Valentine’s Day Beyond Cards and Candy
Executive Summary Valentine’s Day remains a meaningful but evolving consumer holiday, shaped by long-term declines in participation alongside steady and increasingly targeted spending. Findings from the January 2026 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey conducted in cooperation with the National Retail Federation (n=7,791) show that just over half of U.S. adults plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, […]
The Business of Watching the Super Bowl
Executive Summary The Super Bowl continues to operate as a major cultural and consumer event, with participation levels rivaling traditional U.S. holidays and spending patterns that extend well beyond the game itself. Findings from the January 2026 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey conducted in cooperation with the National Retail Federation (n=7,991) show that Super Bowl […]
Americans Feel the Holiday Spending Squeeze
Executive Summary The latest Prosper Insights & Technologies survey paints a clear picture of how Americans are feeling—and spending—as they head into the holiday season. While some demographic groups show resilience, overall financial sentiment remains cautious, shaped heavily by inflation, tariffs, and uncertainty about the broader economy. Key findings include Only 22% of consumers feel […]
Strategic Shopping: Why Americans Start Early but Spend Less
Executive Summary The 2025 holiday season reflects a growing tension between enthusiasm and economic restraint. Data from the October 2025 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey, conducted in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF), shows that while 92.8% of adults plan to celebrate the winter holidays, shoppers are changing how and when they buy. Consumers […]
Insights From P2PI LIVE & Expo: Shopper Emotion
At the Path to Purchase Institute’s P2PI LIVE & Expo, new research highlighted how deeply emotion shapes today’s shopping experience—and what that means for brands and retailers. The findings show that retailers perform very differently when it comes to both emotional impact and ease of shopping, pointing to opportunities to borrow best practices across channels, […]
Grandparents Represented 14% of Back-to-School Shoppers: Don’t Miss Them in Your Seasonal Campaign
Back-to-school season is one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year for families across the country. It’s also an important time for advertisers, as parents and students spend heavily—much of it online. In fact, the National Retail Federation projects that back-to-school spending will reach $128 billion this year (National Retail Federation, 2025). Yet one […]
Forbes Puts the Spotlight on Rethinking Retail by the Retail Analytics Council
The Retail Analytics Council’s book, Rethinking Retail: What Marketers and Retailers Can Learn About Consumer Preference from Analytics, is already drawing national attention. Forbes recently reviewed the book, noting how it helps retailers and marketers move beyond guesswork to better understand shifting consumer behavior. In his review, Forbes contributor Gary Drenik points out that successful […]
Back-to-School and College Spending Rivals Holiday Season Spending
Executive Summary The July 2024 Prosper Insights and Analytics survey (n = 7,533) highlights the scale and dynamics of back-to-school and college shopping, underscoring its role as one of the largest retail events of the year. Key findings include: 40.1% of adults plan to shop for back-to-school or college; 28.2% for school-age children, 25.9% for […]
Stars, Stripes, and Spending-July Fourth by the Numbers
Executive Summary: The Fourth of July is the second most popular American holiday, following only Christmas. Key highlights include: 4% of respondents plan to celebrate the Fourth of July, which is down slightly from last year. Average planned spending is $92.44. Over 68% of respondents have noticed higher prices, particularly in beverages and food. Celebrators […]
Beyond the Tie: What’s Driving Father’s Day Spending in 2025
Executive Summary: Father’s Day, observed on Sunday, June 15, 2025, continues to rank as the sixth most popular American holiday, trailing just behind the Super Bowl and ahead of Halloween. According to Prosper Insights & Analytics May 2025 consumer survey, which tracks annual events and market behavior, participation in Father’s Day celebrations remains steady, but […]