Survey: Holiday shoppers look for normalcy in the ‘new normal’

Despite the many changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers may follow traditional habits when it comes to holiday shopping.

According to the “2020 Inmar Intelligence Holiday Shopper Insights Report,” 73% of respondents plan to start shopping at the same time as 2019, with 27% planning and making their holiday purchases in November. Close to six in 10 (57%) respondents plan to shop for some holiday gifts at an online-only retailer. 

Seven in 10 (71%) respondents plan to make some purchases in the supermarket or grocery store, while 62% said a retailer’s mask and social distancing policy is important when deciding which stores to shop at for holiday purchases. More than half of respondents (54%) expect to buy food items for one to three holiday events around November and December.

A solid majority (71%) of respondents have not yet determined a total budget for holiday spending. Out of the 29% that have, 53% said that their total budget will be the same as 2019. The average budget that respondents are setting for holiday gifts is $385, while the average budget for holiday meal items is $243.

“The data has shown that many consumers are looking for some normalcy when it comes to the holiday shopping season, leading them to follow similar shopping habits as in previous years,” said David Mounts, chairman and CEO of Inmar Intelligence. “With this in mind, retailers and brands must continue to be strategic in how they leverage promotions during the holiday season in order to deliver greater value to shoppers. Leveraging retailers’ media networks and in-store media capabilities, both digital and traditional, is important to maintain shopper loyalty and profitably drive sales.”

Inmar Intelligence surveyed more than 3,700 U.S. shoppers in July 2020.