That’s a wrap for Morning Consult’s 2021 holiday consumer trends tracker.

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Updated: Dec. 17

Tracking Consumer Trends This Holiday Season

The COVID-19 pandemic is still lingering on, impacting the 2021 holiday season in new ways. Some consumers feel safe returning to stores, but many don’t, and are more comfortable embracing newly formed online shopping habits. Supply chain issues are rippling through the country, negatively impacting already-stressed delivery systems, with warning signs that it will get worse before it gets better. And travel plans are up in the air, not because of safety concerns but because of flight cancellations and delays.

We’re tracking consumer trends on these important issues and will be updating this page weekly with new data, analysis and original reporting.

WHAT WE'RE TRACKING THIS WEEK

About 1 in 4 U.S. adults say their families are planning to cancel their usual holiday get-togethers this year: For those who don’t plan to fully cancel their celebrations, a majority say their family and friends will be having smaller get-togethers than usual this year. Nearly 7 in 10 plan to eat their Christmas meals with just their immediate family. Read more.

More than 2 in 3 Americans do not plan to book any holiday travel: On Dec. 13, 68% of Americans said they will not travel for the holidays, up from 57% who said the same on Sept. 23. Read more.

About 50% of those who have started shopping have faced supply chain issues. These include items being out of stock online (52%), in-store (50%) or back-ordered or delayed (45%). Read more.

TRACKING SHOPPING RATES

Most Consumers Who Plan to Shop for the Holidays Have Started Their Gift Buying

Respondents were asked "How much of your holiday shopping have you already completed?"

Weekly surveys are conducted among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and have a margin of error of +/-2%.

Tracking Supply Chain Issues

About Half of Consumers Have Experienced Issues Caused by Delayed or Out-of-Stock Items

The share of respondents who said that they have experienced the following issues since they started holiday shopping:

Weekly surveys are conducted among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and have a margin of error of +/-2%.

More on this topic: Retailers can retain consumers through stock shortages with proactive recommendations. Consumers facing an out-of-stock holiday gift are just as likely to buy a substitute from the same retailer as they are to jump to a competitor in search of the original item. Read more.

Tracking Channels

Online vs. In Store: How Consumers Are Shopping This Year

Respondents were asked "Thinking about the upcoming holiday season, which of the following best describes you?"

Weekly surveys are conducted among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and have a margin of error of +/-2%.

More on this topic: Holiday shopping procrastinators will continue their annual dependence on brick-and-mortar stores to fulfill gift lists, as the omicron variant has not diminished consumers’ comfort with shopping in stores. Read more.

Tracking Spending

How Much Are Consumers Planning to Spend?

Respondents were asked how much they expect to spend on gifts this holiday season

Weekly surveys are conducted among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and have a margin of error of +/-2%.

More on this topic: Morning Consult’s monthly U.S. Consumer Spending report provides a detailed assessment of consumption patterns reported by consumers within a variety of categories of goods and services. Read more.

Tracking Travel

More Than 2 in 3 Americans Do Not Plan to Book Any Holiday Travel

Respondents were asked "How much of your holiday travel have you started to book?"

Weekly surveys are conducted among roughly 2,200 U.S. adults and have a margin of error of +/-2%.

More on this topic: As Americans prepare for the 2021 holiday travel season, many are expecting higher prices and less reliability for planned trips than in a typical year. 45% say they’ll limit their attendance at in-person events, and 41% say they’ll travel less this holiday season compared with pre-pandemic times. Read more.

Retail

Expect the Same In-Store Holiday Rush, Even Amid Omicron

Pandemic fears won’t keep consumers from stores in December, easing some shipping pressure as Christmas approaches

Millennial Parents’ Ongoing Safety Fears Will Limit Holiday Activities as Omicron Variant Looms

Millennial parents are some of the biggest spenders during the holidays, but ongoing pandemic concerns are limiting in-store shopping in favor of curbside options

Shopping Holiday Boundaries Blur as Consumers Find Deals Online All Season Long

As holiday shoppers hunt for deep discounts from the comfort of their own homes, retailers feel less compelled to open for early birds on Thanksgiving Day

Consumers Return to Shopping in Stores With More Digital Support

Increasing comfort in stores leads to more channel mixing for holiday shoppers

Holiday Shopping First Look: While Some Consumers Are Shopping Earlier, Most Haven’t Started

Fewer and smaller in-person celebrations mean more shipped gifts, putting pressure on an already-stressed supply chain

Supply Chain

Expected Price Hikes in Food, Travel and Personal Tech Are Making Consumers More Deal-Conscious This Holiday Season

Inflation concerns mean consumers will seek more budget-friendly options this year

U.S. Consumers Anticipate Higher Grocery Prices Over the Holidays. And They’re Already Adopting Cost-Saving Measures

Most Americans are expecting costlier groceries this holiday season

What Retailers Need to Know as Consumers Face Inevitable Supply Chain Issues

The primary challenge for retailers will be keeping consumers on-site as inventories for sought-after items dwindle

Thanksgiving Food Forecast: Supply Chain Setbacks, Smaller Gatherings and Embracing Tradition

This year’s Thanksgiving holiday was supposed to be a return to normal, but supply chain issues, delta concerns and enduring anxiety are reshaping the holiday

Early Bird Holiday Shoppers Are Already Reporting Supply Chain Challenges

Half of those who have started shopping for the holidays are reporting delivery delays and stock issues, and the situation is only expected to worsen as the rest of the country joins in

Financial Considerations

Ahead of the Holidays, Boomer Financial Well-Being Stands Out

Baby boomers report disproportionately high financial well-being compared with younger adults

BNPL Users Plan Bigger Holiday Purchases, Larger Budgets Than Everyday Shoppers

How consumers plan to use “buy now, pay later” services this holiday season, and how their budgets differ from those of the general public

How BNPL Fits Into Shoppers’ Payment Plans This Holiday Season

Credit and debit cards still dominate, but interest in and usage of “buy now, pay later” services continue to grow among younger generations

Consumers Without Financial Anxiety Are Helping Drive BNPL, New Credit Card Holiday Growth

Shoppers who are worried about finances lead overall interest in alternative funding options such as BNPL, but they aren’t driving growth in the service

What Retailers Need to Know as Consumers Face Inevitable Supply Chain Issues

The primary challenge for retailers will be keeping consumers on-site as inventories for sought-after items dwindle

Travel

Ongoing COVID-19 Concerns Prompt Travelers to Watch Their Wallets, Insure Their Trips This Holiday Season

Americans are leveraging loyalty points and insuring their holiday travel in an effort to offset high costs this year

Holiday Travel Still Lags, but Millennials Will Drive Nontraditional Trips in December

The pandemic continues to stall the travel industry’s recovery, but brands can find new opportunities among millennials itching to get away for non-holiday-related reasons

Concerns Over Breakthrough Cases, Unvaccinated Family Members Are Complicating Holiday Travel Forecasting

Holiday travel will see an uptick from 2020, but many travelers are ready to reconsider their plans if pandemic conditions change

Higher Earners Are Keeping the U.S. From a Full Thanksgiving Travel Renaissance

High-income adults are more likely to cut back on Thanksgiving travel, particularly shorter trips and stays at chain hotels

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