Survey: Consumers would choose gift spending over holiday travel
Consumers around the globe are feeling the pressure this holiday season amid increased prices.
A new survey from AI-powered digital advertising firm GumGum of consumers in six countries found that gifts are the #1 priority for 40% of shoppers, followed by travel at 30%. Food and drink were the top choice for 20%, but most often landed in the #2 spot (40%).
When asked by GumGum what they would reduce first if forced to cut back, more than one-third (35%) said travel would go, while nearly three-in-10 (29%) pointed to gifts, while dining, entertainment, and decorations trailed further behind. GumGum says the data aligns with its earlier findings that roughly three-in-four (75%) shoppers are worried about the economic environment affecting their spending.
More than one-third (35%) of shoppers said they plan to do most of their holiday buying on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, while another third (32%) plan to shop in early December. Only 13% said they will wait until the last minute.
Two-thirds (66%) of consumers surveyed plan to shop both online and in-store, highlighting the continued value of a hybrid shopping model. Another 16% will shop exclusively online, while 18% will shop exclusively in-store. Nearly half (48%) of respondents said in-store displays influence their buying the most, followed by social media ads (35%), word of mouth (31%) and email promotions (30%).
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"These insights make it clear: shoppers are deliberate and value-driven this year," said Kerel Cooper, chief marketing officer at GumGum. "Brands that want to maximize performance need to connect with consumers at the right moment and in the right place, whether it's in-store or the open web. The key is making sure every impression adds value, not noise."
GumGum’s global holiday shopping included 3,000 consumers across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Belgium and Australia.
