What Ecommerce Brands Need To Know About The 2026 Holiday Season

Every cart counts

If 2025 proved anything, it's that economic uncertainty isn't enough to cancel the holidays.

Holiday retail sales grew 2.5% last season, the slowest pace since 2019. And while eMarketer expects holiday sales growth to tick up slightly to 2.6% in 2026, one thing is clear: the days of relying on strong market growth to drive holiday sales are fading.

Much like last year, holiday success won't come from riding the wave of consumer spending. It'll come from capturing a larger share of it.

"Holiday spending isn't slowing down, but it is getting harder to win. Shoppers are researching longer, comparing more retailers, and increasingly letting AI do that homework before they land on a brand's site. The brands that win will be the ones whose product information is clear enough to earn the sale wherever a shopper happens to be looking."

— Al Williams, VP of Market Strategy, Commerce

Today's shoppers are spending with greater intention. They're taking longer to research products, comparing more options across channels, and expecting brands to earn every click, every cart, and every purchase.

Think of it this way: shoppers are still checking their lists twice. They're just checking your product pages twice, too.

Here's what that means for the 2026 holiday season, and how your business can stand out to today's savvy shoppers.

Top 5 trends for this year’s holiday season

1. Shoppers are doing their homework.

Gone are the days when shoppers discovered the perfect gift, added it to their cart, and checked out in one sitting.

Today's holiday shoppers are taking their time.

They're comparing retailers, researching products, waiting for major sales events, and putting more thought into every purchase they make. In fact, roughly 30% of consumers compare more retailers than they did just two or three years ago, and 27% spend more time researching products before buying.

Why the shift?

For many shoppers, it's about making every dollar go further. More than a third said they prioritized practical or useful gifts during the 2025 holiday season because of cost-of-living concerns. Looking ahead, 28% plan to buy fewer, but more thoughtfully chosen, gifts in 2026.

For brands, that means value extends far beyond price.

Every unanswered question creates friction. Every missing product detail gives shoppers another reason to keep comparing. The brands that make it easy to evaluate products, understand policies, and buy with confidence will have the edge this holiday season.

How to prepare

The easier you make it for shoppers to make a decision, the less likely they are to keep shopping around.

• Build product pages that answer common customer questions before they have to ask.

• Use comparison charts, buying guides, and gift guides to simplify decision-making.

• Highlight customer reviews, return policies, and shipping expectations prominently.

• Lead with value beyond discounts by promoting bundles, loyalty rewards, and flexible payment options.

When shoppers feel confident they've found the right product, they stop comparing and start buying.

2. AI is becoming shoppers' newest buying assistant.

Remember asking a friend for gift ideas? Now, many shoppers are asking AI instead.

Whether they're comparing products, hunting for the best deal, or brainstorming gift ideas, consumers are increasingly relying on AI before they ever visit a retailer's website. In fact, roughly 37% of consumers plan to use AI while holiday shopping in 2026. Among those shoppers, 59% will use AI to compare products, 57% will use it to find the best prices, and 49% will use it for gift inspiration.

AI isn't just changing how shoppers discover products. It's also sending more qualified shoppers to retailers. Adobe found that AI-driven traffic to retailers' websites converted 42% more often than non-AI traffic in March 2026, highlighting the growing role AI is expected to play in holiday purchase decisions.

That momentum isn't slowing down anytime soon. Commerce and PayPal's Agentic AI Shopping Research found that 81% of U.S. online shoppers want AI tools to help with at least one aspect of their online shopping in the future, especially when it comes to finding better prices, promotions, and products faster.

For brands, that means your product pages are no longer just competing for search rankings. They're increasingly being evaluated, summarized, and recommended by AI tools before a shopper ever lands on your site. The more complete, accurate, and trustworthy your product information is, the more likely it is to surface wherever shoppers begin their search.

How to prepare

Make it easy for both shoppers and AI to understand your products.

• Write clear, descriptive product titles and detailed product descriptions.

• Include comprehensive specifications, sizing information, FAQs, and shipping details.

• Keep pricing, inventory, and product data accurate across every sales channel.

• Create gift guides and educational content that answers common shopping questions shoppers are asking AI.

The more complete and trustworthy your product information is, the more likely it is to surface wherever shoppers begin their search, whether that's Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or TikTok.

3. Early shopping doesn't mean Cyber Five is losing its magic.

If holiday shopping seems to start earlier every year, you're not imagining it.

