Unwrapping Holiday Shopping 2024
By Dr. Martin Block, Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University, Retail Analytics Council
A recent survey provides insight into how prepared shoppers were by mid-December. Based on data from the 94.7% of people who shop for the holidays, the results reveal a mix of careful planning and last-minute scrambling. Here’s where consumers stood leading up to Christmas:
- 17.0% still hadn’t started their shopping by mid-December,.
- 10% were completely finished by mid-December.
- 42.2% had made moderate progress, completing up to 50% of their shopping, with many likely finalizing their purchases in the last weeks before Christmas.
As shown in Table 1, these figures illustrate the diverse holiday shopping habits among consumers:
Table 1. About what percentage of your total holiday shopping have you completed thus far?
| Progress Level | Percentage of Shoppers (%) |
| Not started | 17.0 |
| 1%–50% complete | 42.2 |
| 51%–99% complete | 30.8 |
| 100% finished | 10.0 |
For retailers, the final stretch of the season remained crucial. Same-day delivery services, extended store hours, and last-minute deals likely helped capture the segment of shoppers who waited until the last minute. Meanwhile, early planners who completed their shopping well in advance likely benefited from early-season sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Reflecting on this year’s trends, retailers can gain insights into shopper behavior to refine their strategies for next year. From engaging early shoppers with pre-season deals to capturing last-minute buyers with fast and flexible options, there’s room to meet shoppers at every stage of their journey.
This mid-December data builds on earlier trends observed in October and November, offering a comprehensive look at consumer behavior throughout the season. To dive deeper into how early-season habits like October sales events and Black Friday promotions shaped holiday shopping patterns, read our complete analysis of holiday retail trends: Winter Holidays and Shopping Trends: Insights from October 2024 Data and Thanksgiving and Black Friday: Trends and Traditions. These insights can help retailers refine their strategies for the season’s final stretch and plan for next year.