HIGH POINT, N.C., Dec. 9, 2013 – A majority of North Carolinians say they’ll spend the same or less on the holidays this year compared to last. A new High Point University Poll found 43 percent of respondents said they’ll spend less on the holidays this year, while 38 percent said they’ll spend the same. Only 17 percent said they will spend more.
When asked how much they plan to spend, the poll found more than two thirds (69 percent) plan to spend a total of $500 or less, while 13 percent said they’ll spend more than $1,000.
The survey also shows that a majority of people will do most of their shopping in brick-and-mortar stores rather than online. A little more than two thirds (68 percent) said they plan to buy less than half of their holiday gifts online.
“The North Carolina residents we surveyed are planning to go out to the stores to spend their holiday money this year,” said Dr. Sadie Leder Elder, associate director of the HPU Poll. “Unfortunately, they don’t plan to spend quite as much as they did last year.”
North Carolinians also seem to be impacted by the commercialization of the holidays. Almost two thirds (62 percent) of respondents said that the holiday season has become too commercialized and that reduces their enjoyment of the season compared to 29 percent who say the holidays have not become too commercialized and their enjoyment has not been affected. Nine percent were unsure.
Forty-three percent also said the holidays bring more stress to their lives, while 45 percent said the holidays don’t make much difference in their stress levels. Eleven percent said they experienced less stress and two percent were unsure.
All adults – Total holiday spending
Thinking ahead to the holiday season, how much do you think that you will spend this year on gifts, food, decorations and other items related to your celebration of the holidays?
Less than $100 – 18 percent
$100 – $200 – 15 percent
$200 – $300 – 14 percent
$300 – $400 – 11 percent
$400 – $500 – 11 percent
$500 – $600 – 9 percent
$600 – $700 – 2 percent
$700 – $800 – 2 percent
$800 – $1,000 – 6 percent
More than $1,000 – 13 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All adults – Holiday spending compared to last year
Do you think that you will spend more, less or about the same as last year on gifts, food, decorations and other items related to your celebration of the holidays?
More – 17 percent
Less – 43 percent
About the same – 38 percent
Not Sure – 2 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All adults – Online holiday shopping
Of all the presents you will buy this holiday season, what percentage of them do you think you will purchase online, that is, through the internet?
Less than 10 percent – 36 percent
10 – 20 percent – 15 percent
20 – 30 percent – 10 percent
30 – 40 percent – 7 percent
40 – 50 percent – 9 percent
50 – 60 percent – 7 percent
60 – 70 percent – 5 percent
70 – 80 percent – 4 percent
80 – 90 percent – 4 percent
More than 90 percent – 3 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All adults – Holiday stress
Generally speaking do you think that you experience more stress in your life during the holiday season, less stress or does the season not make much difference either way?
More stress – 43 percent
Less stress – 11 percent
Does not make much difference – 45 percent
Not sure – 2 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
All adults – Holiday commercialism
Which of these statements is closer to your own view of commercialization of the holiday season?
The holiday season has become too commercialized and that reduces my enjoyment of the season
OR
The holiday season has not become too commercialized and my enjoyment of the season has not been affected by it
Too Commercialized – 62 percent
Has not become too commercialized – 29 percent
Not sure – 9 percent
(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Dec. 2 – 5, 2013, n = 600 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.1 percent)
The new automated phone survey, fielded through SurveyUSA, interviewed 600 state of North Carolina adults Dec. 2 – 5, 2013. This research was conducted using blended sample, mixed mode. Respondents reachable on a home telephone (68 percent of adults) were interviewed on their home telephone in the recorded voice of a professional announcer. Respondents not reachable on a home telephone (32 percent of adults), were shown a questionnaire on their smartphone, laptop, tablet or other electronic device.
Additional methodological explanation is available from SurveyUSA: http://www.surveyusa.com/client/methodology.aspx?g=d89aa88d-287f-4255-9687-db101bde0c3e
Additional details including crosstabs of these questions are available at the High Point
University Survey Research Center website: http://www.highpoint.edu/src/
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