More than 158 Million Expected to Shop on ‘Super Saturday’
A record number of consumers are expected to shop on “Super Saturday,” the shopping holiday that represents the final Saturday before Christmas Day.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), more than 158 million consumers in the U.S. are expected to shop at either brick-and-mortar retail or online on Dec. 17, when retailers will hold Super Saturday sales since the final Saturday before the holiday is Dec. 24, Christmas Eve. The number is about 10 million higher than the number of shoppers who were expected to shop on Super Saturday last year. It’s the highest number predicted since NRF started tracking Super Saturday in 2016.
“Consumers have been shopping in record numbers this year, purchasing holiday items for friends and loved ones,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, in the release. “With Super Saturday falling eight days before Christmas, retailers are prepared to help shoppers fulfill their last-minute purchases that will make this holiday season memorable.”
More than a quarter of shoppers — 44.1 million — plan to shop only at in-person retail stores, more consumers — 42.2 million — plan to shop online via e-commerce, and nearly half of consumers who plan to shop — 72.2 million — plan to do so both online and at stores, according to NRF. Shoppers as of early December said they completed just about half — 53% — of their holiday shopping purchases, which is consistent with previous years. According to NRF data, 47% plan to finish shopping online, 37% plan to complete their shopping at department stores, 27% will shop at discount stores, 24% will shop at clothing stores and 19% will finish at grocery stores.
The most popular items purchased so far, according to NRF, include:
- Clothing — 50%
- Toys — 34%
- Gift cards — 28%
- Books and other media — 26%
- Food or candy — 23%
Rounding out the top 10 most popular items so far among consumers in the U.S. include personal care and beauty products, electronics, home decor and furnishings, jewelry, and sporting and leisure goods.
More than a quarter of consumers (28%) plan to give an experience (like a concert) this year, up from 23% last year. It’s at the highest level since NRF included the question for the first time in 2015. More than two-thirds of consumers (70%)say they plan to shop after Dec. 25, according to NRF.
The holiday shopping season comes amid continued pressures on consumers, including inflation and interest rate hikes. Inflation continues to slow, although prices were still 7.1% higher in November than they were at the same time last year. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday again raised interest rates to offset inflation.