Presidents Day may be a day to honor past presidents, but for retailers, the three-day weekend provides the opportunity to hold the first major sales event of the year. But just how interested are Americans in shopping Presidents Day sales?
According to the latest CivicScience polling data, nearly 1-in-5 U.S. adults (19%) have started shopping or are planning to shop the sales, while 81% percent either aren’t planning to shop or are unfamiliar altogether with Presidents Day sales. In comparison, a quarter of the population (26%) said they planned to shop Black Friday sales in November, which saw record high turnout. Even post-holiday, shoppers may still be looking to take advantage of sales and discounts to weather inflation.
Who will be partaking in the sales this month?
Presidents Day sales shoppers skew toward younger adults, with Gen Z adults aged 18-24 leading the pack among those familiar with Presidents Day sales – 62% say they’ve already begun shopping or have a plan to shop the sales. Additionally, one-third (33%) of younger Millennials also have their eyes on deals, while 90% of those aged 55+ don’t plan to participate.
Presidents Day deal hunters are largely divided on which items they’re most interested in purchasing. No category in particular is a runaway favorite for this year, but the top three include electronics/tech, furniture/home goods, and mattresses, all hovering between 17%-18% of shoppers.
Gen Z adults (18-24) are the most interested in purchasing electronics/tech products (30%) and mattresses (23%), whereas older age groups are more likely to shop for furniture/home goods and home appliances.
CivicScience previously found nearly two-in-five U.S. adults are sleeping on a mattress older than six years. For those looking to replace that old mattress, Presidents Day is commonly associated as an ideal time to do so.
A look at where Americans plan to buy their next mattress reveals nationwide stores like Mattress Firm and regional stores are preferred, while big-box and department stores like Macy’s or Walmart are the least popular at 11%. In-store mattress shopping continues to dominate, as online mattress shoppers comprise just 15% – down from 17% in 2020.
It’s a similar story among Presidents Day mattress shoppers, as 30% lean toward purchasing from a nationwide store. One noteworthy difference among these shoppers compared to Americans overall is that more than double (23% to 11%) say they’ll be heading to a department or big-box store for their next mattress purchase.
While overall interest in 2023’s Presidents Day sales is lower than other major sales holidays, such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day sales (33% of U.S. adults planned to shop the Prime Early Access Sale last October), it still appears to be relevant to American shoppers. Retailers can’t sleep on younger adults who are poised to make some noise in shopping for Presidents Day deals. Want more consumer insights like these? Book a demo today.
