, it should be no surprise that, compared with last year, more consumers plan to spend less this holiday season than plan to spend more.
Of the 2,363 consumers surveyed by research firm The NPD Group, 20% plan to spend less this year on holiday shopping than they had last year. Only 12% plan to increase their holiday spending. The remainder expect to spend the same amount. On average, respondents plan to spend $661 this holiday season.
What’s more, shoppers are on the lookout for bargains. Nearly half (49%) of respondents said that buying items on sales was more important this holiday season than it was last year. Another 49% said waiting for sales was just as important as it was last year.
Although 40% of the female survey participants planned to do at least some of their holiday shopping via catalog or mail, only 25% of the men said the same. Forty percent of respondents overall expect to shop online.