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A National Retail Federation survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics found that 56% of holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their spending plans. Many expect to seek sales, compare prices or use coupons, while shopping plans remain spread across early-season purchases and Thanksgiving weekend deals.
More than half of U.S. holiday shoppers say the state of the economy will affect their spending plans this season, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. Among those shoppers, 43% plan to seek sales more often, 31% expect to comparison shop online more often and 29% say they will use coupons more often, signaling that price and value will shape how many consumers approach holiday purchases.
The survey found that 56% of holiday shoppers expect economic conditions to affect their plans. The reported responses describe intended behavior, not confirmed purchases or spending totals. The NRF did not provide a breakdown in the source material of how much shoppers expect to spend or which economic factors weigh most heavily on their decisions.
Shopping timing varies. Forty-three percent plan to start browsing or buying before November, close to the 42% reported for the previous year. Among early starters, half say they want to spread out their budgets, while 37% say prices and promotions are too good to pass up. Of those planning to wait until November, 46% cite finding the best prices and promotions during November and December.
Many shoppers also expect to concentrate purchases around a major promotional period: 64% say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping, compared with 63% last year. Online shopping is the leading destination in the survey, with 53% planning to shop online. Grocery stores and discount stores each drew 43%, while 42% plan to shop at department stores.
How Budgets Shape Holiday Plans
The results point to a season in which shoppers may balance early planning with waiting for discounts. For households, spreading purchases across several months, comparing online prices and using coupons are among the approaches respondents say they will use to manage costs. The survey does not establish whether these plans will reduce total spending, but it shows that affordability is influencing when and where shoppers expect to buy.
For retailers, the findings indicate that promotions and value messaging may matter across the season, not only during Thanksgiving weekend. NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Allison Zeller said shoppers are balancing value with holiday traditions, while retailers are responding with products, promotions and shopping experiences intended to help customers find value. That is the NRF’s characterization of the market response, rather than an independent measurement of retailer pricing or consumer outcomes.
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Early Shopping Meets Deal Waiting
The survey describes a mix of early browsing and later purchasing rather than a single shopping timetable. Early starts are broadly in line with last year, at 43% compared with 42%. The share likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most shopping also changed little, at 64% compared with 63% last year.
Nearly all U.S. adults—91%—say they plan to celebrate winter holidays, including Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. The survey’s findings cover intended plans and preferences. The source material does not include the sample size, field dates, margin of error or detailed methodology, so those figures should be read as survey results rather than a complete account of all consumer spending.
“With affordability top of mind, holiday shoppers are taking a thoughtful approach to spending, balancing value with preserving traditions that make the holiday season special.”
— Allison Zeller, NRF vice president of industry and consumer insights
Survey Plans Versus Actual Spending
The survey reports what consumers say they plan to do; it does not confirm how they will ultimately shop or how much they will spend. The source material also does not state the survey’s field dates, sample size, margin of error or the precise wording and response options for each question. Those details would help readers judge how closely the results represent shoppers overall.
It is also unclear how inflation, employment, household income or other specific economic concerns contributed to respondents’ answers. The 56% figure captures shoppers who say the economy will affect their plans, but the available information does not quantify the expected change in spending or show whether shoppers intend to cut purchases, switch stores or substitute lower-priced goods.
What Retailers and Shoppers Do Next
As the season progresses, actual shopping patterns will show whether consumers follow through on early buying, wait for Thanksgiving weekend promotions or use both approaches. The survey points to sales, online price comparisons and coupons as planned tools, but does not specify which promotions retailers will offer or how prices will compare across stores.
Readers can use the findings as a snapshot of stated intentions, not a forecast of final holiday sales. Further survey releases or retail sales data would be needed to establish how consumer spending develops and whether affordability concerns change purchasing totals.
Key Questions
How many holiday shoppers say the economy will affect their plans?
Fifty-six percent say the state of the economy will affect their holiday spending plans, according to the NRF survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics.
What money-saving steps do those shoppers plan to take?
Among shoppers who expect the economy to affect their plans, 43% plan to look for sales more often, 31% expect to comparison shop online more often and 29% plan to use coupons more often.
When do consumers plan to shop?
Forty-three percent plan to start before November, while 64% say they are likely to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do most of their shopping. The figures describe intentions and can overlap because early browsing does not necessarily mean most purchases happen early.
Where do shoppers plan to buy holiday items?
Online is the leading destination, with 53% planning to shop online. Grocery stores and discount stores each drew 43% of planned shoppers, and 42% plan to shop at department stores.
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