Black Friday blues: Americans tiptoeing out of economic turmoil cast doubt for retailers

WITH TWO BIG shopping days on the horizon — Black Friday and Cyber Monday — U.S. retailers are getting ready for the most important time of the year. The stakes are high: For some companies, the holiday shopping season accounts for 50 percent of annual revenue. But economic uncertainty and recent inflation could put a damper on customers’ holiday spending, our new research suggests.

As marketing professors, we know that consumer spending drives the U.S. economy. So for the second year in a row, we surveyed more than 500 Americans about their holiday shopping plans. We found that consumers are conflicted: They’re excited for deals and looking forward to treating themselves, but they’re feeling squeezed by high prices.