Irish data analytics firm Experian is reporting that 47% of US consumers plan to shop in brick-and-mortar stores this holiday season. 

The company surveyed 1,000 American adults in June to evaluate holiday shopping trends among four core generations of consumers. Sharing insights from this study in its annual Holiday Spending Trends and Insights report, Experian has found that in-person shopping is the number-one preference of Gen Z (44%), Millennials (46%), Gen X (46%) and Baby Boomers (50%). 

The gift-giving season is starting earlier than ever, with one in three consumers surveyed intending to start checking items off their list before the start of October. This timing shift is largely being led by Millennials (41%), who are more likely to shop at discount and mass retailers for savings this year in order to make their budgets go further. A significant number of Boomers (34%), meanwhile, plan to kick off their holiday shopping in November to take advantage of Black Friday sales. 

Experian has also noted that 36% of both Gen Z and Millennial shoppers intend to spend more than they did last year. Hot-ticket items for Gen Z include clothing (72%) and health & beauty products (43%), while Millennials are putting more money into purchasing tickets (25%) and experiences (22%). 

When it comes to gifting inspiration, Experian found that 29% of Gen Z will turn to social media for ideas, while 44% of Millenials prefer to watch video reviews and product demos on YouTube. By comparison, 49% of Gen X and Boomers are more likely to visit stores in person to test products themselves.