Shoppers will show up this holiday season despite tariffs, according to survey

Shoppers won’t let economic and political turbulence deter them from holiday shopping— but many will skip the old playbook. 

Three-quarters (75%) of consumers say they’ll spend the same or more on gifts this year, with Gen Z (29%) and millennials (25%) leading the charge in spending more, according to Salsify’s inaugural 2025 Consumer Holiday Shopping Report.  But from AI-curated gift guides and the digital takeover of Black Friday to the decline of social media’s shopping influence, consumers will rewrite the rules of the holiday season, noted the report.

“Shoppers aren’t letting inflation, tariffs, or global turmoil steal their holiday spirit,” said Dom Scarlett, research director at Salsify. “Black Friday is thriving, but not in-store. Gift discovery is shifting from social to search, video, and even AI. And more than ever, consumers are choosing brands that reflect who they are, not just what they want.”

Shoppers will show up this holiday season despite tariffs, according to survey | Chain Store Age

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