Holiday sales expected to remain flat | Key4Communications | News

The majority of US consumers plan to spend the same amount of money than last year on holiday gifts, according to a research by the NPD Group. Percentage of people who plan to spend less has reduced slightly, from 30% to 27%.

“With more consumers telling us they plan to ‘spend about the same’ and no additional consumers planning to ‘spend more,’ I think we will see this holiday’s results look quite a bit like last holiday’s.” explained Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, The NPD Group, Inc.,

Top categories continue to be clothing and toys, with books following, after surpassing movies in buying intention. Consumers also plan buying accessories such as bags and watches, and electronic devices (5th in the list, not including videogames and consoles, that come 10th in buying plans).

Online shopping plans increase by 3% to 38%, and is already ranked second, just after discount stores such as Walmart and Target, and are preferred to national chains, department stores and toy stores.

Consumers plan to begin their shopping at or about the same this year as last year. This year almost 41% of consumers say they plan to start their holiday shopping on Thanksgiving weekend or later, compared to 40% last year.