Dive Brief:
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Some 60% of Americans plan on spending for the Easter holiday across all platforms, while 57% will shop for spring clothing, according to a new survey released by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). On average, Americans will spend $135.10 on Easter and $193.70 on spring apparel, the study found.
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A huge majority of these shoppers (91%) plan to head to stores for the Easter holiday, and another 90% plan to visit brick-and-mortar retailers in search of spring apparel, the ICSC said.
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Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation’s own annual Easter Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics found that Easter spending could reach $17.3 billion, with Americans planning to celebrate the holiday spending an average $146 each. That’s significantly higher than the ICSC survey and tops the NRF’s findings of $140.62 average spending and $16.4 billion total from last year.
Dive Insight:
Before retailers get too excited about Easter, it must be noted that most Americans that celebrate the holiday will spend at restaurants or on food, rather than on concrete goodies that might go into baskets. But people are apparently ready to head to stores for new spring clothes.
In addition to some optimistic numbers, the ICSC also provides some insights into how Americans continue to shop, with physical stores faring well, albeit with the help of smartphones. Most spring shoppers (69%), for example, expect to use a mobile device while in store, with 51% planning to compare prices via mobile.
Nearly half (48%) of consumers conduct online research before heading to the store: 52% doing that are men, while 48% are women. In addition, a quarter of those surveyed plan to take advantage of “click-and-collect” services for spring apparel purchases, while 21% plan to do so for Easter shopping.
“Easter and seasonal apparel shopping habits highlight consumer preference for shopping in-store,” ICSC president and CEO Tom McGee said in a statement. “It’s a trend that is consistent amongst all demographics, as consumers are making purchases for the Easter holiday and on spring apparel in stores. While the types of purchases and location of shopping may vary, the consistency with which consumers are driven to brick and mortar shops demonstrates the central role they play in the shopping experience.”
