Consumer Behavior

More than half of consumers will tap AI for holiday shopping

Generated by AI/Adobe Stock

September 15, 2026

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More than half, 65%, of consumers plan to use artificial intelligence for at least one part of their holiday shopping, and only 8% of retailers view themselves as very confident in using AI to improve the shopping experience.

Those are top findings from the research study: "Narvar's 2026 Holiday Shopping Report." Narvar is an AI-powered platform focused on brand hospitality. The report polled 100 retail decision makers and 1,348 U.S. consumers on how consumers intend to use AI this year.

Nearly 30% will use it for budgeting and planning holiday spend, 43% will use it for gift discovery, 33% will use it to compare products and 15% will use it to manage post-checkout activity such as delivery tracking, according to a press release.

"Consumers aren't waiting for retailers to catch up," Anisa Kumar, Narvar CEO, said in the release. "They've already brought AI into how they discover gifts, compare prices, and decide what to buy. The retailers who win this season will be the ones who meet that shift with a purchase and fulfillment experience that actually lives up to what AI has trained shoppers to expect."

Additional findings include:

45% of shoppers cite having enough money for gifts as a top concern, even though 66% say they have access to extra cash for unplanned purchases most or all of the time.
56% of consumers have delayed or avoided a purchase because they were uncertain how long a refund might take.
51% of consumers say avoiding delivery issues, offering a hassle-free return experience, and providing a discount would each make them want to shop with a retailer again after the holidays.