The Average American Spends About $786 On Holiday Shopping (+25 More Facts)

Shopping Reminder Day kicks off an unofficial countdown of sorts. Whether you’re finishing up or just getting started, holiday shopping is a task that either stresses people or excites them.

If you have holiday shopping to complete, this day is here to remind you there are only so many days left.

• There are 30 days until Christmas.
• There are 31 days until the start of Kwanzaa.
• There are 30 days until the start of Hanukkah.

Shopping facts:

• Ever wondered why stores have hard flooring? Designers believe women will spend more if they hear the sound of their heels on polished floors. Carpet, on the other hand, makes consumers feel at home.
• The busiest shopping day of the year is the Saturday before Christmas.
• Similar to casinos, shopping malls are designed with the intent of make people lose track of time. This is achieved by removing clocks and windows to prevent views of the outside world.
• A shopper who first purchases an item on their shopping list is more likely to buy unrelated items later to reward themselves.
• Single shoppers make 45% more impulse purchases than married shoppers.
• Even if consumers are unaware of the original purchase price of an item, research shows that a “50% off” sign leads to increased sales.
• Red is a great colour for marketing because it encourages spending. As a result, advertisers will purposefully incorporate red into their advertisements and displays.
• Escalators are placed strategically to force shoppers to pass the maximum number of storefronts.
• The average mall shopper stays for 80 minutes and spends $75 each visit.
• Seven Yankee Stadiums would fit inside Mall of America.
• There are 46,990 shopping malls in the United States.
• The world’s largest shopping mall is the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada.
• The average American spends about $786 on holiday shopping
• The average holiday shopper will spend $107.50 on themselves
• Holiday retailers use music to attract potential shoppers. For example,  if shoppers like the type of music retailers are playing, they will be more likely to enter the store and like the products. Additionally, the slower the tempo of the music, the slower people will walk through the store, and the more they will buy. A faster tempo will encourage shoppers to walk faster and, consequently, they won’t buy as much.
• Retailers rely on several psychological triggers to attract consumers into their store, such as placing limits on items, offering “gifts” with purchase, employing visual tricks, and declaring that sales are ending soon (when in fact discounts are common throughout the season)
• Six percent of the U.S. population can be considered “compulsive buyers,” which is an addiction to shopping that affects both men and women equally.
• December 15-24th is the crux of the holiday shopping season, accounting for 40% of holiday business.
• Approximately 42% of U.S. consumers use Amazon as their primary gift-buying destination.
• Consumers are naturally more drawn to the center of displays, which is precisely where retailers place pricier items. The second most popular placement is just to the right of the center, where most right-handed people are most likely to see and touch first.
• One in 3 holiday shoppers believe that it is more important to spend money on loved ones than it is to stay within a budget.
• Nearly 40% of Americans begin their holiday shopping before Halloween.
• Sixty percent of consumers have completed a “buy online” to “pickup in-store” purchase via mobile.
• Over 90% of people buying on Amazon wouldn’t purchase an item with less than three stars.
• Seventy percent of customers would accept in-store tracking and mobile push notifications with incentives.  This is valuable data from Walker Sands Communications. Buyers will allow retailers to alert and keep tabs on them, but retailers need to learn about their customers to know what incentives are appropriate — dangle the carrot and continue to experiment.
• Free shipping is the incentive online shoppers want most (88%).

Sources:

National Day Calendar

The Weight She Carries

Cotton Candy Mag

Fact Retriever

Forbes