One-third of shoppers will spend less during the 2022 holiday season

A new survey from Gartner found that nearly a third of consumers plan to it costs less this year. And many are starting their search for the perfect gift even earlier to take advantage of the sales.

Nearly half of consumers Gartner spoke with plan to start shopping for the holidays in October or November this year, while 16% now say they shop year-round for holiday gifts. . Only 10% of people who spoke to the company said they planned to spend more and most of those said it was only because of higher prices due to inflation.

“While consumers have increased their discretionary spending over the past few years, inflationary pressures have affected their spending plans for this holiday season,” said Kassi Socha, director analyst at the Gartner Marketing practice. “This uncertainty about budgets, combined with the new timing from consumers regarding their holiday shopping, will challenge marketers with a constant approach that emphasizes the need for omnichannel adoption. “

And, rather than waste money on something the recipient might not like, many consumers are turning to gift cards this year. That’s the top category for gifts, followed by clothing and accessories, toys and games and food and beverages.

Bargain hunters are also expecting a tough season, with more than 75% of shoppers saying they don’t expect to see as many (or as deep) discounts this holiday season compared to last year .

And online shopping will once again become an important way for people to find what they want. About 21% say they will shop more online than in-store this year compared to 2021 and more than a third plan to take advantage of curbside pickup.