Holiday Shopping Trends for 2022

Holiday shopping trends for 2022 to help small business owners sell more over the Christmas season.

In 2022 we're seeing 6 important consumer retail trends business owners need to know about to make the most of this important season. We'll examine each of these consumer trends in some detail and look at ways you can make use of them to sell more this Christmas.

Looking for more up-to-date data? Here's where you'll find the most recent holiday shopping trend report. 

Holiday Shopping Trends for 2022

1. People Are Shopping Earlier for Holiday 2022

Supply chain issues meant that shopping earlier — before Thanksgiving weekend — was one of the top Christmas shopping trends for 2021.

That trend will continue into the 2022 holiday shopping season. In fact, 38% of people are planning to shop even earlier this year compared with the previous year. ^{(source Deloitte)}

Lingering supply chain concerns combined with worries about inflation are driving shoppers to buy sooner to avoid product shortages and future price increases.

Black Friday and Thanksgiving week are still important shopping periods. 49% of people say they plan to shop during this week, motivated by the prospect of finding great deals. ^{(source Deloitte)} However, the intense focus on this narrow time frame is declining. Instead, shoppers are buying throughout October and all of November.

Related: Discover 8 hot holiday style trends in the 2022 Christmas trends report.

2. Celebrations Paired with Cautious Spending Are Top Priorities

Two priorities are top of mind for people over the 2022 Christmas season:

• Meaningful celebrations that promote connection and togetherness
• Cautious spending in light of inflation and financial concerns

People are planning to spend about the same amount as they did in 2021, but 73% are expecting prices will be higher this year due to inflation. ^{(source Deloitte)}

3. Shoppers Focus Spending on Gifts & Experiences

In line with the trend to focus on celebrations and cautious spending, shoppers are prioritizing spending on gift giving & shared experiences to maximize holiday fun and togetherness. Meanwhile, they are forgoing spending on other items in order to stay within planned holiday budgets.

Product Categories

Top categories for Christmas 2022 gifts include: clothing & accessories, gift cards, and toys & hobbies. 

Sustainable Products

Approximately 40% of people plan to buy sustainable gifts in 2022. Shoppers are willing to spend more for sustainable items. In fact, people will spend 14% more in this category. ^{(source Deloitte)}

Resale Products

32% of people have plans to buy resale items for holiday 2022. ^{(source Deloitte)}

Shoppers view buying resale items as way to spend less overall, buy something nicer than they could afford new, and shop sustainably.

4. People Will Use Many Sources to Research Gift Ideas

People will use several types of sources to research gift ideas. That means retailers have many ways to get their products in front of shoppers.

Social Media is Key for Younger Consumers

If your target customers are Millennials or Generation Z, social media should play an important role in your marketing. 56% of Millennials and 60% of Gen Z plan to use social media for holiday shopping in 2022. ^{(source Deloitte)}

5. Shoppers Are Buying Online, But In-Person Shopping is Growing

Online shopping will still be the most popular way to shop. People expect to spend 63% of their holiday budget online. However, customers are returning to stores. People plan to spend more in-person this year (35% of their holiday budget) compared with holiday 2020 (28%). ^{(source Deloitte)}

6. Price and Influencers Impact Purchase Decisions

If you have an online shop, make sure customers don't abandon their purchase at the last minute. You'll need to set your shop up with clear product photos and thorough descriptions.

Shoppers will also look for several good product reviews before they decide to make a purchase. 39% will decide not to buy if the product has bad reviews, and 25% will abandon a purchase online if a product doesn't have enough reviews. ^{(source Channel Advisor)} 

Key Takeaways for Christmas 2022

Holiday shoppers want to have fun and are looking to get good value for their dollars they spend.

Fun & Meaningful: Showcase your products in ways that show how they'll help customers create meaningful experiences with friends and family. 

Value & Versatility: Highlight the value of well-made and versatile products that will last a long time and can be used for multiple purposes.

Clarity & Detail: If you sell online, provide multiple excellent product photos and clear descriptions for all of your products.

Sustainability: If your business uses sustainable practices, make sure customers know about it! Many shoppers value sustainable business practices and will pay more for those products.

Resale: If resale products are a possibility for your business, consider offering this option to your customers. 

Gift Cards: Give customers the option to buy gift cards.

Holiday Shopping Trends and Statistics

Here are the sources used for this article:

• Deloitte: 2022 Holiday Survey
• Channel Advisor: 2022 Holiday E-Commerce Guide