Consumer Behavior

In-store shopping will beat online this holiday season, claims study

Adobe Stock

August 4, 2026

Summarize with

When it comes to holiday shopping consumers will be in the store more than they will be online, according to an Alchemer report. Alchemer is a provider of feedback and customer experience and intelligence technology.

Its "2026 Holiday Shopper Report" polled more than 1,000 U.S. consumers on behaviors, expectations and frustrations expected to shape the 2026 holiday shopping season.

"Our research shows that shoppers don't expect retailers to reinvent the shopping experience, they just want them to get the basics right," Brian Henley, vice president of research services, Alchemer, said in a press release on the findings. "Consumers are spending more carefully, using AI more often and expecting every interaction to be seamless. Retailers that offer a great experience in store and online while delivering good value will have a clear advantage this holiday season."

Additional findings include:

35.8% of shoppers plan to shop in physical stores.
31.1% expect to shop online (retailer sites/apps).
19.2% anticipate an even mix of online and in-store shopping.
38.2% of shoppers say tighter budgets will have the biggest impact on their holiday spending.
Another 27% expect rising prices to influence their purchasing decisions.
Nearly seven in 10 shoppers (69%) rank price and value among the most important factors when deciding what to buy.

Artificial intelligence is becoming a regular part of how consumers research products, according to the study, though confidence in AI-generated recommendations hasn't yet caught up with adoption. Just about half, 48.5%, have used an AI tool to research a purchase during the past year yet just 35.4% trust AI-generated shopping recommendations and 42% believe online reviews may be fake or influenced by AI.

Consumer Behavior