Survey: Shoppers to look for bargains, shop online this holiday season

“Affordability” and “digital” will be the watchwords for the upcoming holiday shopping season. That’s according to a study by global consulting firm AlixPartners, which said that inflation and other economic concerns will weigh heavily on consumers this holiday season. The firm also forecast a tepid 4.0% to 7.0% increase in holiday sales (October 1 through December 31) over last year — which at the current inflation rate of 8.3% means retailers would see a decrease in real sales.