Many Americans Still Putting-Off Holiday Shopping

This year’s Black Friday was a sales success, with customers spending more money on a variety of heavily discounted prices. Not everyone has finished up their holiday shopping, however. In fact,...
Many Americans Still Putting-Off Holiday Shopping
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This year’s Black Friday was a sales success, with customers spending more money on a variety of heavily discounted prices.

Not everyone has finished up their holiday shopping, however. In fact, a sizable chunk of the American population has yet to even purchase one present.

A new Consumer Reports survey today shows that 31% of Americans (the ones who plan to buy gifts for the holidays, anyway) had not yet bought any gifts for the holidays as of “early December.” Only about half (51%) of Americans at that time reported that they were at least halfway done with their holiday shopping.

“Even though this year [there are] less days on the calendar to get their holiday shopping done, there are still quite a bit of procrastinators out there,” said Tod Marks, senior editor and resident shopping expert at Consumer Reports. “The 11 percent who told us they’ve completely finished shopping already have certainly saved themselves the stress of frantically searching for last-minute gifts.”

Those American putting off their shopping certainly feel the pressure. The Consumer Report survey found that 36% of those surveyed are feeling stressed about holiday shopping. Another 6% felt unsure as to whether they will be ready in time for celebrations, and 3% were “almost certain” they aren’t going to make it.

The survey also found some interesting statistics on American opinions of the holidays.

Of those surveyed, 30% stated that their significant other is hardest to shop for, though 25% found it hardest to shop for a parent.

A large majority of Americans (82%) said that they would prefer a practical gift over a luxury one, while 60% said they would prefer cash over gift cards. A majority of those surveyed (56%) also prefer an artificial Christmas tree over the real deal.

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