Americans are returning to their holiday shopping habitsHoliday spending outlook |
It can be expected that the average American will spend 1145 dollars on the holiday gifts this year. After the last year, the worst ever in the history of Commerce Department reporting, it can be expected that the sales this year will be mildly positive and that Americans will return to their previous shopping habits, according to Deloitte's Holiday spending outlook, published by the company for the 24th year in a row.
Consumers in the US are less pessimistic and they're coming to believe that the economy is on the mend. More than half, 51 percent of suvreyed consumers said they expect to spend the same or more than they did last year. The one area that rose in importance to suvreyed consumers was around jobs. Thirty-five percent said they'd be spending less because of a ajob loss or pay reduction. This concern is evident in the lack of security that the currently-employed had about their jobs.
The discount departnemt store remaines the top choice with surveyed consumers, while the Internet was ranked second.The high ranking of the Internet points to the growing iportance of technology in consumers' daily lives. In contrast, the traditional department store continued on its long-term decline. The Internet is also creating an easier-to-shop multi-channel experience for consumers. Seventeen of suvreyed consumers said they expect to use social media as part of their holiday shopping process. Social media will be used for such things as finding discounts, checking with family and friends as to the giftw the want.
Some of Deloitte's suvrey results suggest that consumers as a result of their sense of financial security being shaken are shopping less or more purposefully. But none of the numbers are very large, which suggests that the longer-term impact on the retail industry may not be as severe as some currently fear.
Holiday spending outlook
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