Austin, TX – September 19, 2023: Today, Jungle Scout, the leading all-in-one platform for ecommerce sellers, released its Q3 2023 Consumer Trends Report, a quarterly study of over 1,000 U.S. consumers. The report reveals that consumers — especially those with high incomes — are starting their holiday shopping earlier this year. Findings also show that consumer behavior, from shopping frequency to spending and priorities, varies widely by income.
Key insights from the report include:
- Consumers are getting a head start on holiday shopping.
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- 27% of consumers started their holiday shopping as early as August this year, an increase from 19% who had started at the same time last year.
- High-income consumers are more likely to start holiday shopping early, with 44% having started already, compared to 23% of consumers with lower incomes.
- Most consumers (79%) say their spending has been impacted by inflation in recent months.
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- 56% of consumers say inflation is impacting holiday shopping plans.
- For those cutting holiday expenses, lower-income consumers will spend less per person on gifts, while higher-income consumers are more inclined to trim the number of recipients on their lists.
- Household income plays a key role in online shopping habits.
- Online spending increased for more than half of high-income consumers in Q3, compared to 24% of lower-income households.
- 33% of high-income consumers shop online at least daily, compared to 18% of consumers with lower incomes.
- Consumers with high incomes are more likely to start product searches on social media, with 41% starting on Facebook.
“Consumers are starting their holiday shopping earlier and adjusting spending due to inflation, transforming the online holiday shopping landscape,” says Mike Scheschuk, President of Small and Medium Business at Jungle Scout. “With consumers eager to take advantage of upcoming shopping events like Prime Big Deal Days and Black Friday, businesses must adapt their strategies by prioritizing competitive deals and a seamless customer experience.”
Additional findings from the report include:
- Adoption of AR technology: 54% of shoppers have either never tried AR, such as virtual try-on, or use it infrequently.
- Conscious consumers: 48% of high-income consumers consider Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly badge very important when purchasing products, compared to 24% with low incomes.
Refer to the full report for the complete methodology and additional insights into consumer spending and behavior.