Bank of America Survey Indicates Early December May Surpass Black Friday as Peak Holiday Shopping Window
A Bank of America holiday spending survey reveals a shift in consumer behavior, with 29% of Americans planning to conduct most of their shopping in early to mid-December. This marks an increase from previous years and a notable decline in those targeting Black Friday, which fell from 25% to 17%. Despite this timing shift, overall spending sentiment remains cautious; 87% of respondents expect holiday spending to either hold steady or decrease, with only 12% planning to spend more than last year. Consumers are adopting more deliberate budgeting strategies and showing decreased interest in emerging technologies like AI-driven shopping and social media commerce. While e-commerce remains the dominant channel at 74%, there is a significant pullback in social media purchasing compared to 2025. Additionally, credit card usage is expected to rise as the preferred payment method for nearly half of consumers, driven largely by higher-income demographics.
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Topics: Black Friday consumer sentiment holiday spending retail trends