In-Store Shopping Outpaced Online Over the Holiday Weekend, Says NRF
A total of 126 million consumers shopped in stores over the five-day period, about 5 million more than last year.

That marks the second-highest number in the history of the survey, done in partnership with Prosper Insights & Analytics.
It’s just shy of last year’s record of 200.4 million and surpassed the NRF’s expectation of 183.4 million consumers shopping over the five-day period.
“We had a nice solid foundation headed into the holiday season,” NRF CEO Matt Shay said on a media call Tuesday morning.
It was a productive year for the economy, he said, with consumers’ capacity to spend underpinned by a healthy job market and wage growth outpacing inflation, though consumers were “more thorough and deliberate” in their spending patterns.
The NRF is expecting total sales for the holiday season, defined as Nov.1 to Dec. 31, to reach record levels, growing between 2.5 percent and 3.5 percent year-over-year and totaling $979.5 billion to $989 billion.

Notably, in-store shopping surpassed online shopping in terms of number of shoppers over the long holiday weekend.
“Humans [want] to be with other humans. Shopping online is convenient, but it’s also lonely,” said Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategy at Prosper Insights & Analytics, noting that people want to get out more post-pandemic.
“Holiday shopping is about family, tradition, and giving gifts to loved ones.”
A total of 126 million consumers shopped in stores over the five-day period, up from 121.4 million in 2023.
Online shoppers totaled 124.3 million, down from 134.2 million last year.
With online shopping steadily growing in popularity, Shay addressed the methodology that led NRF to this conclusion, which, he noted, may differ from other holiday surveys.
“Our surveys are of consumers and about consumers. We’re measuring the number of individual unique shoppers,” he said, while other organizations track sales.
Shay also pointed out that higher-income shoppers tend to shop online, which could lead to an increase in the total dollar amount spent but not necessarily an increase in the number of shoppers.
Black Friday is still the most popular day for both online and in-store shopping.
On Friday, 81.7 million consumers shopped in stores, up from 76.2 million last year, marking the highest level since the pandemic.
About 87.3 million consumers shopped online Friday, down from 90.6 million in 2023.
Saturday, also known as “Small Business Saturday,” saw the second-highest level of in-store shopping, with 61.1 million shoppers heading to stores.
Cyber Monday was the second-most popular day for online shopping with 64.4 million consumers, down from 73.1 million in 2023.
A majority of Cyber Monday shoppers (63 percent) used their mobile devices, up from 55 percent last year and the highest level since NRF started tracking this metric, it said.

The NRF does not share the dollar amount spent over the five-day period.
The survey is more of a “pulse check” on consumer behavior, said Rist.
“We like to focus on having actual conversations with humans and not just looking at the cash register total, to get a better understanding of the people behind the clicks and swipes,” he said.
The top shopping destination was a tie between department stores and online (42 percent), followed by grocery stores and supermarkets (40 percent), clothing and accessories stores (37 percent), and discount stores (32 percent).

According to the survey, 86 percent of shoppers bought a gift during the five-day period, spending an average of $235. That’s up from $227 last year.
The top gifts purchased were clothing and accessories (49 percent), followed by toys (31 percent), and gift cards (27 percent). Food and candy and personal care and beauty items were tied at 23 percent.
“Consumers indicated that their purchases were driven by sales and promotions,” said Rist, noting that free shipping in particular was a deciding factor for those hesitant to make a purchase.
When comparing this year’s stats to figures from 2023, the NRF said it’s important to note that the holiday shopping period is shorter this year. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas totals 26 days, five days fewer than last year.
With a shorter window for shopping, 38 percent of respondents said they shopped sales the week before Thanksgiving.
There’s still more shopping to be done, with 52 percent saying they still have half of their shopping left to do.
Though the holiday season looks merry so far, the potential tariffs on neighbors Canada and Mexico, as well as other countries, are looming, as it would likely mean higher prices for consumers in the future.
However, it hasn’t put a damper on the holiday season just yet.
“We know consumers are very aware of and sensitive to what’s happening around them,” said Shay, particularly when it comes to affordability and pricing.
The NRF has not seen a significant number of consumers changing their behavior, due in part to the “unknowns” about where the tariff discussions will end up, he said, but noted consumers may adjust their behavior in the new year.
Rist said, “Overall, this was a very strong holiday weekend and it’s a positive indicator of where we are headed over the next few weeks.”
NRF surveyed 3,055 adults from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 for its survey.
The Latest

Designer Christina Puchi, the creative force behind CCWW Designs, has created charms and pendants based on iconic candies and crackers.

The Jonas Brothers star showed off new timepieces against the backdrop of his favorite spots in his home state of New Jersey.

The family-owned jeweler in Fayetteville, North Carolina, is in the hands of the second generation.

Jewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.

In his latest column, Emmanuel Raheb shares tips for encouraging customers to treat themselves to new jewelry.


The new stand-alone Rolex boutique is housed in the former Odd Fellows Hall, a landmark built in 1897.

The Brilliant Earth ambassador co-designed a diamond medallion featuring meaningful symbols.

As a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.

Wrap jewelry is more than just a trend; it’s the perfect motif for the coming season of layering, scarves, and pumpkin spice.

The three-day watch collector show, coming this October, will feature 44 exhibiting brands, as well as a new dinner experience.

Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.

The one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.

Three C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”

The retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.

Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.

The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.

The pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.

The New Hampshire-based store has expanded to Boston, propelled by the success of Alex Bellman’s TikTok page, “The Truthful Jeweler.”

The latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.

The new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.

Participants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.

The investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.

Smith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.

The counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.

The MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Casio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.

Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.