Washington–Even with the specter of $4 (and up) a gallon gasoline prices looming, American shoppers apparently aren’t going to allow anything to rain on their Easter parades.
According to National Retail Federation (NRF)’s Easter spending survey, conducted by BIGinsight and released Tuesday, Americans plan to spend 11% more this year on Easter apparel, accessories, candy etc. than last year.
In fact, nearly half, 48.5%, say they will head to retailers to take advantage of spring sales on colorful apparel and accessories, where spending could hit $3 billion by Easter Sunday, April 8. The average person will spend $26.11 on apparel, up from $21.51 last year.
The NRF says Americans will shell out an average of $145.28 on everything from apparel and candy to food and decorations this Easter season, up from $131.04 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $16.8 billion.*
“Though the price of gas is on everyone’s mind, Easter is one of the few holidays some consumers are willing to stretch their budgets, especially because many children look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning,” said Matthew Shay, NRF’s president/ceo. “Retailers will make sure to offer plenty of promotions on candy, apparel, food and decorations in the coming weeks for eager holiday shoppers.”
More Shoppers to Head to Department Stores?
Easter candy remains the most popular purchase, with some 89.3% of Americans splurging on more than $2 billion in traditional favorites such as chocolate eggs and jelly beans. Additionally, consumers will spend an average of $20.57 on gifts for their friends and family, $10.50 on flowers and $9.07 on decorations for their home and office.
Though most people (63.5%) will shop at their local discount store, department stores can expect a nice treat this Easter as well. Four in 10– and the highest percent in the survey’s history—will shop at a department store for gifts and other holiday merchandise.
Online retailers will see the biggest jump in traffic this year, however. Nearly two in five (18.7%) will shop online, up from 14.8% last year and just 11.1% in 2008. Others will shop at specialty stores (25.4%) such as a jeweler, electronic store or florist, or a specialty clothing store (9.7%).
As iPads and other tablet computers become more of an everyday shopping tool, 52.3% of table owns said they will research merchandise and even make purchases for Easter on their devices. Specifically, 25.7% say they will purchase something and 36.6% plan to research products and compare prices; 26.3% will look up company and store information, such as store hours and location; and, 15.3% will use apps to research and purchase products. Additionally, 43.3% of smartphone owners celebrating Easter will use their mobile device to research and/or purchase items.
“Beautiful weather conditions coupled with a slight lift in consumer confidence will likely be a boon to the Easter holiday this year as consumers begin to seek out new spring merchandise for their home or garden, and even their wardrobe,” said Pam Goodfellow, BIGinsight Consumer Insights director. “It remains to be seen though, if this spending momentum will carry into the coming months with the cost of fueling up on the rise.”
About the Survey
The NRF 2012 Easter Consumer spending survey, conducted for NRF by BIGinsight, was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to Easter. The poll of 9,242 consumers was conducted from March 6 to 13. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0%. www.nrf.com
* Total spending is based on extrapolation of US population 18 +
