Study shows Gen Z chooses books most often during holiday shopping

According to the study “Holiday Shopping of Ukrainians” by Ukrainian audit and consulting company Deloitte Ukraine, books and printed materials turned out to be the most popular category of goods among consumers during holiday shopping.

Among all goods during holiday shopping, zoomers in most cases prefer books and 20% of respondents choose them as gifts.The study also indicates that older generations are less inclined to choose books.

Shopping habits differ by age — young people are more likely to buy gifts in bookstores (17%), choosing meaningful and personalized publications.

The choice of gifts also depends on gender: during holiday shopping, books are chosen mainly by women — 15% compared to 9% among men.

The study’s results are reflected in practice. According to Yulia Orlova, CEO and co-owner of Vivat Publishing House, the typical book buyer during the holiday shopping season is a woman aged 25–45 who buys books for family, friends, and colleagues.

“During the pre-Christmas and pre-New Year time, people focus primarily on gifts. Their purchases are generally more thoughtful and less impulsive, with attention to aesthetics, the book’s significance, and the atmosphere it creates. The average spending in December rises slightly, mostly due to a higher number of purchases. There is also a noticeable change in genre trends: fiction remains the most popular overall, but children’s books and gift editions see a resurgence in December,” Orlova noted.

Accordingly, women are more likely to choose bookstores for their purchases.

Meanwhile, across all respondents, books and items from the “Toys and Hobbies” category are more frequently purchased online.

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Main image: Olha Kosova/Sens bookstore