According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics, an estimated 157.2 million consumers plan to shop on this pivotal day. This marks a significant increase from last year’s 141.9 million and ranks as the second-highest turnout for Super Saturday, trailing only 2022’s record of 158.5 million shoppers.
“Super Saturday is one of the last opportunities during the holiday season for consumers to get the remaining items on their shopping list,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF’s Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights. “With a shortened window between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, consumers will be hitting stores and shopping online to get those final gifts and to take advantage of special promotions and deals.”
Shifting Shopping Habits
The survey highlights a notable shift toward omnichannel shopping. This year, 69.5 million shoppers (44%) plan to shop both in-store and online, an increase from 58.3 million (41%) in 2023. While in-store-only shopping is projected to decline slightly to 49.4 million (31%), online-only shopping is expected to rise to 38.2 million (24%).
Despite the busy season, many consumers are still finalizing their holiday purchases. As of early December, shoppers reported having completed only 50% of their holiday shopping, with just 10% stating they were entirely finished. Key reasons for the delay included indecision about gifts (37%), other financial priorities (27%), and waiting for gift requests from family and friends (24%).
“Whether shoppers have planned out their shopping list or are waiting until the last minute, most still have purchases left to make before December 25,” said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President of Strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics. “As with last year, over half of consumers expect they will complete their shopping in the week leading up to the Christmas holiday.”
Top Shopping Destinations and Gift Choices
Retailers are gearing up for the influx of shoppers, with online platforms (49%), department stores (37%), discount stores (27%), and clothing and accessory stores (25%) set to be the primary destinations for last-minute purchases.
As for gifts, the most popular categories so far include:
Clothing and accessories (50%)
Toys (32%)
Gift cards (26%)
Books, video games, and other media (24%)
Personal care or beauty items (24%)
Jewellery (20%)
With the countdown to Christmas in full swing, Super Saturday promises to be a crucial day for retailers and a final chance for consumers to wrap up their holiday shopping.
