A Third of Consumers Plan to Spend Less This Holiday Season, Says Report

Some 35% of global shoppers plan to spend less on holiday shopping this year than 2021, said an Applause survey Tuesday, citing “volatile economic conditions.” Results showed a “marked increase” in consumers returning to stores, with 82% saying they were comfortable shopping in stores vs. 69% last year and 46% in 2020. The percentage of consumers planning to shop online dipped from 91% last holiday season to 87% this year. On the point in the online shopping experience that would lead customers to abandon a cart, 29% cited bugs in the shopping experience; 34% referenced the checkout process. About 61% said they preferred using a mobile device to shop online, 37% preferred a computer and 2% said they preferred using a voice-activated smart device. In the Americas, credit cards were the preferred payment method by 56% of respondents vs. 35% in other regions. Brands are important to consumers, the survey found, with 62% saying buying a trusted brand is more important to their e-commerce experience than price (32%). The survey of 4,750 consumers was fielded in October in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Asia-Pacific.