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Just over half of U.S. adults surveyed expect to finish their holiday gift shopping by today, but others will still be buying gifts on Christmas Eve — and some will miss the deadline altogether. That’s according to the annual survey released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey found that only 12 percent of consumers had finished their holiday shopping as of Dec. 12, with shoppers having completed an average of only 61 percent. A total of 55 percent expected to be done purchasing gifts by today, with 6 percent saying they will still be shopping Sunday and 5 percent saying their final gifts won’t be bought until after Christmas. Fifty-three percent of consumers — about 126 million people — plan to shop this weekend on “Super Saturday,” the last Saturday before Christmas.
Total Retail's Take: Count me as one of those 126 million. I'll be heading out to a few stores on Saturday to finish up my holiday shopping. Even with more consumers opting to shop online this holiday season, there are still plenty of procrastinators that brick-and-mortar retailers are counting on this upcoming weekend. With shipping deadlines past come Saturday, physical retailers should see a surge in last-minute gift buyers. The key will be to give those customers an enjoyable experience — e.g., products in stock and easy to be found; knowledgable store associates ready to help if needed; quick-moving checkout lines — so that they're more likely to come back and purchase again in the new year.
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