The SheSpeaks community weighed-in again for our annual Holiday Shopping survey. Over 1,200 of your shared your thoughts on everything from the upcoming holiday season to how you are planning to shop this year.   Here are some of the interesting things that we heard from you.

HOLIDAY EMOTIONS

 

Top Emotions Heading into the Holiday Season

What a difference a month makes! "Uncertainty" was the #1 emotion that SheSpeaks members felt when we surveyed you in September.  But in the Holiday Shopping Survey from October, things were different!  Grateful was the #1 reported emotion, followed by Hopeful at #2.  
 

HOLIDAY SPENDING & SHOPPING

SheSpeaks members are slightly more positive about family finances this year, but it is basically the same as was reported in last year's survey.  But regardless of how women feel about personal/family finances, it does not seem to impact decisions to spend money this holiday season, because.... 



Surprisingly the #1 factor that will determine how much women will spend this holiday season is NOT family finances, view of the economy or the employment status. Instead, the #1 factor is Store sales and promotions followed by product availability. It's a stark contrast to 2020, when the #1 factor determining holiday spending was family finances. 







Increase in Spending from 2020 to 2021





Women perceive a drop in the health of the US economy vs. 2020. 23% fewer women report that the economy is improving vs. 2020 and 100% fewer vs. 2019! HOWEVER, as pointed out above, perception of the economy is not the #1 factor in determining holiday spending:



SheSpeaks members report that they will shop EARLIER than usual this holiday season. Significantly more women (56%) say that they will shop as soon as possible, prior to Thanksgving vs. 48% in 2020. This reflects a 17% increase of women who will shop prior Thanksgiving vs. 2020.






Shopping Starts Early in 2021





Do you agree with this findings? How would you have answered? Tell us in the comments below.