Consumer Behavior
Many consumers using AI, social media for holiday shopping
November 25, 2025
More than half, 57%, of holiday shoppers will be using social media when shopping and 39% will be using AI tools.
Those are findings from First Insight's "2025 Holiday Shopping Report," which also revealed a majority, 74%, will spend the same or less than last year.
Consumers are also turning to gift cards and discounts to stretch the holiday shopping budget, according to a press release on the report's findings.
While 42% of consumers plan to checkout directly through social media, shoppers are increasingly looking to AI as their holiday "one-stop-shop," with 68% of those using tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude making purchases directly through them.
This shift toward AI-driven shopping is especially prevalent among Gen Z shoppers, with 73% saying they'll use AI for everything from product discovery to purchase.
Additional findings include:
- Price and convenience continue to drive shopping behavior, both in-store and online. Consumers cite price/deals (58%) and ease of shopping/convenience (47%) as their top reasons for shopping in-store, with the same factors (55% and 47%, respectively) motivating online purchases.
- Consumers are worried packages may not arrive on time, and are willing to pay more to ensure they do. Nearly six in 10 (57%) consumers say they're concerned about shipping delays this holiday season (up from 48% last year). Most consumers (86%) say they're willing to pay for shipping, with 17% willing to pay over $20.
- Facebook and TikTok are the top social platforms used to discover and shop for gifts. For holiday shopping research, consumers turn to Facebook (59%), TikTok (54%) and YouTube (52%) the most. Facebook and TikTok lead the way (59% and 54%, respectively) when it comes to completing purchases, followed by Instagram (47%).
- Big-box retailers hold their lead as preferred stores for holiday shopping. More than one-quarter (26%) of consumers say they prefer to do their holiday shopping at big-box retailers like Walmart and Target, followed by e-commerce marketplaces (15%) and outlet stores (10%).
"This holiday season marks the moment AI truly enters the shopping aisle," Greg Petro, CEO of First Insight, said in the release. "Consumers aren't just using it to search — they're buying through it. At the same time, they're more cautious about spending, focusing on price, value, and convenience. Retailers that listen to their customers and adapt quickly to these new buying behaviors will be the ones building loyalty that lasts long after the holidays."
