Consumer Behavior 2026

Publisher Richard K. Miller & Associates

Published Jul 01, 2025

SKU # RKM20164897

Description

Consumer spending accounts for 70% of the U.S. gross domestic product, or over $19 trillion. Consumer Behavior 2026 assesses the consumer behaviors that affect spending and how this spending is distributed, both in-store and online. It also provides demographic data, statistics on consumer finances, analysis of households, and assessment of consumer use of time, media, the Internet, and transportation.

Consumer Behavior 2026 presents dozens of surveys analyzing consumer spending characteristics, behavioral responses, and preferences. Easy-to-read assessments include back-to-school and holiday shopping, brand loyalty, buying local, customer satisfaction, discretionary spending, gift giving, influence of social media, loyalty program participation, payment preferences, pricing, privacy issues, purchase decisionmaking, response to advertising, response to reviews, shopping behaviors, shopping channel preferences, shopping research, socially conscious consumerism, spending for experiences, sustainability influence, and more.

While there are other publications focusing on general consumer behavioral topics, Consumer Behavior 2026 is the only resource that integrates the full spectrum of applied consumer psychology, demographics, and purchasing influences with major consumer surveys. Over 700 embedded website links will direct you to raw data, additional market research, and other resources.

PART I: THE AMERICAN CONSUMER
1 DEMOGRAPHICS: 1.1 Population; 1.2 Census 2020; 1.3 Current Population By Age And Gender; 1.4 Current Population By Region; 1.5 Current Population By State; 1.6 Births; 1.7 Population Growth; 1.8 Race/Ethnicity Distribution; 1.9 Education, Family Status, And Nativity; 1.10 Market Resources
2 CONSUMER SPENDING: 2.1 Consumer Contribution to the GDP; 2.2 Household Spending; 2.3 Spending Assessment; 2.4 Retail Spending; 2.5 Market Resources
3 PERSONAL FINANCES: 3.1 Household Income; 3.2 Income By State; 3.3 Household Wealth/Net Worth; 3.4 Consumer Debt; 3.5 Personal Financial Situation; 3.6 Economic Well-Being; 3.7 Financial Literacy; 3.8 Financial Challenges; 3.9 Market Resources
4 HOUSEHOLDS & HOUSING: 4.1 Households; 4.2 Home Ownership; 4.3 Median Home Price; 4.4 Residential Construction; 4.5 Home Improvement; 4.6 Affordable Housing; 4.7 Second Homes; 4.8 Market Resources
5 COMMUNITIES: 5.1 Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas; 5.2 Urban And Rural Populations; 5.3 Important Community Attributes; 5.4 Satisfaction With Communities; 5.5 Generational Preferences; 5.6 Market Resources
6 POPULATION MIGRATION: 6.1 Household Relocation; 6.2 Reasons For Moving; 6.3 Net Migration By State; 6.4 Net Migration By City; 6.5 Mobility Among Young Adults; 6.6 Moving In Retirement; 6.7 Relocation Assessments; 6.8 Fastest-Growing States; 6.9 Market Resources
7 EDUCATION: 7.1 Enrollment; 7.2 Homeschooling; 7.3 Educational Attainment; 7.4 Earnings Based On Education; 7.5 Net Worth Of College Graduates; 7.6 Market Resources
8 HOW AMERICANS EAT: 8.1 Food and Alcoholic Beverage Expenditures; 8.2 Healthy Eating; 8.3 Distribution Of Daily Food Consumption; 8.4 Per Capita Food Consumption; 8.5 Compliance With Dietary Guidelines; 8.6 Dining-Out Demographics; 8.7 Dining Trends Of Young Adults; 8.8 Market Resources
9 USE OF MEDIA & THE INTERNET: 9.1 Time Spent Using Media; 9.2 Use Of The Internet; 9.3 Use Of Mobile Devices; 9.4 Online Activities; 9.5 How Consumers Obtain The News; 9.6 Media Use Among Children
10 USE OF TIME: 10.1 Priorities; 10.2 Americans’ Use of Time; 10.3 Activities By Gender; 10.4 Household Activities; 10.5 Leisure Activities; 10.6 Market Resources
11 USE OF TRANSPORTATION: 11.1 Overview; 11.2 Transportation Spending; 11.3 Travel To Work; 11.4 Personal Travel; 11.5 Driving; 11.6 Vehicle Ownership; 11.7 Market Resources
PART II: CONSUMER PROFILES
12 GENERATIONAL FOCUS: 12.1 Demographics; 12.2 Household Wealth; 12.3 Generational Characteristics; 12.4 Shopper Profiles; 12.5 Age 50-Plus Consumers; 12.6 Seniors; 12.7 Baby Boomers; 12.8 Generation X; 12.9 Millennials; 12.10 Generation Z; 12.11 Generation Alpha; 12.12 Market Resources
