AmEx Survey: Lots more holiday shopping left—and get ready for a busy Dec. 26

Going into the final stretch of the holiday season, a majority of Americans are far from finished with their holiday shopping.

Seventy-three percent (73%) plan to shop last minute (vs. 79% in 2014), as most wait to find the best deals (44% vs. 46% in 2014), according to the latest American Express Spending & Saving Tracker.

Other reasons consumers are shopping last minute include trying to save up until they have enough money (22%, on par with 2014) and difficulty finding the time to shop (20% vs. 16% in 2014).

In terms of where consumers choose to make purchases, on average, 51% of Americans have purchased items online this holiday season vs. 49% in-store.

“Black Friday and Cyber Monday are no longer the only days for big savings, as savvy shoppers have come to expect an entire season of discounts and deals,” said Jed Scala, senior VP, consumer sending at American Express. “As we enter the final stretch of the shopping season, we are seeing a growing preference to complete shopping online, possibly connected to the stream of enticing retail offers in consumers’ inboxes.”

The retail frenzy doesn’t end with Christmas. December 26th has arguably emerged as its own shopping holiday, outranking the number of people who expected to shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday (66% on December 26th vs. 45% on Black Friday and 47% on Cyber Monday).

This year, more respondents than ever before1 plan to get some retail therapy on the day after Christmas (vs. 64% in 2014), spending an average of $186 (vs. $192 in 2014).

The top reasons to shop on the 26th include:

• 
  Taking advantage of post-holiday sales to buy things for themselves (38% vs. 34% in 2014)


• 
  Using gift cards received from others (25% vs. 26% in 2014)


• 
  Taking advantage of post-holiday sales to buy presents for the following year (21% vs. 21% in 2014)