More than 165 million people expected to shop over five-day weekend

Younger consumers are significantly more likely to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend. Among those ages 18-24, 88 percent say they are likely to shop and particularly enjoy the social aspect. Similarly, 84 percent of those ages 25-34 plan to shop.

Half of holiday shoppers have already started

• 56 percent of consumers asked during the first week of November had already begun their holiday shopping, about the same as the past few years.
• Consumers plan to purchase three or four gift cards on average at an average $47 per card for a total of $27.5 billion.
• Barbie remains the top toy for girls this year. For boys, LEGO tops the list.

Holiday shoppers plan to spend 4 percent more this year

• Consumers say they will spend an average of $1,047.83 this holiday season
• Shoppers between the ages of 35 and 44 plan to spend the most at $1,158.63

Find out when and where consumers say they will shop, who they’re shopping for and how much they’re planning to spend.

NRF forecasts holiday sales will grow between 3.8 and 4.2 percent

Holiday sales will increase to a total of between $727.9 billion and $730.7 billion this year, excluding automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.

• Online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, will increase between 11 percent and 14 percent to between $162.6 billion and $166.9 billion, up from $146.5 billion in 2018
• 79 percent of consumers surveyed in September were concerned that tariffs will cause prices to rise, potentially affecting their approach to shopping