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Research + Studies

Discount stores top choice for holiday shoppers

January 11, 2018

The most popular stores for holiday purchases this past Christmas were discount, department and electronics stores, in that order, according to an ICSC Research study on holiday shopping.

Two-thirds of holiday shoppers patronized discount stores such as Walmart and Target, while 47 percent shopped at department stores, and 24 percent patronized electronics retailers, according to the report, which can be accessed here. Twenty-two percent went to sporting-goods, hobby, book and toy stores, while dollar stores, grocery shops, apparel retailers and wholesale clubs each attracted 19 percent of holiday shoppers.

Nearly half of holiday shoppers (48 percent) purchased apparel and footwear, followed by those who purchased non-electronic toys and games (at 37 percent); food and alcohol (33 percent); accessories, handbags, fragrances and cosmetics (31 percent); electronics and/or digital services (30 percent); household appliances, home goods and furniture (24 percent); sporting goods, hobby-and-crafts items (22 percent); jewelry and watches (18 percent); tickets to entertainment events (16 percent); books and magazine subscriptions (13 percent); and tools and hardware (13 percent). The most popular holiday items of all were gift cards, which were the choice of 68 percent of holiday shoppers.

For gifts and other holiday items, adults spent $841.50 each, on average, up from $711 each during last year’s holiday season. The biggest spenders were boomers  — those age 53–71 — who spent $932.40 each, on average. Gen X-ers (37–52) spent $930.90 each, and Millennials spent $613.70 each.

By Edmund Mander

Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT