Winter is coming…and so are the winter holidays. Luckily, our archive of Millennial data and insights is full of information on young consumers’ holiday shopping behavior to give you a look at how they buy, what they spend, and more. Over the past 10 years, Ypulse has built up a rich archive of 10,000+ articles, 20,000+ curated Millennial news items, 2 billion peer-generated opinions from our mobile, social Q&A network, and thousands of statistics on Millennials drawn from our monthly national survey of the generation. Just search Ypulse.com to surface what you’re looking for. Today, as our early holiday gift, we’ve “spelunked” our own archives to find relevant information on Millennials and holiday shopping, and wrapped it up with a bow for you to explore.
(Also, stay tuned for an upcoming deeper dive into our 2014 holiday shopping survey—we’ll be comparing to last year’s data to uncover trends and give you significant insights on young consumers this season!)
Here’s what we found when we searched for “holiday” on Ypulse.com:
The data search results include survey data from our first round of 2014 holiday shopping questions (we’ll be asking two more rounds to complete our holiday data collection). When looking through the data tables, we found that:
- 88% plan to shop for the holidays
- 59% plan to make some or all of their holiday gifts
- 51% plan to do the majority of their shopping in store, compared to 49% who plan to shop mostly online
- 71% plan to shop at an online only retailer, 59% plan to shop at a mass merchandiser, and 24% plan to shop at a specialty retailer
- Amazon is by far the site they will most likely be using to shop online, with 77% planning to shop the site for gifts
- Target is the store that they are most likely to shop at in-store, with 45% saying the plan to do so
- 60% have money/gift cards on the top of their holiday wishlist
We also have data on their shopping schedule, including when they plan to start buying:
The 402 Insights results include news items on this years’ potential big toys, quotes from Millennials sharing their feelings on holiday shopping, and insights articles outlining smart holiday marketing. Here is just a sample:
INSIGHT ARTICLES:
HOW TO SHOP LIKE A MILLENNIALMillennials had a plan in mind for how to spend the dollars they earmarked for holiday gift buying. We’ve let you know what buzzed about tech items are on their wishlist this year, but when it comes to shopping for gifts, they had a different set of items in mind. Stores that appeal to them during the holiday season offer more bang for their buck and a wide array of options, and they’re turning to online stores far more often than their parents do…
PRE-HOLIDAY TOY ROUNDUPUnlike years past, when items like a brand new Tickle Me Elmo had parents stampeding to rip their kids’ dream item from the shelf, there is no must-have toy this season. That is no doubt why the massive toy industry isn’t in its highest spirits this holiday season, as sales projections have decreased by 2% from last year. Shoppers have shortened their wishlists in general, but 30% are planning on buying less toys as gifts this year, focusing instead on other sectors like technology and clothing. Gaming systems like the Xbox One and PS4 will no doubt be a substantial portion of the gift share for Millennials, and take a large chunk out of shoppers’ budgets. Video game purchases are obvious add-ons and were number one on our Millennial Tech Wish List….
We are four days away from Black Friday and the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Even though turkeys haven’t yet been c
arved, most brands have already begun their holiday advertisements in full force. 34% of Millennials ages 14-29 plan to start their shopping on Friday, so the merry marketing makes sense. But in a world flooded with commercials, it takes a lot to stick in consumers’ minds during the busiest time of year. For distracted Millennial viewers especially, most holiday marketing flows in one ear and out the other, and a simple commercial probably won’t stick in their minds. But smart brands are thinking outside the green and red wrapped box, putting out campaigns that invite interaction, demand attention, and make holiday marketing something to look forward to. Here are three of the early standouts for the merriest marketing of 2013…
NEWS ITEMS:
- Halloween hasn’t even happened yet, but that isn’t stopping anyone from talking about holiday shopping! Amazon is the latest e-retailer to release their 2014 holiday toy list, which includes wearable tech like the LeapFrog LeapBand and Kidizoom Smartwatch. But it’s not all digital: there are hands-on building toys like LEGO and Melissa and Doug Blocks among featured products, and, of course, Frozen dolls. Amazon is also offering exclusive toys from Mattel and K’NEX. (Kidscreen)
- Nintendo will launching their much-anticipated interactive Amiibo toys for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U on November 21st, with a second wave planned for release in early December, making them likely holiday wishlist contenders. The toys will include many of Nintendo’s “strong roster of characters” that appeal to both young gamers and those with nostalgic memories of the franchise. Smash Bros is the first game that will support the smart toys, which are one of the major trends in both toys and gaming this year. (TechCrunch)
MILLENNIAL QUOTES:
- “I hate everything about holiday shopping. Having to think of things to get. Having to think of who I need to get things for/who will get upset if I don’t get them anything. The f-ing commercials. The commercialization of a holiday to pressure us as consumers to buy the perfect gift. Everybody who clogs the stores, shopping out of some sense of obligation, like they ‘need to buy something.’” – Male, 26, GA
- “I love the rush of holiday shopping, seeing other families out doing the same thing. The competitiveness when you shop Black Friday morning is fun (well, used to be, now that its done on Thanksgiving day, not so much). Plus, anticipating the look on the person’s face when they open your gift makes me happy.” –Female, 26, LA
- “I love the atmosphere of holiday shopping. Hundreds of people walking around with Christmas music and decorations in the background, and my family by my side is a truly welcoming experience.” –Male, 15, AZ
- “I don’t like the drama of holiday sales and general over-emphasis on spending, perfectionism, and unique gifts.” –Female, 24, GA
