ICSC: Shoppers to flock to physical stores in final days before Christmas
Nearly nine-in-10 consumers plan to partake in last minute holiday shopping at physical stores.
Nearly all (82%) consumers (approximately 238 million U.S. adults) were planning to shop in the final days before Dec. 25, according to a new report from ICSC. On Super Saturday (the last Saturday before Christmas) alone, 76% of adults (203 million people) plan to shop, up 5 percentage points from 2024 and 12 percentage points from 2023.
In-store shopping will remain key for last-minute shoppers, with 88% planning to spend in physical stores. Shopping centers will also be an important destination, with nearly eight-in-10 (79%) shoppers planning to visit a retail property, led by Gen Z (89%) and millennials (86%). ICSC says that nearly six-in-10 dollars spent between now and Dec. 25 will involve a store visit, including click-and-collect purchases.
Nearly all (91%) shoppers said that higher prices will impact their last-minute holiday purchases, which is the same figure as 2024. Of these shoppers, the final holiday shopping push will see consumers more likely to stick to a strict budget (41%), buy fewer items (39%), and comparison shop online for the best deals (38%).
“The final weeks of the holiday shopping season are a critical moment for retailers to entice last-minute shoppers, and this year is no exception,” said Tom McGee, president and CEO of ICSC. “Value may be driving decisions, but price-sensitivity isn’t keeping shoppers away. Nearly nine-in-10 consumers plan to shop in the days leading up to Dec. 25, and it’s a particularly important milestone for physical stores, as consumers trust them with last-minute purchases to get gifts in time for the holidays.”
Additional insights from ICSC’s holiday shopping data include the following:
- More than half of shoppers (53%) plan to use AI to compare prices, find deals, and generate gift ideas in the final days before Dec. 25, led by Gen Z (73%) and millennials (66%).
- Deal-seeking is one reason some shoppers have waited to make purchases until late in the season, with 42% shopping specifically to find promotions, up from 39% in 2024 and 35% in 2023. Value is the top deciding factor for three-quarters (74%) of consumers when choosing where to shop.
- Despite inflation concerns, most consumers remain financially disciplined, with two-thirds (66%) reporting they are currently on or under budget.
[READ MORE: ICSC: 152 million consumers visited a shopping center over Thanksgiving weekend]
“Retailers must offer a memorable, differentiated experience – not just a product and a price tag – to build long-term loyalty and be a part of holiday plans this year and beyond,” added McGee.
The 2025 ICSC Super Saturday Survey was conducted online from Dec. 10-12, 2025, with a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,006 respondents.