Retailers are rolling out promotions sooner, and shoppers are getting a head start on gift buying. But that doesn't mean Black Friday and Cyber Monday are becoming less relevant.

In fact, quite the opposite.

According to eMarketer, Cyber Five regained its share of total holiday ecommerce sales in 2025 for the first time since its 2019 peak. Consumers may be researching products earlier, but they're still waiting for the biggest shopping moments to make many of their purchases. 

Think of today's holiday shopper like someone filling an online wish list. They spend weeks comparing products, reading reviews, and narrowing down their options. Then, when Black Friday or Cyber Monday arrives, they're ready to check out.

For brands, that means Cyber Five isn't a starting line. It's the finish line.

How to prepare

Think beyond a single weekend.

• Build awareness early through email, SMS, social media, and content marketing.

• Encourage shoppers to create wish lists or save products ahead of Cyber Five.

• Plan promotions that build momentum leading into Black Friday and Cyber Monday, rather than relying on one-day flash sales.

• Make sure inventory, pricing, and fulfillment plans are ready well before peak demand arrives.

Holiday shopping may start earlier than ever, but Cyber Five remains one of the season's biggest opportunities to convert shoppers who have already done their homework.

4. Holiday shopping fits in the palm of your hand.

Holiday shopping doesn't just happen from the couch anymore. It happens in line for coffee. Between meetings. During a lunch break. Even while watching holiday movies with one eye on the TV and the other on a phone.

In 2026, eMarketer expects around 57% of all holiday ecommerce sales to come from mobile devices, continuing the steady shift toward shopping on the go.

For shoppers, convenience wins.

Whether they're browsing gift ideas on social media, comparing prices through AI, or checking out during a limited-time promotion, they expect every step of the experience to work seamlessly on a smaller screen.

A slow-loading page, clunky navigation, or complicated checkout can quickly turn holiday excitement into cart abandonment.

How to prepare

Think mobile first — not mobile friendly.

• Test your entire shopping journey on a smartphone, from product discovery to checkout.

• Prioritize fast page speeds and intuitive navigation.

• Keep product pages easy to scan with clear imagery, concise copy, and prominent calls to action.

• Offer accelerated checkout options and digital wallets to reduce friction during peak shopping moments.

The easier it is to shop from anywhere, the more likely shoppers are to complete their purchase before they move on to the next holiday distraction.

5. Discovery is happening everywhere — especially on social.

Holiday shoppers don't separate discovery from shopping the way they used to.

One minute they're watching a creator's gift guide on TikTok. The next they're reading reviews, asking AI for a second opinion, or clicking over to a brand's website before finally making a purchase.

The result? Discovery is happening across more channels than ever before, and social continues to play a growing role.

Adobe reported that social media's share of holiday ecommerce grew by more than 40% in 2025. At the same time, TikTok Shop generated $500 million in sales during the four-day stretch from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, highlighting how quickly inspiration can turn into a purchase.

For brands, this is another reminder that shoppers aren't thinking in channels. They're thinking about finding the right product, wherever they happen to discover it. The brands that create a consistent experience across social platforms, marketplaces, AI tools, and their own websites will be best positioned to turn that discovery into a sale.

How to prepare

Meet shoppers wherever they're discovering products.

• Create short-form videos and creator partnerships that showcase products naturally.

• Keep product information, pricing, and inventory consistent across every sales channel.

• Make it easy to move from inspiration to purchase with shoppable content and seamless checkout.

• Encourage customer reviews and user-generated content that build trust across every touchpoint.

The easier you make it for shoppers to discover, trust, and buy your products, the more likely they'll choose your brand, no matter where their holiday journey begins.

The final word

The 2026 holiday season won't be defined by blockbuster sales or dramatic shifts in consumer spending. Instead, it will be defined by how brands respond to a shopper who's more informed, more intentional, and more connected than ever before.

Today's customers are comparing more retailers, researching products longer, discovering brands across more channels, and increasingly turning to AI to help guide their decisions. Every interaction, from a product page to a social post, is an opportunity to earn their trust.

The good news? The opportunity is still there.

While holiday sales growth may be cooling, shoppers are still spending. The brands that invest in clear product information, seamless shopping experiences, and consistent experiences across every channel will be best positioned to capture a larger share of that spending.

This holiday season, don't focus on chasing every trend. Focus on making it easier for shoppers to say "yes."