The NRF released its report in November, predicting retail sales through November and December to grow between 3.7% and 4.2% compared to 2024. In 2024, holiday sales rose 4.3% compared to 2023, reaching $976.1 billion in revenue. This year, total spending during the holiday season is expected to amount to between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion.
Economic uncertainty has had an enormous impact on consumers and businesses, as we all struggle to keep up with the growing inflation rate and tariffs. The NRF has uncovered a shocking trend despite financial challenges, however. Based on their report, consumers have shown surprising resilience as sales are expected to grow regardless of widespread financial insecurity. Consumer demand is still going strong, and many consumers are on the hunt for a good deal.
Below is a graph from NRF’s report showing year-over-year growth in holiday spending.
Though economic challenges are still very real for consumers and retailers alike, we have continued to see growth each year. It’s not just the way that consumers shop that’s changing, however. Retailers have been implementing more strategies to encourage shoppers to buy, including extended promotions, increased personalized marketing, and user experience optimization.
Below, we dive into these strategies and how you can make the most of them this holiday season.
Extended Deals
Every year retailers extend the duration of Black Friday promotions, Now, “Black Friday” has expanded to cover the entire weekend, including Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday as well. “Cyber Five” encompasses the entirety of all holiday deals, as consumers now do most of their shopping online. Businesses have been taking it a step even further, though. Some retailers begin offering discounts as early as the first week of November. To take advantage of the holiday hype in 2026, you can use promotional pricing strategies to encourage increased sales, improve the customer experience and make the most of the Cyber Five excitement.
Seasonal Support
To keep up with consumer demand, the NRF expects retailers to hire between 265,000 and 365,000 seasonal workers, which is down from the previous year, as retailers are likely still trying to manage costs as a result of trade policies. Seasonal support staff can be helpful for businesses who expect to move significantly more product during the holidays. This can include retail workers as well as customer support, inventory and fulfillment, web developers and more. During the holidays, you will need all hands on deck to ensure a smooth and painless holiday shopping experience for your customers.
Optimized Return Policy
Just as November and December remain the busiest months of the year for shopping, January is the busiest time of the year for returns. Customers will feel more confident purchasing from you if you have a flexible return policy, especially if their purchase is a gift for someone else. It’s advisable to extend your return window for the holidays and make returns efficient and easy through third-party vendors like Happy Returns and Loop.
Customer Reviews
There’s nothing more valuable than social proof. 98% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase, and more than half of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Many consumers also seek out data from multiple sources to help them with their purchasing decisions. Making this data easily accessible on your product pages is critical for improving the customer experience and driving sales on your site, especially during periods of high traffic. Online tools like Revere help you manage reviews and user-generated content all in one place.
UX Optimization
Improving the design of your eCommerce site will ultimately result in more revenue over time. It’s important to consider mobile adaptability, as the majority of online sales happen on a smartphone. You may be surprised how small changes can have a big impact on the experience of using your site, including the size, shape, and placement of your call to action buttons. It should be easy for users to discover new products and find exactly what they’re looking for quickly. AI personalization tools can help to recommend add-ons or higher-value alternatives to increase average order value (AOV) and provide a customer experience that’s fun and fulfilling.
If you’re ready to explore eCommerce solutions that are built to handle increased traffic, expansive inventory, and complex omnichannel needs, Virid can help. Our eCommerce platform, marketAgility is built with the capabilities large retailers with complex business needs can’t get from a traditional SaaS solution. Contact us to get started and discover your website’s true potential.
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