75% of Consumers Prioritize Price and Value in Holiday Purchases, Says Report

Why Are Shoppers Starting Earlier? Several key factors are driving this early shopping surge: Desire for Holiday Sales: Nearly three-quarters (72%) of shoppers cite the need to capitalize on early holiday deals as the main motivator for getting a head start on gift buying.

Supply Chain Concerns: With widespread reports of inventory shortages and shipping delays, half of shoppers (50%) are shopping early to ensure product availability, while 45% want to avoid shipping delays. Stress Reduction: 39% are eager to avoid the last-minute rush and the stress that comes with it.

This early start is not just anecdotal. Klarna’s data, based on surveys of over 24,000 US shoppers and proprietary shopping trends from 20 million consumers, found that 71% of shoppers planned to begin holiday shopping before December, and 22% had already started by the time of the survey.

The Impact on Retailers and Spending Early shoppers are not only more organized—they’re also more lucrative for retailers. Klarna’s report highlights that this group plans to spend 16% more, on average, than those who wait until later in the season. Over a third (34%) of all shoppers intend to spend more on gifts than last year,…