70% of Gen Z Shoppers Will Do Most of Their Holiday Shopping in Stores

Young shoppers will lean heavily on brick and mortar in the run-up to Christmas, a new survey says.

Seventy percent of Gen Z consumers plan to do most of their holiday shopping in-store this season, according to the 15th Annual Holiday Shopping Survey from Accenture. Perhaps surprisingly, 54% of baby boomers anticipate doing most of their shopping online.

“The pandemic forced older generations to overcome their hesitancy to shop online, an ongoing trend identified by our findings. On the flipside, younger consumers – who are already comfortable online – appear to be seeking out services and experiences that go beyond shopping,” says Oliver Wright, Senior Managing Director at Accenture.

The survey also revealed:

• 25% of consumers overall — and 42% of young millennials — said that shared experiences such as cooking classes, carol singers and children’s play areas could entice them to shop in-store with one retailer over another.
• Consumers plan to spend $598 this holiday season, on average, compared with $539 last year. Most (71%) said they intend to spend as much or more than they did last year.
• 34% of consumers overall — and 52% of younger millennials — are worried about stock availability and not being able to buy what they want and need for the holidays. Not surprisingly, the same number (34%) said they plan to do their holiday shopping earlier this year.