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Discussions of in-person shopping tend to focus on what people buy and where they go, not on whether they shop alone or with others. Yet new CivicScience data show that 40% of U.S. adults shop with others at least a few times per month. The habit skews younger, rising to 48% among both Gen Z (aged 18-29) and Millennials (aged 30-44). Those who shop with others most often also stand out for their spending, store visits, and holiday plans.
Companion Shoppers Lead on In-Store Visits and Spending as the Holidays Approach
Those who shop with others multiple times per month are nearly twice as likely as the general population to say they’re shopping in stores more than they typically would at this time of year (41% vs. 23%). Conversely, those who shop with others less often, or not at all, are far more likely to say they’re shopping in stores less.
Shopping with company also appears to be linked with higher spending. Nearly half of U.S. adults (45%) say they typically spend more when shopping in person with someone else than when shopping alone, while just 13% say they spend less. Another 43% say their spending is about the same either way. Those who are single are especially likely to report spending more when shopping with others (53%), compared with 40% of those who are married.
Shopping With Others Is More About the Outing Than the Purchase
Motivations for shopping in person with someone else tend to be social rather than transactional. Among those who shop with others, 24% say their primary reason is to spend time with the other person, 17% say it’s part of a larger outing such as dining or a movie, and 15% say shopping is simply more fun with company. Combined, 56% cite a social or experiential reason. Practical considerations such as helping someone shop, sharing a ride, or getting a second opinion each account for about 1 in 10.
Although Gen Z adults shop with others most often, they’re the least likely to say socializing is their primary reason (17%), compared with 31% of Gen X and 30% of Baby Boomers. Gen Z shoppers instead lean more toward folding the trip into a larger outing (20%), seeking a second opinion on what to buy (15%), or bringing along someone who needs to come (15%). For older shoppers, a store visit with others seems more like a social occasion in itself.
Companion Shoppers Expect Bigger Holiday Budgets and Report Stronger Black Friday Shopping Intent
Shoppers who regularly bring a companion along plan to spend more this holiday season. Nearly half of those who shop with others multiple times per month (49%) expect to spend more this holiday season than last, compared with 36% of Gen Pop and just 13% of those who never shop with others.
That momentum extends to one of the season’s biggest shopping weekends. Roughly two-thirds of frequent companion shoppers (68%) plan to shop at some point over Thanksgiving weekend, compared with 53% of all adults, with the gap most visible on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.
Shopping with others remains a meaningful part of in-store retail, particularly among younger adults. The shoppers who do it most often are also spending more, visiting stores more often, and planning to turn out over Thanksgiving weekend. Their reasons for shopping together are largely social, which places added weight on the in-store experience. Retailers that understand why shoppers bring others along, and who they bring, may be better positioned to reach high-intent audiences during the busiest stretch of the year.
