WASHINGTON — It looks like a strong holiday shopping season is coming up.
More Americans are going to do some holiday shopping this year than in 2014, and that 80 percent of them are planning to spend as much or more this year than last, according to a consumer forecast by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
The global trade association of the shopping center industry also finds that holiday shoppers will spend an average of $702 this season, up from last year’s $677. That’s a 3.3 percent increase; the average increase of the previous 10 holiday seasons was only 1.5 percent, according to the ICSC.
People making more than $100,000 are planning to spend $1,062, the ICSC finds; those making less than $35,000 will spend about $500.
The top five categories for holiday spending, according to the survey:
- Traditional gift cards (54 percent)
- Electronics/devices (51 percent)
- Apparel and footwear (49 percent)
- Toys and games, not including apps or video games (42 percent)
- Food such as chocolates, popcorn and food baskets and beverages/alcohol (34 percent)
Shoppers also plan to get started earlier, the survey says. Two-thirds of those surveyed said they’ll start shopping before Thanksgiving; only 7 percent say they’ll be finished by then, but half say they’ll be done by Dec. 15. Eight percent plan to still be shopping on Christmas Eve. And despite the legendary mob scenes, 41 percent say they’ll be out there on Black Friday.
And even in the age of online shopping, 95 percent of those surveyed say they’ll make a purchase in a physical store this season.
The numbers are based on an ICSC survey of more than 2,000 adults.
