Holiday shopping is already in full swing for some Americans. This is partially due to the plethora of summer sales events, such as Amazon Prime Day and Target Circle week, where consumers crossed items off their back-to-school and holiday shopping lists. 

Retail bargain events have also conditioned shoppers to wait for sales to convert – a trend that could hold as the holiday season approaches. For example, CivicScience data collected during Prime Day showed that planned purchases far outpaced unplanned ones, which hints that shoppers keep their eyes out for sales on particular items. 

That said, CivicScience took a look at the most attractive retailers among consumers ahead of the holiday season. By utilizing our brand ranker product, which scans hundreds of ‘always-on’ brand tracking questions in the InsightStore, we uncovered the least and most favorable brands across retail categories. In particular, how retailer preferences vary among Gen Z (aged 13-24) and Gen X (aged 45-54) – two generations that exemplify distinct consumer preferences. 

Here are the top and bottom five retailers among Gen Z and Gen X: 

Key findings:

  • Gen X adults are highly favorable to organized warehouse-style stores such as Costco, Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
  • Gen Z is the biggest fan of discount retailers, such as Walmart, Costco, Target, and Dollar Tree.
  • Amazon.com is the most popular retailer among Gen X – which is also a top choice among Gen Z but doesn’t rank in the top five.
  • Perhaps Gen Z enjoys the shopping atmosphere at Barnes and Noble – which is a key reason the bookstore is a brand to watch. 
  • Gen X is the least favorable to TV shopping retailers, such as HSN and QVC – with QVC also ranking low among Gen Z.
  • Both generations are less likely to be favorable to Forever 21 and Rue 21 – brands that have closed numerous stores over the last few years.

Want to access the full list or view the brand ranker in your brand’s industry? Meet with us.