13 GENDER FOCUS: 13.1 Demographics; 13.2 Gender And Education; 13.3 Labor Force Distribution; 13.4 Gender Pay Gap; 13.5 Blurring Gender Roles; 13.6 Purchase Decision-Making
14 ETHNIC FOCUS: 14.1 Overview; 14.2 African-American Consumers; 14.3 Arab-American Consumers; 14.4 Asian-American Consumers; 14.5 Hispanic- And Latino-Americans; 14.6 Jewish-American Consumers; 14.7 Muslim-American Consumers; 14.8 Native-American Consumers; 14.9 Multiracial Consumers; 14.10 Market Resources
15 FAMILIES: 15.1 The Modern American Family; 15.2 Married Couples and Cohabitation; 15.3 Households With Children; 15.4 Mothers; 15.5 Fathers; 15.6 Multigenerational Households; 15.7 Market Resources
16 SEGMENTATION: 16.1 Overview; 16.2 College Students; 16.3 Consumers With Disabilities; 16.4 Family Caregivers; 16.5 Immigrant Consumers; 16.6 LGBTQ+ Consumers; 16.7 Military & Veteran Consumers; 16.8 Pet Owners; 16.9 Retirees; 16.10 Single Consumers
PART III: SHOPPING BEHAVIORS
17 BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING: 17.1 Back-to-School Spending; 17.2 What People Buy; 17.3 Where People Shop; 17.4 When People Shop; 17.5 Market Resources
18 BRAND COMMUNICATIONS: 18.1 Keeping Updated On Favorite Brands; 18.2 Preferred Communication Channels; 18.3 Preferred Communications By Age; 18.4 Preferred Communications By Sector; 18.5 Promotions; 18.6 Customer Service; 18.7 Email Communications; 18.8 Text Message Communications; 18.9 Social Media Communications; 18.10 Personalized Promotions
19 BRAND LOYALTY: 19.1 How Consumers Demonstrate Loyalty; 19.2 How Brands Earn Loyalty; 19.3 Brand Loyalty By Generation; 19.4 Brand Loyalty By Retail Category; 19.5 Brand Preferences
20 BUSINESS SECTOR PERCEPTION: 20.1 Consumer Impressions Of Sectors
21 BUYING AMERICAN-MADE: 21.1 Preference For U.S.-Made Products; 21.2 Demographics; 21.3 Buying American By Product Type; 21.4 Market Resources
22 BUYING LOCAL: 22.1 Impact On Local Economies; 22.2 Patronizing Local Businesses; 22.3 Patronizing Small Businesses; 22.4 Shop Small; 22.5 Market Resources
23 COUPON USE: 23.1 Use Of Coupons; 23.2 Redemption; 23.3 Influence Of Coupons On Shopping
24 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: 24.1 Overview; 24.2 Factors Contributing To High Customer Satisfaction; 24.3 Market Resources
25 DISCRETIONARY SPENDING: 25.1 Spending Priorities; 25.2 Necessities and Luxuries
26 EXPERIENCES: 26.1 The Experience Economy; 26.2 Market Assessment; 26.3 Trends; 26.4 Experiential Gifting; 26.5 Influence Of Social Media
27 GIFT CARDS: 27.1 Market Assessment; 27.2 Use Of Gift Cards; 27.3 Redemption; 27.4 Shopping With Gift Cards; 27.5 Market Resources
28 GIFT GIVING: 28.1 Overview; 28.2 Market Assessment; 28.3 Graduation Gift Giving; 28.4 Wedding Gift Giving; 28.5 Charitable Gift Giving; 28.6 Self-Gifting; 28.7 Returning Gifts and Re-Gifting
29 HEALTH & WELLNESS: 29.1 Overview; 29.2 Healthful Eating; 29.3 Purchasing Priorities
30 HOLIDAY SHOPPING: 30.1 Overview; 30.2 Market Assessment; 30.3 Holiday Season E-Commerce; 30.4 When People Shop; 30.5 Where People Shop
31 IN-STORE SHOPPING: 31.1 Overview; 31.2 The In-Store Experience; 31.3 Product Selection; 31.4 Checkout
32 LOYALTY PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: 32.1 Participation; 32.2 Member Demographics; 32.3 Customer Incentives; 32.4 Customer Expectations; 32.5 Member Satisfaction; 32.6 Loyalty Program Influence; 32.7 Pay For Perks
33 ONLINE SHOPPING: 33.1 Overview; 33.2 Why People Shop Online; 33.3 Characteristics Of Online Shopping; 33.4 Selecting An Online Retailer; 33.5 Online Purchasing Decisions; 33.6 Devices Used For Online Shopping; 33.7 Fulfillment Preferences; 33.8 Expectations Online; 33.9 Returns; 33.10 Shoppable Commerce; 33.11 Purchasing New Brands And Products; 33.12 Purchasing Luxury Goods Online
34 PAYMENT PREFERENCES: 34.1 Comparison Of Payment Methods; 34.2 Credit and Debit Cards; 34.3 Household Bill Payment; 34.4 Cash Payments; 34.5 Credit Usage; 34.6 Online Retail Payments; 34.7 Mobile Payments; 34.8 Buy Now, Pay Later; 34.9 Peer-to-Peer Payments; 34.10 Biometric Payments
35 POLITICAL INFLUENCE: 35.1 Where People Shop; 35.2 Influencer Political Content
