Most retailers begin preparing their businesses for the holiday season as early as July each year. To give you a leg up, we’ve compiled a list of 2026 trends to keep an eye on.
The Season is Expanding
If we’ve learned anything from the past few years of holiday commerce, it’s never too early to begin preparing your site for the season. Consumers are beginning their shopping earlier each year, and you want to be sure that your brand is ready. Many brands begin promotions in October, but early bird shoppers are starting in the summer months with sales like Amazon Prime Day in June.
In fact, two in five Americans now start researching purchases before Black Friday, and 38% go on to complete purchases during that early window. Early shopping activity gives brands a chance to build awareness and shape consideration before competition swells.
Ensure your site is fully optimized before back-to-school season starts so that you can find any weaknesses and make changes before peak traffic hits.
Personalization is Key
We know that customers are increasingly seeking personalized shopping experiences. But now, many of these experiences are driven by AI to deliver them more seamlessly and with greater value. With personalization, trust and transparency are critical. Customers are willing to share their personal information but only if they understand the terms and are convinced of the value added.
Retailers are also shifting to zero-party data – preferences, intentions, and interests that consumers voluntarily provide through content like interactive quizzes or surveys. Gather this data in the months leading up to peak holiday season by producing content on your site, mobile app, and social channels to engage customers and capture their preferences.
AI Shopping Assistants are Increasingly Popular
Nearly 60% of consumers have used AI to shop, and 76% of consumers report wanting AI-powered shopping assistants. As this number grows, it will be imperative for your commerce site to offer AI-powered shopping options.
AI-driven traffic to retail sites grew dramatically during the 2025 holiday season, and that traffic converts at high rates. Product discovery is rapidly moving from traditional search to AI assistants, and retailers who aren’t optimizing for this channel risk being left out of consideration entirely. Think about how your product catalog, descriptions, and site structure can be surfaced effectively by AI-powered tools. For more detailed insights on optimizing for AI search, download our SEO and GEO guide.
Customers are Cautious and Value-Seeking
Economic uncertainty continues to shape consumer mindsets heading into the 2026 holiday season. Consumers are going into the season feeling cautious and directing most of their spending toward practical, everyday categories rather than luxury items. Clothing leads as the top gift category, and shoppers are twice as likely to prioritize everyday items over premium purchases.
Three in ten holiday shoppers actively seek deals and discounts, and mid-priced items continue to outperform other price tiers. Retailers should focus their value messaging beyond simple discounting. Provide greater value by promoting loyalty programs, offering product bundles, or leaning into free gifts and giveaways to engage customers and boost loyalty.
Omnichannel Retail is Fundamental
Omnichannel retail is now a fundamental expectation for eCommerce brands. While sites should be designed mobile first (simplified navigation, mobile wallet options like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and fast site speeds), leading brands don’t neglect the in-store, in-app, and desktop experiences. Your customers are often shopping in more than one spot, and meeting them where they are with a seamless is experience is what transforms one-time buyers into loyal customers.
Connect the digital and brick-and-mortar experiences by offering Buy Online Pick Up in Store or curbside pickup options. Make the returns process easy to give your brand an edge, especially with last-minute holiday shoppers. Same-day inventory visibility across channels is increasingly expected, allowing customers to confirm availability before making a trip. While eCommerce continues to grow nearly five times faster than in-store sales, brick-and-mortar stores account for nearly 80% of total US retail sales. Brands that can bridge both experiences will capture the most demand this holiday season.
Social Commerce Will be a Differentiator
Social commerce has become a primary shopping channel in recent years, with customers discovering brands, researching products, and checking out all within one app. Features like augmented reality (AR) try-on further remove buyers’ hesitation by offering a way to interact with products.
In addition, platforms like TikTok Shop have made live-stream selling with popular creators a key feature. Customers can see a real person interact with a product and discuss its features, increasing purchase likelihood.
How to Prepare for the Holiday Season
Gear up for the holiday season with a free site assessment from the commerce experts at Virid. And stay tuned with our newsletter, where we regularly compile resources to help you optimize your site for success during the holidays and beyond.
