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2026 Holiday Shopping Trends
What Marketers Should Know About How Shoppers Are Discovering, Evaluating, and Purchasing Gifts This Year
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Over the years, the start of the holiday shopping season has crept earlier and earlier as consumers look to secure good deals and avoid the last-minute rush (to varying degrees of success). In turn, brands and retailers jostle to lock in sales with promotions that often start well before Thanksgiving.
To better understand how shoppers are approaching this crucial time of the year, Tinuiti surveyed 1,000 US holiday gift buyers on everything from when they plan to shop to how they’ll use AI tools. The results paint a clear picture of which channels and platforms are set to drive discovery and purchases, what shoppers are looking for in the products and brands they buy from, and what consumers will be looking for even after the holidays are over.
Holiday Spending Slated To Tick up Modestly Despite Many Shoppers Feeling Worse About Their Finances
Asked how much they plan to spend on gifts this holiday season, 27% of holiday shoppers expect to spend more, 23% anticipate spending less, while half expect to spend about the same amount overall. Online shopping is expected to fare better than in-store shopping, with 31% expected to increase their online shopping compared to 24% who expect to ramp up in-store spending.
At least part of this year’s holiday spending will go toward self-gifting, with 31% of respondents planning to purchase holiday gifts for themselves, including 42% of Gen Z and millennials and 22% of Gen X and older respondents.
While spending plans aren’t particularly negative, many holiday shoppers are feeling the effects of years of inflation and the recent uptick in gas prices. Overall, 37% of respondents feel worse about their financial situation this year compared to last year, the most common response, while just 29% are feeling better.
FRESH INSIGHTS TO MAKE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON A MERRY ONE FOR YOU AND YOUR BRAND
Don’t go into the holiday season without understanding when and how shoppers are planning to discover, research, and purchase gifts. Key trends include:
- Which tasks consumers are turning to AI for when it comes to holiday shopping.
- How much shoppers plan to spend and which product categories are set to be the most popular.
- The most important channels when it comes to holiday gift discovery and how they vary by generation.
- What shoppers will be looking for even after the holidays are over.
The Complete Holiday Shopping Study Vault
