CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED 2023 Christmas Retail Trends Report
18 – 24 65+
14%
16%
25 – 34
AGE
16% 55 – 64
18%
<1% 18%
17%
18%
35 – 44
45 – 54
10% 10% 31%
1% 27%
3%
51%
49%
FEMALE
MALE 70%
30%
METRO
REGIONAL
In October 2023, ACRS surveyed 1,014 shoppers across Australia and asked them several key questions on their attitudes and behaviours towards seasonal sales and Christmas gift shopping. Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
2
Sales events have become more popular than ever, with many shoppers planning to make a purchase at a 2023 sales event. We asked shoppers at which sales events they were planning to make purchase this year, and what they were planning to purchase.
3
Two thirds of Australian shoppers (65%) are planning to make a purchase at a 2023 sales event Planning to purchase at 2023 sales events and planned average spend $434 39% $162
$362
$370
-
35%
35%
Boxing Day
I do not plan to make a purchase at these events
12%
4% Single's Day
Black Friday
Cyber Monday
Type of product purchase planned for 2023 sales events Clothing, footwear, and accessories Consumer electronics Household Personal care Books and stationery Toys and games Food and beverages Media and entertainment Sporting goods and equipment Fine jewellery Gift cards and vouchers Event and experience tickets Travel and tourism Automotive
64% 36% 32% 27% 23% 22% 21% 18% 17% 14% 13% 12% 11% 9%
4
The majority of Australians are planning to buy Christmas gifts and related products this year. We also asked who shoppers are buying for and how much they are planning to spend, and average spend has gone up across all categories compared to 2022.
5
% 88
of Australians will buy Christmas gifts and related products this year. This is trending down from 90% in 2022 and 92% in 2021.
Most Australians expect to do their Christmas shopping about the same time as usual (77%), but some have started or will start earlier than usual this year (18%)
The most common reason* for starting Christmas shopping earlier was having more time to plan Christmas shopping this year (59%)
Other common reasons for starting Christmas shopping earlier were to buy during promotion periods or sales events (36%) and for budgeting purposes (36%)
* This is a multiple choice question and responses may not sum to 100%
Shoppers mainly buy Christmas gifts for immediate family followed by friends – splurging on immediate family Who shoppers will buy for and average spend*
Amount of people shoppers will buy for Average spend 2023 and change y-o-y
88% 90% 90%
$427
13%
Immediate family
$246
30%
Extended family
$149
12%
Friends
11% 9% 6%
$132
30%
Colleagues
7% 6% 5%
$161
13%
Charity
$266
55%
Immediate family 30% 30% 35%
Extended family
39% 35% 35%
Friends
Colleagues
Charity
14% 11%
Myself
37%
39%
31%
36%
56%
23%
26%
30%
38%
55%
1 to 3
15% 5%
4 to 6
10 to 12
3%
11% 5% 2%
19%
20%
7 to 9
6%
3%
15%
11%
2%
6%
5%
12+
n.a
Oct-23
Nov-22
Nov-21
* This is a multiple choice question and responses may not sum to 100%; (n.a) Not included in 2021
Purchased gifts are the most popular present type this year, and shoppers plan to purchase across more product categories this year compared to 2022 Type of present shoppers are planning to give for Christmas this year
Type of product purchased as part of Christmas shopping*
Clothing, footwear, and accessories Immediate family
47% 38% 41% 37% 35% 35% 38% 35% 32%
Gift cards and vouchers 57%
28%
9% 4% 2%
Food and beverages Toys and games
Extended family
51%
22%
15% 9% 2%
Books and stationery Personal care
21% 20% 17% 20% 21% 15% 15% 15% 12% 15% 12% 11% 10%
Consumer electronics Friends
58%
16%
16% 5%
6%
Household Media and entertainment Event and experience tickets
Colleagues
52%
9%
17%
13%
9%
Fine jewellery Sporting goods and equipment
Purchased gift Handmade gift Regift
Money (cash or gift cards) Secondhand gift
Travel and tourism Automotive
Average spend 2023 and change y-o-y
5% 3% 5% 5%
Oct-23
27%
53%
$208
16%
$183
18%
$147
11%
$167
16%
$82
13%
$133
9%
$407
40%
$167
16%
$126
4%
$210
17%
$205
11%
$156
7%
$612
16%
$119
63%
Nov-22 * This is a multiple choice question and responses may not sum to 100%
Physical stores remained the most popular channel for Christmas purchases in 2023, with 82% of shoppers planning to purchase a product through this channel, a similar proportion to 2022 (80%).
80%
43%
Almost half of Christmas shoppers (43%) are planning to purchase through physical retailer websites (such as Myer) in 2023, a similar proportion to 2022 (45%)
37%
Almost half of Christmas shoppers (44%) are planning to purchase a product through online-only retailer websites (such as The ICONIC) in 2023, a higher proportion to 2022 (37%)
Physical stores are the most popular channel for Christmas purchases across most categories
Channels used to make Christmas purchases this year* 38%
31% 28%
27% 25% 20%
20% 17%
14% 10%
3%
11% 9%
8% 4% 1%
Clothing, footwear, and accessories
12% 10%
Gift cards and vouchers
8%
4% 3% 1%
11% 10% 8%
11%
10% 8%
9%9% 4%
1%
Food and beverages Toys and games
Physical stores
2% Books and stationery
0% Personal care
Physical retailer websites
9%
5%
7% 6% 4%
1% Consumer electronics
1% Household
Online-only retailer websites
9%
6% 4% 3%
5%
4%
1%
2% 1%
Media and entertainment
Event and experience tickets
Online marketplaces
10% 7% 4%4% 2% 1% Fine jewellery
4%4% 2% 1%
3% 2% 2%
1%1%
Sporting goods and Travel and tourism equipment
3% 2%2%1% 1% Automotive
Social media * This is a multiple choice question and responses may not sum to 100%
AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER & RETAIL STUDIES Monash Business School Level 6, Building S 26 Sir John Monash Drive Caulfield East, VIC 3145 T: +61 9903 2869 E: acrs@monash.edu W: monash.edu/business/acrs