One big way this holiday shopping season was different
The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.
Why we asked: Now that the holiday season is over, we like to ask people how it went for them.
What we found: According to the National Retail Federation, holiday shopping hit record highs in 2025, growing a robust 4.1 percent. Economists and analysts were pleased. But consumers might not have been.
Higher prices meant many weren’t getting as much for their dollar. Only one in four planned to spend more money this season and paying for gifts was the number one (by far) stressor for people around the holidays, according to previous Ipsos Consumer Tracker waves. So it’s not great that one in three (including 44% of younger and 36% of more affluent Americans) spent more than they intended. That’s nearly double the number who said that last year while most other holiday indicators in our battery remained flat.
Financial well-being is clearly on people’s minds at this time of year, as saving more money was the top New Year’s resolution (picked by 78%, sticking to a budget was high on the list, too).
More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:
What’s going on with young American men and how that impacts the rest of America, in five charts
People are not fans of dynamic pricing
We’re mostly exhausted, but women really are
What do we think 2026 will look like?
What’s changed and what hasn’t in our food habits
The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week
The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?
