Christmas Creep: 34% of Holiday Shoppers Got Started Earlier This Year

As economic pressures and tariffs drive consumers to be more strategic, many Americans began their holiday shopping earlier than ever this year. A November study from Wunderkind reveals that early deal-hunting and cost-spreading have become the norm, signaling a shift toward more deliberate, value-driven behavior well before Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

• 34% of U.S. consumers had already started shopping by October or earlier — reflecting both caution and a desire to spread out costs.
• Gen X and Gen Z (both 37%) are the most likely to be early starters, balancing practicality with anticipation for deeper discounts. But that being said, Gen Z is also the most likely to heavily lean into late-season purchases (32%).
• Men are more likely than women to shop early, using this approach to manage expenses over time.
• Despite early activity, 23% of shoppers still plan to wait until BFCM itself to make purchases.

Wunderkind notes that for marketers, “this split demands a two-phase strategy: Early-access campaigns and preview sales to capture planners, followed by high-impact, time-sensitive offers for deal-day buyers. Meeting both groups where they are, early and eager, or patient and price-driven, will be key to maximizing BFCM revenue.”