• by Ray Schultz , August 24, 2023

Consumers are planning higher holiday spending than some studies have indicated. 

According to Aki Technologies, the media division of Inmar Intelligence,"47% of consumers expect to shell out more than $500 on holiday gifts this year.  

At the same time, there has been a 41% hike YoY in the number of people who want to receive cash or gift cards has increased 41% since 2022. 

Shoppers are planning to buy gifts for:

• My family -- 66.3% 
• My partner/spouse -- 52.2%
• Children -- 48.8%
• Myself -- 45.2%
• Friends --37.3% 
• My partner's family -- 21.2.%

The top gifts will include:

• Jewelry or apparel -- 72.7%
• Cash or gift cards -- 66.7%
• Beauty --45.5%
• Personalized products -- 45.5% 

On the other side, people want such gifts as: 

• Cash or Gift Cards -- 66.06%
• Apparel or Jewelry -- 28.91%
• Tickets or Experiences -- 23.66%
• Gaming/Entertainment/Tech -- 22.16%
• Personalized products -- 19.6%

In a separate study issued this week, Salesforce projected a 1% increase in total holiday spend in the U.S., versus 4% globally. The global total should hit $1.19 trillion.