It’s only October—surely no one is thinking about holiday shopping yet, right?
Think again. We surveyed over 1,000 Americans to drill down into 2024's holiday shopping habits and trends.
Here’s what we found.
Our survey was deployed and completed on October 17, 2024.
By this date, 9% of all respondents said they had already finished their holiday shopping. (The gender divide here might buck common cliches: 12% of men said they’re done with shopping, VS 7% of women.)
Online shopping is easy and efficient—you can do it from your desk at work, if you’re being sneaky, and avoid the crowds at malls and holiday fairs.
Perhaps it’s the more personal or emotional nature of holiday-focused gift shopping, but our survey respondents are definitely not doing all of their buying online.
26% say they’ll mainly shop online, with 24% preferring in-person purchasing; 48% anticipate doing an equal mix of online and brick-and-mortar buying.
Interestingly, the age cohort most likely to be focused on online-only shopping are 45-to-54 year olds (36% of this group).
And those most likely to focus on in-person shopping are 18-to-24 year olds; only 20% of them say they’ll be doing the majority of their shopping online, versus 36% who want to buy most of their stuff the old-fashioned way, at a physical store.
"My hypothesis is that the difference between online/in-person shopping habits among various age groups may be a function of time and volume," surmises QuestDIY's managing director Gary Topiol. "Arguably, middle-aged parents with kids and extended family have a lot to buy, but very little time—therefore they're focused on prices, as well as how easy it is to shop online. Meanwhile, younger people may not have much to buy, and with relatively more spare time, why not browse at the mall?"
Certain people swear by online reviews. Others won’t even consider buying a vacuum cleaner or a pair of headphones without turning to the sages at Wirecutter.
But overall, how much do ratings and reviews affect consumer behavior?
Here’s what we found, broken down by age demographics.
Another tidbit of note: 30% of female consumers said that reviews “greatly impact my decisions,” VS 22% of men.
While reviews and ratings might not move the needle for everyone, 39% of respondents to a multi-select question cited “recommendations from friends & family” as playing a large role in their holiday purchasing decisions.
Price is the clear driving factor for most buyers, though things like refund & return policies are also important.
This holiday season, why not treat your brand or agency to a little QuestDIY? You can create and deploy surveys with confidence, receiving results back within mere hours (perfect for gathering impactful consumer data for as last-minute pitch).
Even if you don’t have a market-research background, QuestDIY’s AI Assistant can help guide you through the drafting process.
If you’re interested, we’d love to connect.
