The State of Consumer Holiday Shopping Report from supply chain intelligence provider project44 reveals 80% of consumers in the United States worry tariffs will increase prices, and 70% plan to purchase fewer gifts if tariffs increase the cost of goods.
The company noted the shoppers are delaying purchases due to price uncertainty with just 25% of consumers having begun shopping before October versus 35% in 2024. As such, more consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach to holiday shopping as they monitor the economy and tap retail events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday to look for deals.
In addition, eight in 10 consumers expect to purchase from marketplaces this holiday season, the survey indicated.
With economic concerns overshadowing social considerations, 34% of survey respondents said sustainability only matters if it doesn’t raise costs, and 34% said sustainability has no impact on their purchasing decisions at all
However, consumers are concerned about shipping, with 56% unwilling to pay extra for faster shipping and 45% reporting that they are unlikely to shop again with a retailer that misses a promised delivery date.
