GumGum, the contextual-first technology leader, today released the second installment of findings from its global holiday shopping survey of 3,000 consumers across the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Australia. While the first release spotlighted overall budgets and consumer caution, this new data reveals how shoppers plan to allocate their holiday spending and where they’ll make tradeoffs.
Key findings include:
- Gifts Are Non-Negotiable: Gifts led as the #1 priority for 40% of shoppers, followed by travel at 30%. Food and drink were the top choice for 20%, but most often landed in the #2 spot (40%).
- Travel on the Chopping Block: When asked what they would reduce first if forced to cut back, more than one-third (35%) said travel would go, while nearly three-in-ten (29%) pointed to gifts. Dining, entertainment, and decorations trailed further behind. This aligns with GumGum’s earlier finding that roughly three in four shoppers (75%) are worried about the economic environment affecting their spending.
- Peak Shopping Moments: Roughly one-third (35%) of shoppers said they’ll do most of their holiday buying on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, while another one-third (32%) plan to shop in early December. Just 13% wait until the last minute.
- Omnichannel Dominates: Two-thirds (66%) plan to shop both online and in-store, highlighting the continued value of a hybrid shopping model. Another 16% will shop exclusively online, while 18% will shop exclusively in-store.
And it’s not just where people shop that matters—what drives them to buy spans both physical and digital channels. Nearly half (48%) said in-store displays influence their buying the most, followed by social media ads (35%), word of mouth (31%), and email promotions (30%).
“These insights make it clear: shoppers are deliberate and value-driven this year,” said Kerel Cooper, CMO, GumGum. “Brands that want to maximize performance need to connect with consumers at the right moment and in the right place, whether it’s in-store or the open web. The key is making sure every impression adds value, not noise.”
With GumGum’s AI-powered data engine, the Mindset Graph™, advertisers can deliver contextually aligned, performance-focused advertising that connects with shoppers when it matters most.
