NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The North Charleston Tanger Outlet parking lot was packed with cars Tuesday morning as shoppers hurried to get in some last-minute purchases ahead of Christmas.

The National Retail Federation said they expect 2024 holiday spending totals will be record-breaking and will reach between $979.5 billion to $989 billion- a 2.5% to 3.5% increase over 2023 shopping numbers.

The federation defines the holiday shopping season as Nov. 1 through Dec. 31.

As for how much people will spend this year, the NRF predicts the average person will spend a record-breaking amount of around $900 on winter holiday gifts and celebrations- about $25 more than last year.

They report the last consumer holiday spending record set was in 2019, and this year’s figure is $16 higher.

The federation said holiday sales over the past five years during November and December have made up 19% of total retail sales all year.

They report 45% of holiday shoppers plan to look and buy items online before November, a nearly 40% increase from 10 years ago.

However, they said this year’s shopping period will most likely be five days shorter due to contributing factors like the economic impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Thanksgiving weekend remains the most prominent holiday spending period, but many are expected to finish shopping in December, according to the National Retail Federation.

The aforementioned prediction by the NRF rings true as hundreds of Tanger Outlet shoppers crunched for time bounced from store to store Tuesday.

While the NRF estimated most holiday shopping this year will be during the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, the North Charleston Tanger Outlet walkways were still flooded with frantic buyers, even on Christmas Eve.

The federation reports the top three reasons for early holiday shopping are as follows: To spread out personal budgets, to avoid stress and crowds and to take advantage of certain deals and promotions.

Shoppers we spoke with at Tanger Outlets gave a few different reasons for their last-chance Christmas purchases.

“It’s something I’ve been doing every year since we got married. I always get her last minute,” Kenny Williams, a shopper, said.

Williams said when it comes to how he prefers to shop, he said he prefers in-person.

“I’m not a tech-savvy guy per se, I mean I’ve ordered things for myself online. But like I said, I’ve done it every year and it’s always worked out so why change it? And it gets me out of the house,” Williams said.

He said he’s been with his wife for 45 years and has chosen to shop last-minute for her every year since, so he’s dealt with his fair share of hectic holiday crowds.

While the NRF reports 57% of consumers are expected to shop online, Williams said he prefers the old-school way, adding that it seems other shoppers agree with his methodology: “According to that parking lot, yeah I think so,” he said.

However, not everyone at Tanger Outlets was there to get some final shopping done. Ramson and Yona Ragin said they were out shopping for a different reason.

“Just to get together for us. That’s it. Just for ourselves. To enjoy ourselves. That’s all. It’s needed,” Ramson Ragin said.

The Ragin’s said they already completed all their holiday shopping, so their purpose for shopping was simply for some much-needed time as a couple.

“You need that time for yourself. You get to enjoy yourself, especially this time of year. Kids live abroad, so we see them every now and then, but just for us to add time for ourselves, that’s very important,” Ramson said.

When asked if they did most of their holiday shopping online or in person, Ramson said it’s split.

“It’s most important that the things that you want to experience yourself, like clothing apparel, you want to actually sometimes reach out and touch it. You can see it online, but that interaction with going to the fitting room, actually trying it on, getting that first impression of that outfit or that pair of shoes is very important,” he said.

Yona Ragin said they plan on spending their Christmas being thankful for each other and for all their blessings.

According to NRF, the top gifts consumers are expected to give this year include clothes at number one, followed by gift cards coming in second, and toys ranking third.

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