• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, September 25, 2020

Young people are gearing up for the holidays, but that doesn’t mean they will be showering gifts on friends and relatives.  

Instead, 72% of millennials and Gen Zers are “likely to treat themselves,” according to a study by social content company Fullscreen. And 64% say gifts will not be important this year. 

Indeed, 50% plan to focus on the meaning of the holiday. And 45% say the holidays “will be somewhat different this year.” 

It follows that they don’t want marketers' ads or emails — 52% say brands should not advertise this season.  

And if you do happen to be planning email campaigns, please note that 25% in this cohort will “absolutely not” shop on Black Friday this year. 

However, 21% wouldn’t miss Amazon Prime Day and 21% say the same about Cyber Monday.  

Still, there are rules to follow: 84% want brands to be transparent about shipping — speed, cost, and contacts. And 80% demand mega sales and/or deals. Another 14% plan to support small businesses.   

Among other things, this year’s events have affected relationships within the younger set.

Of the men surveyed, 29% of men say their love lives have been impacted “a lot,” versus 22% of women. And 47% of men say the same about family life, compared to 33% of women.  

Fullscreen surveyed 500 18- to-37-year-olds from its TBH panel. 

But what about the broader population and the way they shop? For starters, almost half expect to see fewer people this year, according to a survey by Aki Technologies and Tap Research. 

In addition, 43% are less likely to splurge on gifts this holiday season. The remainder will maintain or expand their buying. And 43% expect to shop earlier. 

Where will they shop? Of those polled, 50% will buy online, but 82% expect to shop in-store to some degree. But 66% will know what they’re looking for before they enter the store. 

It will pay to remind shoppers of alternative options, the study says.  

Meanwhile, here’s when 398 consumers surveyed by SmarterHQ plan to shop:

Amazon Prime Day — 23%

Black Friday — 19% 

Cyber Monday — 11% 

Ahead of Black Friday / Cyber Monday — 17%

After Black Friday / Cyber Monday — 30%

Here’s how they plan to shop:  

Shop online but pick up in-store or curbside — 15% 

Shop in-store — 25%

Shop online and have items shipped — 60% 

In conclusion, here are three trends foreseen by Michael Osborne, CEO of SmarterHQ (and we quote):

Retailers will incentivize shoppers to go to stores. 

The way brands & retailers reach out to consumers will look and feel different. 

Brands and retailers will have more behavioral data than ever before, which could lead to the most personalized holiday season ever.