Christmas Shopping Statistics 2020

Christmas this year is likely to look very different for many of us due to travel restrictions, distancing measures and financial difficulties. But how have our Christmas shopping habits changed this year? And how much will the average person spend this Christmas? 

Global Christmas Shopping Statistics 

In this section we find out what time of year people started their Christmas shopping in 2020, what time of day we’re most likely to do our online shopping and how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted our Christmas shopping habits. 

When did people start Christmas shopping this year? 

• Google trends shows that in 2020, some people started searching for Christmas gifts as early as July! As you can see from the graph below, searches then gradually increased each month until their peak in November. 

Worldwide Google searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ in 2020. Source: Google trends

More searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ were made in the months of August and September this year than they were last year. Using the tool Keyword Finder, we found that: 

• In August 2019, 33,100 searches were made for Christmas gifts worldwide, whereas in the same month of 2020, 49,500 searches were made for this term. 
• In September 2019, 110,000 searches for christmas gifts were carried out globally, compared with a staggering 165,000 in September this year.

These findings indicate that in 2020, people are starting their Christmas shopping much earlier than in previous years. This may also suggest a shift to online shopping rather than in-store Christmas shopping, which is understandable given the current social distancing restrictions and lockdown store closures in some countries.

What time of day do we do our online Christmas shopping? 

The graphs below show the average search volumes for the terms ‘Christmas gifts’ and ‘Christmas presents’ in a 24 hour period ranging from 12pm on 17th November to 12pm on 18th November 2020. 

Worldwide Google searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ (17th-18th Nov). Source: Google trends

Worldwide Google searches for ‘Christmas presents (17th-18th Nov). Source: Google trends

Searches for Christmas presents* tend to peak at around 9pm each evening, with a large proportion of these search terms being made between 7:30pm and midnight. 

*It’s important to bear in mind that many people often search for other search terms for their Christmas shopping, such as the item they’re looking for or the name of a retailer. Therefore this is not an exhaustive account of the population’s online Christmas shopping habits.

How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted our Christmas shopping habits in 2020? 

A recent survey conducted by Channel Advisor and Dynata asked 1,000 US shoppers if they expect to shop online more than they did before the pandemic. The results found that: 

• In April 2020, 38% said they expect to shop more online than they did before the pandemic. 
• Whereas when asked again in August 2020, 52% of people said they expect to shop more online.
• When asked about their Christmas shopping plans for 2020, 59% said they’re planning on starting their Christmas shopping online before 1st November.

Christmas deliveries 

One major concern for many people around the world at Christmas-time is whether or not their online orders will arrive on time. 

The above study asked people in the US how they feel about their online Christmas orders this year. Their responses revealed that 47% of people are concerned that their packages won’t arrive in time for Christmas.

Christmas Spending Statistics 2020

Although it’s the most wonderful time of the year, our bank accounts are not so likely to agree. From meals out and festive decorations to christmas presents and bottles of bubbly, the costs really do add up at Christmas time! 

But how much does the average person spend at Christmas?

• A YouGov poll conducted last year revealed that the average Brit spends an average of £1,116 at Christmas.
• This extra spending was found to mostly be used on things such as presents (£381.60), hotels (£197.20) and food and drink (£159.90).

The financial strain of Christmas can be really tough for many people. This year in particular, it’s likely that many families will struggle even more than usual. However, according to the British public, that’s definitely not enough to cancel Christmas, with the majority of Brits saying it should definitely still be celebrated. 

We hope these latest Christmas Shopping Statistics have been useful in providing an overview of customers’ shopping habits in 2020 and we wish you all the very best this Christmas.