The good news this holiday season? U.S. holiday retail sales are projected to reach a record $1.70 trillion to $1.71 trillion, with e-commerce expected to grow between 7.5% and 8.4%.

However, the overall landscape and consumer behavior have shifted. Shoppers are flocking to trusted spaces, leaning heavily into research, and becoming far more deliberate about where their dollars go. Rising inflation and shrinking household savings mean consumers are actively seeking maximum value for every dollar spent.

So, what does that mean for your brand?

If your strategy is to wait until November and start blasting generic “30% OFF!” emails, you’re showing up after much of the decision-making has already happened. Winning in 2026 requires meeting shoppers earlier, giving them a clear reason to choose you, and making the path from consideration to purchase as frictionless as possible.

Here’s how to prepare.

The 2026 Holiday Shopper: More Deliberate, Not Less Interested

The story isn’t that consumers don’t want to spend. It’s that they’re thinking harder about how they spend.

Three major shifts matter most:

Research starts earlier:

Shoppers have more ways to compare products, read reviews, watch demonstrations, and ask for recommendations long before they’re ready to buy.

Value matters more than a raw discount:

Price is critical, but so are quality, usefulness, convenience, customer service, shipping speed, and the overall brand experience.

Discovery is happening across more channels:

During the previous holiday season, smartphones accounted for 56.4% of online sales, while traffic to retail sites originating from generative AI tools increased 693.4% year-over-year.

So, what should brands actually do with this information?

1. Get Into the Game Early

Reddit’s own research shows that 50% of U.S. Reddit users begin holiday research between April and October. If shoppers are researching months before the holiday rush, your brand needs to be present early, too.

Get your gift guides, seasonal landing pages, emails, ad campaigns, and search strategies mapped out ahead of time. Don’t just target generic terms like “holiday gifts.” Answer the exact conversational questions your customers are asking AI search engines and forums:

“What’s the best gift for someone who has everything?”

“What’s worth buying under $100?”

“Which option is right for a first-time buyer?”

Turn the holiday conversations happening online into business for your brand.

2. Let Peer Validation Help Sell Your Product

Holiday shoppers want to know what real people think.

Customer reviews, creators, social platforms, Reddit, and niche communities heavily influence what makes it onto a buyer’s shortlist. 3 in 4 Reddit users say they would spend more on a highly recommended gift and 80% of users say conversations on Reddit led them to consider holiday gifts or brands they hadn’t originally planned on.

The takeaway is that authentic peer validation is a vital part of the modern purchase journey. Pay attention to conversations happening around your category. What are people asking? What problems keep coming up? What are they recommending or complaining about? Let those insights shape your messaging.

3. Give People a Reason to Spend

When shoppers are watching their budgets, slashing prices isn’t the only answer (and it often erodes your profit margins).

Focus on building a value proposition that is genuinely worthwhile. That could mean product bundles, free shipping thresholds, exclusive holiday perks, added services, or flexible payment options (BNPL).

Don’t assume customers will automatically recognize that value: show them. Use high-quality product content, comparison charts, video demonstrations, and social proof to make your case before they reach checkout.

4. Remove Every Bit of Friction You Can

Once someone decides to buy, don’t make them work for it.

Holiday shoppers are constantly weighing risk: Will it arrive in time? Can I return it if it doesn’t fit? Is shipping free? Can I pay with Apple Pay?

Answer those questions upfront:

• Make guaranteed shipping deadline banners obvious across your site.
• Keep return policies simple and transparent.
• Make sure your entire mobile experience is optimized, from product discovery through checkout.
• Display clear payment options early in the cart process.

Every unanswered question or unnecessary step gives a hesitant shopper another reason to abandon their cart.

Remember to Make Room for the Actual Holidays

The work doesn’t end when the presents are opened.

Depending on your business, the days and weeks afterward can be valuable for thank-you messages, gift-card reminders, returns and exchanges, loyalty campaigns, new-year offers, customer retention, and re-engagement. It’s also the time to regroup and look at what worked and what didn’t.

But remember to enjoy the season, too.

Not every piece of content needs to sell something. The holidays are an opportunity to show some personality, celebrate your customers, highlight your team, support a local organization, or simply acknowledge the season in a meaningful way that makes sense for your brand.

Those moments can help make a brand feel like a participant in the season rather than another company trying to capitalize on it.

Need a hand with your holiday strategy? JSK is here to help.