Best Days for Crowd-Free Holiday Shopping
You can avoid the hustle and bustle and get better customer service on these ten days.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Today
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more delivered daily. Smart money moves start here.
Sent five days a week
Kiplinger A Step Ahead
Get practical help to make better financial decisions in your everyday life, from spending to savings on top deals.
Delivered daily
Kiplinger Closing Bell
Get today's biggest financial and investing headlines delivered to your inbox every day the U.S. stock market is open.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Adviser Intel
Financial pros across the country share best practices and fresh tactics to preserve and grow your wealth.
Delivered weekly
Kiplinger Tax Tips
Trim your federal and state tax bills with practical tax-planning and tax-cutting strategies.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Retirement Tips
Your twice-a-week guide to planning and enjoying a financially secure and richly rewarding retirement
Sent bimonthly.
Kiplinger Adviser Angle
Insights for advisers, wealth managers and other financial professionals.
Sent twice a week
Kiplinger Investing Weekly
Your twice-a-week roundup of promising stocks, funds, companies and industries you should consider, ones you should avoid, and why.
Sent weekly for six weeks
Kiplinger Invest for Retirement
Your step-by-step six-part series on how to invest for retirement, from devising a successful strategy to exactly which investments to choose.
The crowds showed up in stores in full force over the long holiday weekend. More than 92 million people shopped on Black Friday this year -- up from 89 million last year, according to the National Retail Federation. And nearly 45 million consumers took advantage of retailers' discounts on Thanksgiving Day this year.
Shoppers are expected to continue flocking to malls and shops on the weekends leading up to Christmas -- especially on Saturday, December 21, according to ShopperTrak, which analyzes retail traffic. “There’s a reason Black Friday and the Saturday before Christmas attract the heaviest crowds -- retailers flood consumers with discounts and special offers on those days,” said ShopperTrak Founder and Executive Vice President Bill Martin in a press release. Consumers don't have to battle the crowds, though, to get deals and better customer service, Martin said .
If you're looking for a crowd-free shopping experience, here are the ten days (starting with the least busy) that are expected to have the smallest amount of foot traffic in stores this holiday season, according to ShopperTrak.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
1. December 4, Wednesday
2. December 3, Tuesday
3. December 2, Monday
4. December 11, Wednesday
5. December 9, Monday
6. December 10, Tuesday
7. December 6, Friday
8. December 13, Friday
9. December 12, Thursday
10. December 16, Monday
The stores won't be busy on these days because they are all weekdays and most shoppers will be taking a break following the big-spending Black Friday weekend. But given the proximity to Black Friday, a good selection of discounted merchandise will likely still be in stores, according to ShopperTrak. So you might want to take advantage of these opportunities to do your shopping without competing with the crowds if you still have items to check off on your gift list.
-
Ask the Tax Editor: Federal Income Tax DeductionsAsk the Editor In this week's Ask the Editor Q&A, Joy Taylor answers questions on federal income tax deductions
-
States With No-Fault Car Insurance Laws (and How No-Fault Car Insurance Works)A breakdown of the confusing rules around no-fault car insurance in every state where it exists.
-
7 Frugal Habits to Keep Even When You're RichSome frugal habits are worth it, no matter what tax bracket you're in.
-
21 Last-Minute Gifts for Grandparents Day 2025 to Give Right NowHoliday Tips Last-minute gifting is never easy. But here are some ideas to celebrate Grandparents Day.
-
Texas Sales Tax-Free Weekend 2025Tax Holiday Here's what you needed to know about the Texas sales tax holiday.
-
Alabama Tax-Free Weekend 2025Tax Holiday Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 back-to-school Alabama sales tax holiday.
-
The Sweet 23: States Where Twix and Kit Kat Avoid the ‘Candy Tax’State Taxes There’s something spooky this Halloween, and it’s not just the ghouls. Find out if your state’s sales tax takes a bite out of sweet savings.
-
Florida Back-to-School Tax-Free Holiday 2025Sales Taxes The new tax-free holiday in Florida brought month-long savings on computers, clothing and other school supplies.
-
Five Reasons You Shouldn't Shop Amazon's Prime Big Deal DaysSmart Buying Are Amazon Prime Big Deal Days still a good deal? We'll break it down.
-
Five Ways to Save on Vacation Rental PropertiesTravel Use these strategies to pay less for an apartment, condo or house when you travel.
-
How to Avoid Annoying Hotel Fees: Per Person, Parking and MoreTravel Here's how to avoid extra charges and make sure you don't get stuck paying for amenities that you don't use.
