The holiday shopper is changing. Consumers are becoming more deliberate about what they buy, where they discover products and which information they trust. AI is entering the research process, social media is influencing product decisions and value is playing a bigger role in what makes a purchase feel worthwhile.
So, what are the biggest 2026 holiday shopping trends? Consumers are becoming more intentional, using AI to research products, relying on social media and creators for recommendations, and moving between more sources before making a purchase.
For marketers, understanding the holiday shopper requires more than looking at what they bought. It means understanding what influenced the decision along the way.
Here are five trends shaping how consumers discover, evaluate and choose what to buy this holiday season.
Key 2026 holiday shopping trends at a glance
- Consumers are becoming more intentional: Rising prices are encouraging shoppers to compare options and look for greater value.
- AI is becoming a shopping assistant: Consumers are using AI to research products, compare prices and find recommendations.
- Social media is influencing purchase decisions: Consumers are increasingly discovering products through creators, recommendations and social commerce.
- Younger shoppers are adopting new tools faster: Gen Z and Millennials are leading the use of social platforms and AI throughout the shopping journey.
- More data doesn’t necessarily mean more understanding: As consumer interactions spread across more channels, marketers need to understand how those signals connect.
1. Holiday shoppers becoming more intentional
Today’s consumers aren’t simply browsing for something to put under the tree. They’re doing more research before they commit. Rising prices are making that consideration even more important. Morning Consult reports that 74% of U.S. adults say prices are higher than three months ago, while 86% have cut back on at least one category because of rising prices.
That caution is showing up in holiday budgets, too. Thirty-eight percent of consumers expect to spend less this holiday season than last year, compared with 16% who expect to spend more. Canadian shoppers are taking a similar approach. Deloitte Canada found that 78% of Canadians plan to shop around for the best deals, while 48% say personalized offers influence where they choose to shop.
Consumers are weighing price alongside quality, convenience, reliability, recommendations and the overall experience. The brands that stand out will be the ones that give shoppers a reason to feel confident about their decision.
What this means for marketers: Understanding what consumers value can be just as important as understanding what they ultimately purchase.
2. AI changing holiday shopping in 2026
One of the biggest 2026 holiday shopping trends is the growing role of AI in product discovery and research. According to PwC’s 2026 Holiday Outlook, 29% of consumers plan to use AI somewhere in their holiday shopping this year, up from 22% last year.
Consumers are using AI to research products, compare prices, find gift ideas and stay within budget. Morning Consult found that 53% of adults have used an AI assistant to search for products, compare prices or make purchases.
However, consumers aren’t ready to give AI complete control. Comfort with letting AI purchase automatically reaches no higher than 31% across the categories tested, while only 25% are comfortable sharing payment details. This creates an important distinction: AI can influence what consumers consider without necessarily being where they complete the purchase.
What this means for marketers: product information and relevance are increasingly important. If AI is helping consumers narrow down their options, brands need to make sure their products can be understood, compared and recommended in those environments.
3. Social media influences 2026 holiday shopping trends
Social media has evolved beyond a place where consumers see advertising. It’s becoming a place where they research products, look for recommendations and, increasingly, make purchases.
Sprout Social’s 2026 holiday research found that 78% of consumers plan to use social media as much or more than last year to find holiday gifts. Social media tied with physical stores as the top source of holiday gift discovery, with 46% of consumers turning to each. Among Gen Z and Millennials, social media takes the top spot.
The influence of creators is also growing. Circana reports that 92% of Gen Z shoppers are more likely to purchase because of influencer impact. This means a product can move from discovery to consideration without ever appearing in a traditional search journey.
A consumer might see a creator recommend a product, read comments, compare alternatives and then visit a retailer to make the purchase.
What this means for marketers: The most important signal isn’t always the last click. Understanding which interactions helped create the decision can provide a more complete picture of consumer behavior.
4. Younger shoppers changing holiday shopping?
Gen Z and Millennials aren’t just adopting new shopping tools. They’re using them differently. Circana’s 2026 holiday research found that 28.5% of Gen Z and 26.6% of Millennials plan to shop on Black Friday. Younger consumers are also more likely to spread their shopping across multiple days.
They’re leading the adoption of social commerce and AI-assisted discovery, treating these tools less as emerging technologies and more as part of the shopping experience. The behavior points to a broader shift: consumers are becoming comfortable moving between different sources of information before making a decision.
A shopper might trust a creator for inspiration, an AI assistant for comparison, reviews for validation and a retailer for the final purchase.
What this means for marketers: Understanding an audience means looking beyond demographics and considering how people behave across different environments.
5. More consumer data does not necessarily mean more understanding
This may be the most important takeaway from the 2026 holiday shopping trends.
Consumers are creating more signals than ever. They’re searching, scrolling, watching, comparing, asking AI questions, reading reviews, visiting stores, adding products to carts, returning to websites and eventually buying.
The amount of available information is growing quickly. But more information doesn’t necessarily make the consumer easier to understand. Circana recommends connecting signals across retail media, ecommerce, in-store, creator and AI-driven experiences to understand how demand develops and how media contributes to business outcomes.
That’s an important distinction. Knowing what happened is not the same as knowing why it happened.
A purchase tells you the outcome. A click tells you someone interacted with something. A search can signal intent. But understanding how those interactions work together provides a clearer picture of what actually influenced the decision.
What do the 2026 holiday shopping trends mean for marketers?
The new holiday shopper isn’t necessarily harder to reach. They’re harder to understand.
Consumers are using more tools, consulting more sources and making more deliberate decisions about where they spend. AI is changing discovery. Social media is influencing consideration. Economic pressure is changing priorities.
At the same time, the most meaningful signals may be spread across multiple places. For marketers, the opportunity isn’t simply to collect more data or add another channel to the mix. It’s to connect the signals that already exist and understand what they mean.
This holiday season, the brands that understand why people choose will have an advantage over the brands that only know what they chose.
Frequently asked questions about 2026 holiday shopping trends
What are the biggest 2026 holiday shopping trends?
The biggest trends include more intentional purchasing, increased use of AI for product research, growing influence from social media and creators, greater adoption of new shopping tools among younger consumers, and a growing need for marketers to connect consumer signals across channels.
How are consumers using AI for holiday shopping in 2026?
Consumers are primarily using AI to research products, compare prices, find gift ideas and make purchasing decisions. However, most consumers are not yet comfortable giving AI complete control over purchases or payment information.
How important is social media for holiday shopping in 2026?
Social media is increasingly important for product discovery. According to Sprout Social, 78% of consumers plan to use social media as much or more than the previous year to find holiday gifts.
Are consumers spending less during the 2026 holiday season?
Many consumers are becoming more cautious about spending because of higher prices. Morning Consult found that 38% of U.S. adults expect to spend less this holiday season, compared with 16% who expect to spend more.
What should marketers focus on during the 2026 holiday season?
Marketers should focus on understanding the complete consumer decision process rather than optimizing around individual touchpoints. Connecting signals from social, AI, search, ecommerce and other environments can help reveal what actually influences consumer decisions and business outcomes.
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