36 PRIVACY & SECURITY CONCERNS: 36.1 Overview; 36.2 Attitudes About Privacy; 36.3 Online Privacy; 36.4 Actions Taken To Protect Privacy; 36.5 Willingness To Share Personal Information; 36.6 Accepting Cookies; 36.7 Privacy On Social Media Platforms; 36.8 Use Of Facial Recognition Technology
37 PURCHASE INFLUENCES & DECISION-MAKING: 37.1 Top Priorities; 37.2 Deciding Where To Shop; 37.3 Brand Decisions; 37.4 Trust in Shopping Recommendations; 37.5 Price & Value; 37.6 Returns Policies; 37.7 Influence Of Social Media; 37.8 Influencers; 37.9 Influence Of Brand Attributes; 37.10 Trust In Brands; 37.11 Reasons Consumers Switch Brands; 37.12 Impulse Buying
38 RESPONSE TO ADVERTISING: 38.1 Trust In Advertising; 38.2 Preferred Media For Ads; 38.3 Response To Targeted Digital Ads; 38.4 Positive Response To Ads; 38.5 Negative Response To Ads; 38.6 Annoying Ads; 38.7 Response to Irrelevant Ads; 38.8 Response to AI-Generated Ads
39 RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE: 39.1 Overview; 39.2 Perspectives On Customer Service; 39.3 Customer Service Channels; 39.4 Consumer Opinions Of Customer Service; 39.5 Impact By Segment
40 RESPONSE TO REVIEWS: 40.1 Reading and Using Online Reviews; 40.2 Influence of Reviews; 40.3 Time Spent Using Reviews; 40.4 Trust in Reviews
41 RETAIL MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: 41.1 Market Assessment; 41.2 Memberships
42 RETAIL SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM PARTICIPATION: 42.1 Participation; 42.2 Subscription Spending; 42.3 The Subscription Customer; 42.4 Most Popular Subscription Services; 42.5 Apparel Subscription Services
43 SECOND-HAND GOODS: 43.1 Overview; 43.2 Online Resale; 43.3 Second-Hand Clothing; 43.4 Market Resources
44 SHOPPING CHANNEL PREFERENCES: 44.1 Shopping In-Store Vs. Online; 44.2 Omnichannel Retail; 44.3 Cross-Channel Shopping; 44.4 Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store; 44.5 Shopping For Apparel and Footwear; 44.6 Shopping For Home Furnishings
45 SHOPPING RESEARCH: 45.1 Sources For Product Research; 45.2 Search When Shopping Online; 45.3 Research Via Mobile Devices; 45.4 Social Media; 45.5 Comparison Shopping Websites; 45.6 Discovering Beauty Products; 45.7 Discovering Grocery Products
46 SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE: 46.1 Why People Purchase On Social Media; 46.2 Brand Promotions; 46.3 Most Influential Social Media Platforms; 46.4 Consumer Expectations
47 SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CONSUMERISM: 47.1 Overview; 47.2 Socially Responsible Behaviors; 47.3 Brands Taking A Stance On Issues; 47.4 Brand Purpose; 47.5 Consumer Views On Corporate Social Responsibility
48 SUSTAINABILITY INFLUENCE: 48.1 Importance Of Sustainability When Shopping; 48.2 Environmental Concerns; 48.3 Decision-Making About Brands; 48.4 Lifestyle Brand Consumers; 48.5 Shopper Satisfaction With Sustainability By Brands
49 TRUST IN BUSINESS & MEDIA: 49.1 Trust In Institutions And Industries; 49.2 Trust For News And Information; 49.3 Trust Baromter; 49.4 Honesty and Ethics of Professions
50 VIRTUAL & AUGMENTED REALITY IN SHOPPING: 50.1 Virtual And Augmented Reality; 50.2 Enhancing The Retail Experience
PART IV: BRAND PREFERENCE SURVEYS
51 CUSTOMER LOYALTY ENGAGEMENT: 51.1 Overview; 51.2 Customer Loyalty Engagement Rankings; 51.3 Market Resources
52 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: 52.1 Overview; 52.2 ACSI Scores; 52.3 Market Resources
53 LOYALTY PROGRAM SATISFACTION: 53.1 Overview; 53.2 Top Programs In Member Satisfaction; 53.3 Market Resources
54 MOST TRUSTED BRANDS: 54.1 Overview; 54.2 Most Trusted Brands; 54.3 Market Resources
55 PERSONALIZATION: 55.1 Overview; 55.2 Retail Personalization Index; 55.3 Market Resources
56 REPUTATION RANKING: 56.1 Overview; 56.2 Rankings; 56.3 Market Resources; APPENDIX A - ACADEMIC RESEARCH CENTERS; APPENDIX B - ANALYSTS; APPENDIX C - ASSOCIATIONS; APPENDIX D - BLOGS; APPENDIX E - GOVERNMENT AGENCIES; APPENDIX F - MARKET RESEARCH SOURCES; APPENDIX G - PANDEMIC MARKET RESEARCH; APPENDIX H - PERIODICALS; APPENDIX I - RESEARCH STUDIES & SURVEYS; REFERENCES

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