2026 holiday shopping trends and what retailers can expect this season
Holiday shopping remains a priority for many consumers in 2026, but financial pressures are changing how they plan to spend. Snap Finance’s latest holiday survey reveals what shoppers expect from retailers, including product value, promotions, shopping channels, and payment options. Explore the findings and what they could mean for your business this season.
Key research takeaways
While 82% of surveyed consumers plan to purchase gifts, 43% worry about affording holiday purchases.
Consumers plan to compare prices, adjust gift budgets, and shop during major promotional events.
Shoppers plan to use multiple channels, while some are turning to AI for product research and recommendations.
More than one-third of respondents expect to rely more on credit and financing during the holidays.
Consumers are planning to celebrate the holidays, even as financial concerns influence their shopping decisions. According to Snap Finance’s 2026 Holiday Survey, 82% of respondents expect to purchase holiday gifts, but 43% are concerned about how they’ll afford their holiday purchases.
These findings highlight a central tension in 2026 holiday shopping trends: Consumers still intend to shop, but many are paying closer attention to how much they spend, where they shop, and how they pay.
Snap Finance surveyed U.S. household financial decision-makers to better understand their holiday plans and financial circumstances. The findings, detailed in Snap's 2026 Holiday Survey, provide insights that retailers can use when considering merchandising, promotional strategies, shopping channels, and payment options.
What do 2026 holiday shopping trends reveal about customer spending priorities?
Who are consumers shopping for this holiday season? Snap Finance's survey found that children top the gift list, with 64% of all respondents planning to purchase gifts for them. Spouses follow at 57%, with other relatives at 45%.
For retailers, these preferences present an opportunity to organize holiday merchandise around the people shoppers have in mind. Gift collections for children, spouses, and family members may help customers narrow their choices and find relevant products.
But knowing who customers are shopping for is only part of the picture. Retailers should also consider how spending expectations vary by category.
Snap Finance found that, compared with 2025:
40% of respondents expect to spend less on holiday décor
38% expect to spend less on travel
30% expect to spend less on gifts
These findings suggest that retailers should review demand expectations by category rather than assume holiday spending will follow previous patterns. Retailers can also compare these broader consumer intentions with their own sales histories and customer preferences when developing seasonal merchandise plans.
How can retailers respond to more value-conscious holiday shoppers?
Many consumers expect to change their shopping behavior to make their holiday spending go further.
Snap Finance found that 61% of respondents plan to shop around more, while 38% plan to set a lower budget per person. Another 21% expect to skip purchasing gifts for some people.
These 2026 holiday shopping trends suggest that retailers may encounter shoppers who compare products more carefully and prioritize purchases that provide clear value.
Price will likely play an important role, but customers may also evaluate product quality, durability, features, and other factors before making a decision.
Retailers can help shoppers assess value by:
Highlighting relevant product features. Explain how a product meets customer needs, including its quality, durability, and functionality.
Organizing gifts by price range. Help customers quickly identify merchandise that aligns with their planned spending.
Providing transparent pricing. Make product prices, applicable delivery charges, and other costs easy to understand.
Clarifying return policies. Provide accessible information about returns, exchanges, and applicable conditions.
Clear product information may help retailers earn consideration from shoppers who are weighing several alternatives.
Which holiday shopping events should retailers plan around?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain prominent events in consumers' holiday shopping plans.
According to Snap Finance, 53% of respondents plan to shop on Black Friday, while 51% expect to participate in Cyber Monday. Additionally, 38% plan to shop more during major shopping events to help manage their holiday spending.
The timing of holiday purchases is another consideration. Among respondents planning to purchase gifts, 68% expect to begin shopping in October or November.
Together, these findings suggest that retailers should prepare for shoppers who are watching for promotions well before December.
Merchants can align their seasonal planning with these expectations by coordinating promotional communications, confirming product availability, and preparing staffing schedules around shopping events relevant to their customers.
However, planned participation in Black Friday or Cyber Monday doesn't necessarily translate into sales for an individual retailer. Businesses should consider their own customer behavior and historical performance when deciding which events deserve the most attention.
