Retail Council of New York State, November 23, 2021 — The Retail Council of New York State today issued the following statement from President & CEO Melissa O’Connor in response to the Siena College Research Institute annual statewide consumer poll of holiday spending plans.
“Understanding the mindset of the consumer is critical to the success of retailers everywhere,” said Melissa O’Connor, President and CEO of the Retail Council of New York State. “The results of this survey are encouraging — New Yorkers are more inclined to support their local stores this year, and a majority will meet or exceed their holiday shopping budgets from 2020. Supply chain pressures still exist for certain product categories, however, and consumers are responding to this reality by shopping earlier than normal. We are pleased that so many people are excited about the holiday season, and retailers throughout the state are ready to provide a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.”
The Siena survey, which polled 803 New Yorkers, found that 60% of respondents plan to spend the same or more as last year on holiday shopping and 70% plan to shop earlier than usual, due, in part, to supply chain issues. Two-thirds of respondents are somewhat or very excited about the holiday season.
The complete survey can be found here.
