It’s no secret that the holiday shopping season represents a make-or-break moment for many ecommerce brands. Economic uncertainty continues to create headwinds, making it more important than ever to get prepared NOW for the holiday season ahead. That’s why we start all of our holiday planning in Q3, and why the smartest brands are already positioning themselves to capture their share of holiday spending.

The good news? Consumer spending intentions remain healthy, opening strategic opportunities for brands that prepare early and adapt to evolving shopping behaviors to have a successful holiday season.

Consumer Spending Outlook: Cautiously Optimistic

Despite ongoing economic challenges, holiday spending projections paint a surprisingly positive picture. Research indicates that 53% of shoppers intend to maintain their previous year's spending levels, while 22% plan to increase their holiday budgets. This optimistic outlook is particularly pronounced among younger demographics, with Gen Z leading the charge at 29% planning higher spending, followed closely by millennials.

Only 18% of consumers anticipate reducing their holiday expenditures, suggesting that brands have significant wallet share available to capture with the right approach. Read on for 5 holiday consumer shopping trends and actions to integrate them into your marketing strategy.

5 Holiday Consumer Shopping Trends & Marketing Strategies

1. The Early Bird Advantage: Capitalize on Extended Shopping Seasons

Holiday shopping timelines continue to expand, creating extended opportunities for savvy brands. Recent data shows that 11% of shoppers began their holiday purchasing in September, with another 15% starting in October. Just over half of consumers waited until November to begin shopping. (Salesify)

Key Implementation Strategies:

Launch campaigns earlier: Capture attention during the September-October surge when competition is lower with a holiday launch or pre-holiday promotion.
Start your Black Friday push earlier: Following your September/October push, we saw many Black Friday promotions starting as early as November 1 last year. Don’t be afraid to extend that promotional window.
Stock management: Ensure inventory levels support early demand, including trending items.
Upselling opportunities: Bundle products and suggest complementary purchases to maximize early transaction values.

2. Social Commerce Revolution: Where Discovery Meets Purchase

Social media platforms have evolved from discovery channels to complete shopping destinations. The integration of commerce features particularly on Instagram and TikTok have created unprecedented opportunities for direct sales.

Key Implementation Strategies:

Invest in shoppable posts that reduce friction between product discovery and purchase. Check out our recent post on 11 organic social posts that actually convert
Host live shopping events to create urgency and engagement
Maintain consistent posting schedules and actively engage with your community
Leverage influencer partnerships. Get your holiday partnerships in place early in the season to maximize return. A whopping 57.6% of brands working with influencers operate ecommerce stores – you can expect there to be significant competition for influencer content this holiday season. (Adobe)

3. Shoppers Want More for Their Money

Consumer appetite for promotional offers has intensified significantly. While 62% of shoppers participated in Black Friday sales previously, this year 73% are actively seeking deals throughout the holiday season. (Salesify)

At the same time ‘more’ doesn’t only mean price savings. More than half (61%) of shoppers would pay more for a holiday gift that aligns with their values. (Salesify)

So what’s going on here? As the cost-of-living gap widens, so too does the definition of what VALUE means to consumers. The key is understanding your audience and what they want, and then tailoring your holiday messaging accordingly.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday still matter, but don’t discount at the expense of everything else. Consumers are looking for a brand that aligns with their personal values just as much as finding the best price.

Key Implementation Strategies:

Start from a place of understanding your customers
Plan comprehensive Cyber Week promotions (remembering to start early).
Don’t stop there… add other marketing opportunities to your calendar that will surprise and delight your customers. (Think flash offers, countdown campaigns and personalized promotions) to maintain engagement throughout the season.
Remember that not all of your marketing should be a discount or promotion. Don’t shy away from talking about your brand values. If there is a charitable or sustainable component to your brand, now is the time to get clear on that messaging.

4. Loyalty Program Innovation: Building Long-Term Customer Value

As acquisition costs rise, retention becomes increasingly critical. Subscription services and loyalty programs offer sustainable growth paths by increasing customer lifetime value, reducing advertising dependency and helping you to build real community with your customers.

Key Implementation Strategies:

Build exclusive member benefits and rewards systems with your customer in mind. Make it worth the effort to join the program.
Develop tiered programs that encourage increased engagement and spending over time.
Communicate rewards and benefits clearly so customers know exactly what’s in it for them when they come back to purchase again.
Don’t have the bandwidth to develop a loyalty program this year? You can still offer exclusive benefits to your email list or SMS subscribers to drive retention.

5. Marketing Budget Optimization: Maximizing ROI in a High-Cost Environment

Digital marketing costs continue their upward trajectory while marketing budgets have contracted to 7.7% of total company revenue in 2024. (Adobe) This squeeze demands strategic precision in campaign execution.

Key Implementation Strategies:

Prioritize retargeting campaigns that focus on warm audiences
Increase organic content production to reduce paid media dependency
Concentrate efforts on existing customers and loyal audiences who require less convincing
Negotiate improved supplier terms to preserve margin for marketing investment

Preparation: Your Competitive Advantage

Success in the 2025 holiday season won't come from reactive strategies. Brands that begin implementing these strategies now will be positioned to capture disproportionate market share.

Consumer spending intent remains strong, but the competitive landscape demands a sophisticated strategy. Your brand can transform holiday challenges into growth opportunities, especially if you start preparing now to address these five key trends.

If you aren’t sure where to start with your holiday planning – schedule a free consultation with Lauren & Kaitlin. We’re retail marketing experts who have a combined 30+ holiday seasons under our belts.

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