Skip to content

Seattle Culture

The Tinsel is No Longer in a Tangle

Seattle shoppers are ready to spend this holiday season

By Rob Smith November 14, 2023

GettyImages-872895008-16-9-2000x1125
Photo by Kerkez/Getty

One iPad pro: $799. One 24” MacBook: $1,599.

If those are on your holiday shopping list, chances are you’ve already busted your budget. The 2023 Deloitte Seattle Holiday Retail Survey finds that the “average” holiday spend in Seattle is $2,073, up a whopping 59% from two years ago. 

That’s not all. That $2,073 is 25% higher than the national average, which has increased for the first time since the pandemic. Seattle-area shoppers also say they’re expecting higher prices but still plan to purchase nine gifts, again above the national average. 

And those figures don’t include “nongift” items such as decorations, furnishings, and holiday apparel.

Chances are you’re getting ready to shop, especially online: Seattle shoppers plan to spend 70% of their holiday budget online, and tend to spend more in  the latter half of November than those in the rest of the country. Nearly three-quarters plan to shop during Black Friday-Cyber Monday, again above the national average. The shopping season in Seattle lasts more than six weeks, compared to 5.8 weeks nationally.

Obviously, those numbers are good for retailers. As the survey notes: “For retailers, a winning strategy may come down to driving value around key promotional events for inflation-wary customers. The old retail adage of ‘having the right product, at the right price, at the right time’ may ring true more than ever this year.”

Most of my personal holiday shopping is already done. But I want to apologize to my wife and son in advance: I haven’t spent close to $2,000.

Follow Us

Microsoft Awards $5M Worth Of Grants To AI innovators

Microsoft Awards $5M Worth Of Grants To AI innovators

The grants are part of the company’s 50th anniversary this year

Microsoft has given 20 organizations $50,000 each as part of its AI for Good grants program. The grants — part of an initiative to celebrate Microsoft’s 50th anniversary this year — recognize organizations for their innovations in artificial intelligence. The organizations — who applied for the grants earlier this year — receive resources to help…

Seattle Commute Survey Shows More Office Activity

Seattle Commute Survey Shows More Office Activity

Both transit travel and driving trips are on the rise

Downtown Seattle foot traffic still isn’t nearly what it was prior to the pandemic, but more people are commuting to offices on a regular basis. The 2024 Commute Seattle Survey finds that both transit travel and drive-alone trips are on the rise as remote working drops. Citywide, the percentage of people reporting that their jobs…

Seattle Pride Seeks Support As Sponsorships Dry Up

Seattle Pride Seeks Support As Sponsorships Dry Up

The nonprofit has launched a fundraising campaign to make up for a $350,000 deficit

For Patti Hearn, no amount is too small. Every little bit helps. Hearn, executive director of Seattle Pride, is working feverishly to bridge a $350,000 fundraising gap because of shifts in corporate sponsorship. Seattle Pride — a nonprofit foundation that produces the annual Seattle Pride Parade and a slew of other events, including Seattle Pride…

Tapped Out

Tapped Out

Washington lawmakers propose doubling beer and wine taxes

You might be paying significantly more for your pint next year.  House Bill 2079, introduced by Representative Lauren Davis (D–District 32), would raise the tax on beer from $4.78 to $9.56 per barrel for most breweries. The bill also proposes doubling taxes on wine from 1 cent to 2 cents per liter and increasing taxes…