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Consumers will spend more holiday shopping online and spend more money this year

This holiday season consumer will be shopping online more than last year and spending more than in 2014.

October 26, 2015

This holiday season consumer will be shopping online more than last year and spending more than in 2014, according to the latest National Retail Federation survey.

The average spend per person will hit about $805.65, compared to $820.45 last year and almost half of the shopping, including browsing and buying, will be online and accounting for 46 percent of the shopping, compared to 44 percent in 2014, according to an announcement.

"We expect consumers will tackle their holiday shopping lists with a healthy dose of optimism, tempered by a hint of caution," stated NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay in the release.

Here are some additional findings:

• Spending on gifts for family members will total $462.95, up from $458.75 last year, and a survey high.
• 21.4 percent of smartphone owners will use their device to purchase holiday merchandise this year, the highest seen since NRF first asked in 2011.
• Nearly half (46.7 percent) said free shipping/shipping promotions are important factors in their decision on where to shop.
• 55.8 percent of holiday shoppers will splurge on themselves and/or others for non-gift items, and will spend an average of $131.59, up from $126.37 last year. ​

"Despite the challenges that still exist in our economy, it looks as if consumers are eager to celebrate the holidays with friends and family this year," said Shay. "We expect consumers will tackle their holiday shopping lists with a healthy dose of optimism, tempered by a hint of caution as they look for ways to find the perfect, practical gift."

Average spending on decorations will reach $53.02, with shoppers doling out an average of $107.80 on food.

Within the ecommerce shopping event, 46.5 percent intend to use retailers’ buy-online, pick-up in-store options, and 93.1 hope to use a free shipping offer when available.

In relation to same-day shipping, the millennial online shoppers are most likely to take advantage with 16.7 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 15.9 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds opting for same-day delivery option.

"The surprise factor isn’t the numbers surrounding Millennials and their planned use of retailers’ innovative digital offerings, it’s the power that this cohort of adults has when it comes to influencing retailers to speak their language," Prosper Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow states in the announcement. "Young adults and millennials are incredibly savvy when it comes to finding the right gift at the right price at the right place."