KING OF PRUSSIA, PA — Vertex Inc. (NASDAQ: VERX) has released findings from its summer consumer tax survey, showing a shift in consumer behavior that is reshaping the retail calendar. Once dominated by the traditional holiday rush between Thanksgiving and Christmas, peak shopping periods are now expanding into summer and fall, fueled by travel, back-to-school demand, and Halloween purchases.
Early Shopping Driven by Economic Concerns
According to the survey, more than half of consumers (53%) are shopping earlier to offset rising prices and avoid shortages. Millennials and Gen Z are leading this trend, adjusting their habits to seek discounts, tax-free savings, and favorable promotions across both in-store and online platforms.
The New Summer Shopping Season
Data shows that consumer activity is spiking well outside the holiday window. During the summer months, 76% of consumers purchased clothing and accessories, 71% bought items related to hobbies, 65% stocked up on sunscreen, 41% picked up beach gear, and 34% purchased water toys. These seasonal surges highlight the need for businesses to adapt their tax and compliance operations to handle growing year-round complexity.
Compliance Challenges for Retailers
Vertex emphasizes that automated tax technology has become essential to maintaining a seamless shopping experience across multiple channels. Retailers face the challenge of applying accurate tax rates on thousands of stock-keeping units (SKUs), particularly when transitioning seasonal merchandise and running large promotional events.
The survey also found:
- Blended shopping preferences: 55% of consumers prefer to shop both online and in-store, far outpacing those who shop exclusively online.
- Deal-driven behavior: 69% of shoppers take advantage of summer holiday weekend sales, adding pressure on businesses to update tax rates in real time to stay compliant.
Industry Response
“Consumer-facing businesses are already navigating a complicated landscape in 2025,” said Sal Visca, Vertex’s chief technology officer. “They shouldn’t also have to worry about whether their technology solutions and tax tools are equipped to handle the influx of activity around peak summer shopping and seasonal promotions. Vertex supports its retail customers through all transactional peaks and valleys, so they can rest assured that whether they’re scaling seasonal promotions or managing steady day-to-day operations, they have a trusted partner ensuring every transaction and tax amount is accurate and compliant.”
As consumer habits continue to evolve, Vertex’s findings suggest retailers and tax professionals will need to treat summer and other seasonal shopping periods with the same level of preparation once reserved only for the winter holidays.
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