2024 CHRISTMAS BAROMETER RAKUTEN FRANCE x IPSOS
THE FRENCH ARE MORE OPTIMISTIC THIS YEAR ABOUT THEIR PURCHASING POWER:
BLACK FRIDAY DEALS, CASHBACK AND GIFT RESALE (AN AVERAGE OF €100 EARNED IN 2023!)
Paris, November 14, 2024 – The French are preparing to enjoy the end-of-year celebrations in a context where every expense matters and consumer behavior is changing. Between the appeal of Black Friday sales and the increased trend towards second-hand products, the choices are becoming clear. The new 2024 Christmas Barometer, conducted by Ipsos for Rakuten among 2,500 French people aged 16 and over, reveals the shopping trends for this year-end. What is driving their choices this year? How do they feel about the coming months?
A MORE SERENE END OF YEAR: THE FRENCH OPTIMISTIC AND PREPARED FOR CHRISTMAS
This year, the French are showing renewed optimism about their purchasing power: almost half (49%) think it will remain stable (+11 points vs. 2023), and 13% even expect an improvement. This brighter perspective marks a decline in the pessimism that prevailed the previous few years: 53% thought their purchasing power would worsen in 2022, versus 50% in 2023 and 38% in 2024.
Concessions are mainly expected to affect clothing (60%), hobbies and cultural activities (55%), and household energy (42%), while high-tech products and electronics seem to be less affected this year, allowing the French to preserve certain enjoyments.
BLACK FRIDAY: THE KICK-OFF TO THE END-OF-YEAR CELEBRATIONS
The French seem to approach their end-of-year purchases more carefully. Many are planning ahead to manage their budgets as efficiently as possible: 75% say they are forward-looking, and 46% have set themselves a budget to stick to, a trend that has risen by 3 points. They are also particularly attentive to good deals, with 59% of them actively looking for discounts.
In this dynamic, Black Friday is a key moment to anticipate the celebrations by taking advantage of significant discounts while optimizing expenses.
SECOND-HAND BECOMES A HABIT TO RECONCILE BUDGET AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
For this year's celebrations, the French continue to turn to second-hand items, a smart choice that is both economical and ecological.
One out of two people in France (50%) plans to offer second-hand or refurbished gifts, a practice that has risen significantly since 2020[1], a sign that it is taking root in consumer habits.
Among the shopping behaviors on which they believe they have a positive impact, 32% of the French mentioned buying second-hand (+ 4 points vs. 2023).
The most popular second-hand gift categories for Christmas include cultural items (46%), clothing (41%) and toys (38%).
Cédric Dufour, CEO of Rakuten France and Rakuten TV comments: « Between 2020 and 2021, we've seen a real boom in intentions to buy second-hand gifts, a trend we believe has been amplified by the lockdowns, encouraging the French to rethink their way of consuming. Today, this interest in second-hand products is much more than a passing hype: it's a true paradigm shift.
In a context where purchasing power is under pressure, the second-hand market helps the French to reconcile the pleasure of gift-giving with prudent budget management, while contributing to a more sustainable Christmas. We at Rakuten France are proud to play a central role in this transition, by offering our users a vast choice of pre-owned and refurbished products that meet their expectations, whether economic or ecological. »
THE FRENCH INTEGRATE CASHBACK INTO THEIR LIFESTYLE TO OPTIMIZE THEIR BUDGET
The French appreciate online shopping for its many advantages. The convenience of finding products (57%), the possibility of comparing prices (56%), as well as a wide choice (53%) and flexible delivery options (50%) make it the preferred channel for buying gifts again this year.
The 2024 study conducted by Ipsos for Rakuten France on “The French and cashback” revealed in June that almost half of French people (48%) were already using a cashback program to maximize their purchasing power, confirming the growing importance of this option in consumer habits.
100 EUROS EARNED ON AVERAGE BY FRENCH PEOPLE WHO RESELL THE GIFTS THEY RECEIVE
At the end of the Christmas season, for many French people, reselling gifts is a way of recovering their purchasing power. Nearly 4 out of 10 French people say they are prepared to resell gifts that don't suit them, a practice that is becoming more and more socially accepted: 71% of French people say they wouldn't be offended if one of their gifts were resold. This trend, which combines common sense and pragmatism, not only avoids waste but also offers a real financial boost.
For the first time, Rakuten asked the French to estimate how much they could earn by reselling their gifts after the holidays, and the results speak for themselves.
On average, the resale of one or more gifts allowed them to earn 100 euros in 2023, a substantial additional income at a time of strong pressure on purchasing power.
23% of resellers even generated more than 100 euros, and for 2% of them, the amount even exceeded 500 euros!
Praised for their simplicity and speed, online resale platforms such as Rakuten France allow 75% of resellers to carry out these transactions easily.
Methodology
The Rakuten - IPSOS study was based on a national sample of 2,500 individuals representative of the French population aged 16 and over. The survey was conducted online in October 2024.
- OpinionWay survey for Rakuten, 2020 ↑