Here’s a message for email marketers working on holiday promotions: You’re out of time, judging by Fluent’s new Holiday Shopping Survey.  

Of the consumers polled, 29% plan to do most of their shopping this month, and 18% plan to do so in December. Another 6% were doing their shopping in October. And 48% simply don’t know when they will shop.

And don’t think they’re delaying because of much-publicized supply-chain issues, and 59% are not even aware of them. More shoppers expect to take advantage of Black Friday sales than any others. 

Consumers are interested in deals and discounts (15%), product availability (9%), reliable customer service (7%), timely delivery (7%), and in-store safety measures (4%). And 12% cite other interests. 

Where are they shopping? Fluent reports that 29% will use both online and in-store, 28% mostly in-store, 20% all in-store, 12% all online and 11% mostly online.

In addition, 67% are more likely to buy from a website with flexible payment options. The silent generation is most likely, at 70%.

Among online shoppers, 33% plan to use a combination of mobile and desktop.

And 26% expect to use mobile to shop via a retailer’s web site, while 23% will use a retailer’s mobile app and use desktop. Add it up and mobile sales will account for 49% of the total.

Contrary to what you might expect, Gen Z is more likely to buy via desktop — 27% say they will do so versus 15% for millennials, 12% for Generation Xers, 17% for Baby Boomers and 20% for the Silent Generation.

Facebook and YouTube are the top two social media platforms for holiday gifting. However, Gen Z is more likely to look to TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

Meanwhile, only 16% will give subscription services as gifts.

Why not more? They don’t want to do it or spend the money, Fluent reports. Of those few, the leading choices are streaming music, streaming video, clothing box, personal care box and food/snack box subscriptions.

Fluent surveyed 14,685 U.S. consumers from October 16-29.