December 14, 2012
12/14: More than One in Ten Holiday Shoppers Spending More this Holiday Season
While 51% of Americans who spend money on holiday shopping say they expect to dish out about the same amount of money as they did last year, there has been both an uptick in those who expect to spend more this holiday season and a decline in the proportion who say they will spend less. 12% of holiday shoppers plan to spend more money this year which is the highest in more than a decade. Last year, only 7% of holiday shoppers were poised to increase their spending. There has also been a slight decrease in the proportion of those who plan to spend less. 37% say they will decrease their expenditures on holiday shopping this year. In 2011, 42% of holiday shoppers planned to cut back on their holiday spending. At that time, 50% said they would spend about the same as they had the previous year.
Click Here for Complete December 14, 2012 USA Marist Poll Release and Tables
Are holiday shoppers turning to the Internet to make their purchases? 44% say they don’t expect to buy any of their presents online. 56%, however, will surf the web for holiday gifts, including 42% who will buy some of their holiday presents electronically and 14% who plan to do all or most of their shopping in cyberspace.
In December of 2010, 47% said they would not buy any holiday presents online. 53% reported they would shop online, including 42% who said some of their purchases would be done in this way and 11% who reported they would buy all or most of their gifts on the Internet.
Table: Holiday Spending Habits
Table: Holiday Spending Habits (Over Time)
Table: Online Holiday Shopping
Table: Online Holiday Shopping (Over Time)
Ho, Ho, Holiday Headaches: Crowds Top the List
Which aspect of the holiday season do Americans dislike most? 33% do not like the crowds. 18% are not fans of credit card debt. Finding the right gift is the biggest hassle for 15% while packing on the extra pounds is the hardest part for 12% of Americans. Eight percent most dislike being in the company of certain relatives, and traveling is the most unpleasant aspect of the season for 5%. Eight percent are unsure.
Regardless of region, income, age, or gender, crowds are the biggest hassle of the holiday season.