The last Saturday before Christmas, known as Super Saturday, is expected to draw a whopping 157.2 million shoppers – an 11% increase over 2023 and the second-highest total after 2022’s record of 158.5 million, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
That may be an encouraging sign as the promotional products industry is in the midst of the holiday season rush – traditionally, its busiest period of the year.
This year’s shorter holiday season, with fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and just four days between Super Saturday and Christmas, is contributing to the crunch. Also, for the first time since 2005, Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same day, intensifying the urgency.
- The NRF’s annual survey anticipates record holiday spending, projecting a growth between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023.
- Total spending is forecasted to reach between $979.5 billion and $989 billion.
“Super Saturday is one of the last opportunities during the holiday season for consumers to get the remaining items on their shopping list,” says Katherine Cullen, vice president of industry and consumer insights at the NRF. “With a shortened window between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, consumers will be hitting stores and shopping online to get those final gifts and to take advantage of special promotions and deals.”
Katherine Cullen
VP of Industry & Consumer Insights, NRF
Last-Minute Shoppers
More than half of consumers expect to complete their shopping in the week leading up to Christmas, similar to 2023’s holiday season.
The survey cited various reasons for delayed shopping. As of early December, shoppers had purchased half of the items on their lists, waiting for reasons like:
- Deciding what to buy (37%)
- Financial priorities before December (27%)
- Waiting for gift suggestions from friends and family (24%).
Popular holiday purchases include clothing and accessories, toys, gift cards, books, video games and personal care and beauty items.
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Nearly 70 million people plan to shop in-store and online, up from 58.3 million in 2023. However, 49 million buyers plan to shop exclusively in brick-and-mortar locations like department stores, discount shops, and clothing/accessory stores, a slight dip from 52.8 million last year.
- Online holiday spending is up 4%, reaching $849 billion as of December 15.
- About 38 million shoppers plan to shop online only, up from 30.8 million in 2023.
AI’s Impact
To maintain momentum, retailers are tapping into AI and BOPIS (buy-online, pick-up-in-store) strategies. Salesforce data shows that AI has influenced online orders worldwide by offering personalized promotions, product recommendations and support for orders.
- The week after Cyber Monday, BOPIS accounted for 21% of online orders.
BOPIS has also gained traction, accounting for 21% of online orders during the week following Cyber Monday. Retailers that offer this option expect to see five to seven times higher sales growth than those that don’t.
The shopping frenzy isn’t over after Christmas. The week after Christmas and Hanukkah, 71% of consumers plan to shop, with top reasons including holiday sales, redeeming gift cards and returning or exchanging unwanted gifts.
