Business & Tech

Survey Says Shoppers Plan to Drop $251 to $750 on Gifts this Holiday Season — What will You Spend?

According to a recent survey conducted by AAA Consumer Pulse, more than half of holiday shoppers plan to spend between $251 and $750 on gifts this year, a significant increase over last year's spending.

The holiday season can be an expensive time of year when it comes to gift giving.

According to a recent survey conducted by AAA Consumer Pulse, more than half of holiday shoppers plan to spend between $251 and $750 on gifts this year.

The majority of survey respondents, 44 percent, plan to purchase gifts for six to 10 people, and 43 percent said they planned to make purchases using a credit card, while 54 percent plan to use a debit card, checks or cash.

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The survey shows almost half, 48 percent, of holiday shoppers plan to buy more gifts on sale this year, more consumers plan to shop on Black Friday — 51 percent in 2011 versus 47 percent in 2010 — and Cyber Monday — 56 percent in 2011 versus 49 percent in 2010. Four out of five holiday shoppers — 82 percent — said they intend to shop at discount stores such as and .

These are the top 10 categories for gift shopping, according to AAA:

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  1. Gift cards/gift certificates
  2. Apparel and accessories
  3. Toys
  4. Books
  5. DVDs/Blu-rays/Videos
  6. Jewelry
  7. Consumer electronics
  8. Video games
  9. Music
  10. Sporting goods

AAA offers tips on ways to save on holiday shopping:

  • Take advantage of retail or online discounts and check with any clubs or associations such as AAA to see if discounts and rewards are available. AAA members saved nearly $2 billion in 2010
  • When shopping online, look for special offers or dates from retailers when free shipping may be available.
  • Check store circulars for in-store sales or coupons. Note that many retailers will honor sale prices if items were purchased the week before they went on sale.
  • Sort through junk mail since many retailers send bonus coupons and gift cards in the mail during the holidays.
  • Consider taking one retailer’s circular to another retailer and ask for competitive pricing.
  • If you want to purchase an item in a store but forgot the coupon, ask if you can bring the coupon back for the adjusted price.

The AAA Consumer Pulse™ Survey was conducted online among residents living in the Southern Region of The Auto Club Group — Florida, Georgia and Tennessee — from Oct. 12 through 15. A total of 604 residents completed the survey, with 567 planning to purchase gifts during the 2011 holiday season. The 2011 survey has a maximum margin of error of +/‐ 4.1 percentage points. Overall survey responses are weighted by gender and age within state to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the adult population 18 and older in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. 


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