A.T. Kearney: Economic resilience spikes holiday spending

Forty percent of U.S. consumers plan to spend more this year than during the 2015 holiday shopping season, driven by better job prospects and an improving economy.



That’s one of the findings of the A.T. Kearney 2016 Holiday Shopping Survey, which was conducted online from Oct. 24 – Oct. 25, 2016.



The survey results show that 53% of consumers cite their income situation and employment status as the most important reasons why they plan to spend more this year. Nineteen percent of consumers in the survey cited the economy as the most important reason for increasing their spending.



The survey also showed that 27% of shoppers are Black Friday/Cyber Monday shoppers, up from 15% last year.



"Nearly half of these shoppers love these days for the deals,” said Joel Alden, A.T. Kearney partner and co-author of the study. For the rest, tradition and the festive environment keeps them coming back every year. With such high traffic, it is critical for retailers to deliver a great experience, compelling promotions and strong product availability -- in-store and online."



The survey found that consumers' willingness to take advantage of personalized mobile offers is reaching critical mass with 61% of consumers saying that they are likely to use personalized mobile offers at their favorite retailers, up from 50% in 2015.



Although a minority of consumers plan to sign up for mobile payment apps (44% versus 35% in 2015), usage is quickly gaining traction and will be a requirement for retailers in 2017.



As to the impact of the election, the survey found that for every consumer that planned to spend less (18%) should Donald Trump win, there was close to an equivalent number that planned to spend more (14).