Black Friday may not be as big a deal as it once was, but it's still the event of the year for young people. A new AT&T survey shows that Gen Z is the most likely to shop on Black Friday, while older shoppers are increasingly delaying their purchases until the final weeks before Christmas. The holiday shopping season comes amid economic uncertainty, which is causing shoppers to change their habits and become more cautious.
Survey data shows that 40% of Generation Z and 32% of millennials plan their major purchases during Black Friday. In contrast, older generations actively start shopping only 1-2 weeks before Christmas. Behavior is influenced by the general increase in prices and reduced confidence in the economic situation, which forces people to be more thoughtful about spending.
Despite the high interest in sales, young people are determined to save money this year. Generation Z plans to spend 23% less than last year, the largest decrease of any age group. In comparison, last year, the same group planned to increase their spending by 37%. Overall, the forecast shows that Black Friday spending could fall by about 4% this year.
Another important change: shoppers are increasingly choosing local stores. 77% of respondents are willing to buy from small businesses if their prices are comparable to large chains. Shoppers are careful about prices, but the desire to support local businesses becomes a strong argument when it does not harm the budget.
Most people still find gift ideas while shopping offline. 72% of respondents said they get most of their inspiration in physical stores. Artificial intelligence does not yet play a significant role - only 9% plan to use AI to find gifts, although experts predict that this share will gradually increase over time. The majority remains on familiar online platforms.
This year's discount season demonstrates new trends: young people remain interested in Black Friday, but spend more cautiously, buyers pay attention to small businesses, and offline stores retain the role of the main source of inspiration.