What do marketplace and in-store shopping plans mean for retailers?
Where do consumers expect to shop for holiday gifts and other purchases? Snap Finance's survey found that 65% plan to shop through an online marketplace, while 59% expect to shop in a physical store.
These results show that both channels feature prominently in holiday plans. The percentages are not mutually exclusive, and consumers may shop through more than one channel. For merchants operating across multiple channels, consistent product information can be especially important when shoppers compare their choices.
Retailers should review whether their websites, marketplace listings, and physical stores provide accurate information about:
Product specifications and available features
Prices and applicable promotions
Inventory and availability
Shipping, delivery, and pickup options
For example, a customer who researches a product online before visiting a store should be able to confirm whether the merchandise is available and whether the advertised price or promotion applies.
Maintaining accurate information across relevant channels may help create a more consistent shopping experience.
How could AI shape holiday product research?
Artificial intelligence is emerging as another tool consumers plan to use when researching holiday purchases. Snap's survey found that 24% of respondents plan to use AI to compare prices, while 20% expect to use it for gift recommendations. Only 6% plan to use AI to complete a purchase.
These findings suggest that consumers are more interested in using AI for research and product discovery than for completing transactions.
For retailers, accurate and informative product content remains important as shoppers explore new research tools. Detailed product descriptions, current prices, and clear specifications can help customers evaluate merchandise and verify the information they encounter through AI-generated recommendations.
For example, a shopper researching a mattress might compare dimensions, materials, and firmness levels. A retailer that provides this information clearly gives customers useful details to evaluate, regardless of how they discover the product.
While Snap Finance's findings highlight planned AI use, they don't establish that AI drives additional sales or that particular content changes will increase visibility in AI recommendations.
How will payment preferences influence where customers shop?
Financial concerns may also affect the payment options customers look for this holiday season. Snap Finance found that 36% of respondents expect to rely more on credit and financing for holiday purchases. That figure rises to 42% among respondents with credit scores below 670. For that same credit-score group, 44% identify financing availability as a major factor in deciding where to shop for the holidays.
These findings suggest that payment options may influence which retailers customers consider, particularly those who have difficulty accessing traditional credit.
Businesses that offer access to financing can help customers understand their available payment choices by clearly communicating relevant options and providing accurate information about how they work.
Retailers should also prepare their employees to answer basic financing questions and direct shoppers to complete product terms, eligibility requirements, and disclosures.
Snap Finance's lease-to-own financing is one potential option for retailers that want to provide customers with another way to pay over time. With lease-to-own financing, Snap purchases eligible merchandise from the retailer and leases it to the customer. Customers make payments according to their lease agreements and obtain ownership after completing the terms.
Offering access to lease-to-own financing may help retailers serve customers who have limited access to traditional payment methods. However, financing availability does not guarantee a completed transaction or increased sales.
Prepare your business for the 2026 holiday shopping season
The 2026 holiday shopping trends reveal a consumer market balancing the desire to celebrate with concerns about spending. Many shoppers intend to purchase gifts or take advantage of holiday deals, but they also expect to compare more options, look for value, and consider available payment methods before deciding where to shop.
For retailers, understanding these priorities can help inform seasonal merchandising, promotional messaging, and customer experiences.
Want to explore the findings in greater detail? Read the full 2026 Snap Finance Holiday Survey to explore the consumer insights behind this season’s shopping plans.
Interested in giving customers another way to pay? Explore how partnering with Snap Finance may help your business offer access to lease-to-own financing.
Looking for additional ideas to strengthen your retail strategy? Check out these Snap Finance resources:
Rebuilding sales in a slowing economy: Strategies that work in 2026
How appliance stores may reach more customers by offering access to lease-to-own financing
Snap Finance, its affiliates, and partners offer consumers a range of solutions, which may include lease-to-own financing, installment loans, retail installment contracts, and credit cards. Product availability may vary. For detailed information, visit snapfinance.com/legal/products