Survey: Memorial Day spending expected to see sharp decline from last year
Consumers are planning to take advantage of Memorial Day weekend sales, but will likely spend a substantial amount less than last year.
That’s according to a new survey from coupon platform RetailMeNot, which found the number of consumers who plan to buy something jumped from 36% last year to 54% in 2026. However, the amount they plan to spend dropped from $289 to $86 – a 70% decline in one year.
Nearly two-thirds (35%) of consumers say they are very likely to wait for Memorial Day sales before making a major purchase, while another 31% say they are somewhat likely to do the same.
“Consumers aren’t stepping back from holidays. They’re getting more disciplined about how much they let those holidays cost them,” said Stephanie Carls, retail insights expert at RetailMeNot. “People are arriving with a number already in their head, buying what they came for, and moving on. For retailers, that changes the math. Higher participation with lower spend per person means competition for each dollar is more intense than the foot traffic numbers suggest.”
According to the survey, this year’s top categories reflect a mix of summer preparation and home upgrades. Grills and outdoor cooking gear (28%) and summer apparel (27%) are the categories most likely to be shopped over the holiday weekend, followed by home goods and decor (21%), electronics (18%), pool and beach gear (18%), home improvement supplies (16%), outdoor furniture (15%) and appliances (15%).
[READ MORE: Survey: Shopping sales, lowering budgets among Mother's Day spending plans]
“Memorial Day 2026 is shaping up to be a holiday where showing up and spending big are two different things,” added Carls. “Consumers are engaged. They’re timing purchases around the weekend, they have categories in mind, and they’re ready to buy. They’re just doing it on their own terms, with a number already in their head before the first sale banner goes live.”
For its Memorial Day weekend spending survey, RetailMeNot surveyed 1,023 U.S. adults on March 24, 2026.
