A record-breaking 183.4 million people in the US plan to hit the stores and online retailers this Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This surpasses the previous record of 182 million set in 2023 and reflects a continued surge in holiday shopping enthusiasm.
“Even though holiday shopping continues to pull forward, some of the busiest shopping days of the year are during the five-day Thanksgiving weekend,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said. “Consumers are prioritising gift-giving for the most important people in their lives, and retailers are prepared to help customers find everything on their shopping lists at great prices throughout the season.”
The top reasons consumers plan to shop during this five-day period are because the deals are too good to pass up (57%), it is tradition (28%) and they like to start holiday shopping over Thanksgiving weekend (24%).
Black Friday remains king, with a whopping 72% (131.7 million) planning to shop either online or in stores. For those seeking in-store experiences, Black Friday is the day to be there, with 65% of shoppers specifically targeting brick-and-mortar stores. Cyber Monday follows closely behind, attracting 39% (72.3 million) of shoppers.
The trend of early shopping continues – a whopping 58% of consumers have already started ticking items off their lists! On average, shoppers have already completed about a quarter (25%) of their planned purchases.