Shoppers across America are getting into the Christmas spirit as the last Saturday before the big day is set to become the second busiest retail day of the year.
Known each year as ‘Super Saturday’, businesses are expecting over 142 million customers to step out as they frantically search for a last-minute gift.
While the last Saturday before Christmas is typically packed, this year’s bargain hunters can expect it to be even bigger as ‘Super Saturday’ also falls on the 23rd of December for the first time since 2017.
Despite a struggling through a year of sky-high inflation, 16 million more Americans are estimated to shop for Christmas gifts today than the last time it fell on ‘Christmas Eve Eve’ six years ago, according to the National Retail Federation.
Over 142 million shoppers are expected to shop on ‘Super Saturday’ – otherwise known as ‘Panic Saturday’ – to find their last-minute gifts before Christmas
The last Saturday before Christmas has not fallen on the 23rd of December since 2017, which this year’s jam-packed day out estimated to have 16 million more shoppers than six years ago
Because Super Saturday – otherwise known as ‘Panic Saturday’ – falls so close to Christmas this year, many consumers are planning to buy their last-minute gifts in person rather than online.
Around 37 percent of Super Saturday shoppers, approximately 53 million people, expect they will do their final shopping exclusively in stores this year, compared to just 28 percent last year, the NRF found.
However, after 2022’s edition fell a full eight days before Christmas Day, over 158 million Americans flooded high streets and malls looking for the perfect present this time last year.
Although over 15 million fewer people are anticipated this year, it is still expected to be the second busiest shopping day of the year – only beaten by Black Friday.
‘Shoppers have the luxury of a full weekend preceding the holiday to secure those last-minute gifts, spurring foot traffic and driving transactions,’ Joe Shasteen, global manager of advanced analytics at RetailNext, told Axios.
Thanks to this helpful combination of factors sending shoppers out on their feet, only 22 percent of Super Saturday shoppers plan to buy exclusively online.
‘This year Super Saturday is truly aligned for last-minute shoppers,’ Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said.
‘A majority of consumers also plan on purchasing their last gift in the week leading up to Christmas.’
For those that didn’t leave their loved ones’ presents so late, by early December holiday shoppers said they had picked up half (49 percent) of the items on their lists.
But because so many people feel their relatives are hard to buy for, 36 percent of those who still had half of their lists remaining said they were still deciding what to buy.
Black Friday was the busiest shopping day of the year as almost 200 million shoppers searched for deals, but the NRF found that many avoided buying their Christmas gifts early as they expected the festive period to have better deals.
When asked over the Thanksgiving weekend, 85 percent of shoppers said they avoided festive presents too and chose to wait for a bargain.
Department stores are set to see the most non-online customers at 38 percent, compared to 28 percent of shoppers choosing discount stores, 26 percent clothing stores, and 19 percent grocery stores.
It was also found earlier this month that American families plan to spend an average of $975 on Christmas gifts this year. Households with children spend on average $1,306, while kid-free households spend $835.
It was also found earlier this month that American families plan to spend an average of $975 on Christmas gifts this year. Households with children spend on average $1,306, while kid-free households spend $835
Shoppers are seen in stores in Indianapolis, Indiana, preparing to make last minute purchases before Christmas Day. Officials say they expect Saturday to be the second busiest shopping day of the year, only behind Black Friday
Among those that have already made a purchase, clothes came out on top for the most popular purchase at 50 percent, with toys coming in second at 34 percent.
Holiday sales are expected to continue after the 25th, as 70 percent of consumers say they plan to shop in the week after to make the most of holiday deals and use gift cards.
Sixteen percent of people also said they expect to shop in the week after because they will be exchanging or returning unwanted holiday items.
According to the NRF, this year’s shopping is anticipated to grow between 3 and 4 percent compared to 2022 figures, totaling up to $966 billion.
In 2022, this stood at $929 billion.
The NRF said its survey asked 7,973 adult consumers about their holiday shopping plans. It was conducted Dec. 1-6 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.1 percentage points.