Wunderkind has released another of its monthly updates, taking the pulse of consumers.
There is a pulse, but not necessarily a
strong one.
Overall, 58% of consumers say they feel either “cautious, pessimistic or panicked about the economy,” the study states.
Specifically, they are worried about tariff-driven price increases.
And this is having an impact on sales. Of consumers polled, 385 are buying fewer non-essential
items, while another 37% are seeking deals more often and 36% are shopping less overall.
But demographic patterns play a key role here. Women are first
in non-essential cutbacks—45% vs. 32% for men. Gen Z and Millennials (21% apiece) are more likely to switch brands. At 10%, Boomers are least likely to change retailers. And 26% say their
purchasing behavior is unaffected.
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And there is more reason for concern -- shoppers are showing heightened caution as they approach Black
Friday and Cyber Monday.
Of those polled, 32% expect to spend less than they have in the past, and 29% plan to focus on discounts.
Among car
shoppers, 18%) have delayed purchases or trade-ins due to tariff-driven price increases. And11% are turning to used cars to avoid markups on new vehicles.
Email remains the first among channels — it is preferred by 48% of consumers for brand communications. Again, demographics is key — with 65% of Gen X and 50% of
Boomers saying they prefer email, versus 48% of Millennials.
Meanwhile, text/SMS is second, cited by 23%. Gen X leads at 33%.
In addition, 19% prefer in-app push notifications, while website pop-ups or banners resonate most with
digital-native Millennials and Gen Z. Physical direct mail is chosen by 18%, including 25% of Boomers, while 16% of consumers say they don’t want any marketers at
all.
Wunderkind surveyed 346 consumers on September 4-5, 2025.