2026 Holiday Pulse Report
Consumer Research, Top Industry Trends, and Holiday Growth Hacks
Explore our consumer research (holiday edition!) to unwrap the latest spending trends and buying timelines.
Learn why the best gift you can give shoppers (and your bottom line) is clear product data and coherent content that audiences across all shelves — physical, digital, and agentic — will love.
How Gung-Ho-Ho Shoppers Are To Spend During Cyber Week
The Decades-Old Events Prove Valuable and Exciting
Half of shoppers (51%) plan to spend about the same as last year, and plenty believe Black Friday (39%) and Cyber Monday (36%) offer significant value.
However, 17% and 22%, respectively, claim they “didn’t even notice last year’s deals,” giving some brands room to grow.
AI Adds a Layer of Improvement for Holiday Shopping
Gifting, However, Remains Inherently Human
Think of ecommerce AI agents as a layer in a delicious holiday trifle. Shoppers have warmed to AI shopping tools, but they’re still not abandoning other channels.
Some shoppers question AI’s impact on preserving the meaning of the holidays, and 27% wouldn’t be interested in any AI shopping assistant.
Stressful News Events Can Drive Impulse Gifting and Purchases
Spending Lends Comfort for Some, While Others Remain Unbothered
“Doomshopping” might make an appearance this season, as 51% of shoppers responded “yes” in some way to whether they shop due to stressful news.
U.K. and Canadian shoppers lean more toward practical and useful gifts, while the U.S. and millennials lean more toward comforting and supportive gifts.
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