Amex Trendex: Consumers ready for in-person holiday celebrations; shopping early

Consumers are ready for the real thing when it comes to holiday gatherings this year. 

Seventy-one percent of consumers plan to celebrate the holidays with more family members and loved ones in-person this year than last, according to the Amex Trendex report. Only 17% of consumers surveyed plan to have a ‘hybrid holiday’ that combines live and virtual gatherings.

The Trendex study is in line with other holiday studies that forecast an early start to the holiday shopping season.  Nearly half (48%) of consumers surveyed have already started their shopping and 45% did so knowing that retailers may face supply chain issues and shortages.  

[Read More: Study: Supply chain, shipping issues could boost in-store holiday shopping]

In other findings, 67% of consumers surveyed agree they are looking for holiday offers or deals through their credit card. More than half ( 57%) said  they plan to use their credit card points for holiday shopping

Other highlights from Amex Trendex are below.

• When shopping for holiday gifts, respondents indicated that it’s important to them to purchase gifts that support small or local businesses (81%), are sustainable or minimize their environmental impact (64%), or are ethically sourced (63%).
• Consumers are most looking forward to spending time with family and friends (76%) this holiday season followed by giving and receiving gifts (53%).  
• Fifty-four percent of employed respondents plan on getting together in-person with colleagues to celebrate the holidays.
• Forty-eight  percent of consumers  plan to put holiday decorations up earlier this year to feel more cheerful; 51% indicated that they will put up more holiday decorations this year to make their space feel more festive since they are spending more time at home.
• Respondents agreed it’s important to have holiday decorations that support small businesses (72%), are sustainable (61%), or are ethically sourced (56%).

The Amex Trendex is a trend index that tracks how consumers, small businesses, and merchants are feeling about spending, saving, traveling and more. Data is sourced on a monthly basis in the United States and biannually globally, including in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Mexico, India, and Canada.