One in four adults (26%) will make most of their holiday shopping purchases at a department or discount store this year, says a nationwide survey for the International Council of Shopping Centers, released Nov. 21. Next in order of priority, says the survey, are mall specialty stores (22%), catalogs (8%), online (6%), and warehouse clubs (3%).

On average, adults expect to spend $817 on holiday purchases, about the same amount spent on gift purchases in 2000.

Despite a shorter holiday shopping season this year (26 days vs. 32 days in 2001), most adults surveyed told the ICSC that they plan to start their holiday shopping “about the same time” as they did last year, with a majority of respondents (48%) beginning after Thanksgiving. However, only 35% of respondents planned to do any holiday shopping on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday). “It is going to be a short, intense and highly promotional holiday season,” said Michael Baker, ICSC director of research.

Opinion Research Corporation conducted the survey on behalf of ICSC between Nov. 7 and 10. The national sampling involved 1,012 adults, 18 years and older.

Founded in 1957, ICSC is the not-for-profit global trade association of the shopping center industry, with 40,000 members in 77 countries.

JCK