More holiday shoppers are waiting until the last minute in West Michigan
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The droves of last-minute Christmas shoppers that shuffled in and out of the North Kalamazoo Mall Saturday reflect some national statistics.
“I was out earlier at some other stores, and I couldn’t even find a place to park, it was crazy,” Tim Smith said.
Whether it’s for a particular item or person, all of the shoppers Newschannel 3 talked to had their particular reasons for waiting to shop on the Saturday before Christmas, also known as Super Saturday.
“So, it’s been pretty low on the amount of time between full time employment and playing a show, so just short on time,” said performer Cameron Taylor, bags in hand.
Some people just liked the rush.
“That’s how I roll, I always unfortunately wait until the last few days to pick up stuff. I’ve always done it that way. I don’t know why,” Smith said.
People like Smith and Taylor are not alone.
The National Retail Federation found that 52 percent of holiday shoppers planned to do some of their holiday shopping on Super Saturday. That's 134 million Americans, which is seven million more than the year before.
Having five weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas may be one reason why people procrastinate. Longer lasting sales could be another, according the NRF.
“Maybe it’s just because they’re lives are so busy, just finding a set time to be able to come on out. That’s what I do. The last couple of weeks have been crazy with work, so for me it feels like this is the only time I have to come out and shop,” Smith said.
People aren’t just waiting longer. The NRF found people are spending about 1,000 dollars on the holidays on average, 40 dollars more than last year. A strong economy may be a reason why.
The NRF also identified some other trends. Surveys found a 40 percent increase in people choosing to shop both online and in stores this year compared to last. They also showed that men and young people (ages 18 to 24) tend to procrastinate more.
