New Adtaxi Survey Finds 77% of Consumers Will Maintain or Increase Holiday Spending as Shoppers Start Earlier, Seek Value and Go Mobile-First

–New Data Reveals an Active but Selective Consumer Who Primarily Shops on Their Smartphone–

– PLUS: Black Friday is no longer the beginning of the holiday shopping season; AI is an assistant but NOT an influencer; and big box retailers dominate – 

DENVER, CO (September 29, 2026)— Adtaxi, one of the nation’s fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, today announced the results of its 2026 Holiday & Ecommerce Survey, complete with key takeaways for brands, marketers, retail and ecommerce operators, and beyond.

The data reveals an active but selective consumer, mindful of inflation and other challenging economic conditions. Demand has not disappeared; it is being redistributed across audiences, channels, categories, and moments in the shopping calendar.​

“Consumers are disciplined, but not disengaged,” says Adtaxi Director of Research, Murry Woronoff. “The 2026 holiday advantage will not come from simply spending more advertising dollars. ​It will come from entering earlier, finding the consumers with the greatest incremental potential, making value relevant to them and removing ​friction between discovery and purchase.”

Where and When Holiday Shopping Is Happening
Black Friday is no longer the beginning of holiday shopping. 65.7% of consumers expect to start before Thanksgiving, and 39.8% plan to begin even sooner—by the end of October.​

Additionally, Adtaxi’s survey found:

Ages 30 to 44 and 45 to 60 are the earliest groups of holiday shoppers, while 18–29 is more likely to wait.​

Most consumers plan to purchase holiday gifts at big box retailers (67%) and online marketplaces (63%), which dominate because they solve multiple shopper needs at once: assortment, comparison, price visibility, convenience, and fulfillment. 

The overlap between discovery and purchase is one of the report’s most important findings: Big box leads expected purchasing at 67% and gift discovery at 53.4%; online marketplaces follow at 63% and 51.1%. Social commerce reverses the pattern, with higher use for discovery (16%) versus expected purchasing (10%).​

Consumers are spread out across product categories: Clothing has the strongest net positive spread (52% of consumers reporting they’ll spend more vs. 34% report they’ll spend less on clothes), while electronics (37% more vs. 41% less), toys (31% vs. 33%), home furnishings (21% vs. 25%), and jewelry (15% vs. 24%) show more pressure.

Holiday Spending Remains Resilient
Among Adtaxi’s survey findings on how much money consumers are preparing for holiday gift spending this season:

Compared to 2025, 38.5% expect to spend more and 38.2% expect to spend about the same this year, versus 23.3% who expect to spend less. 

Spending growth is concentrated rather than evenly distributed: ages 30 to 44 lead at 48% expected to spend more this year, followed by ages 45 to 60 at 41%; high HHI households reach 47%, compared with 24% among low HHI.

Inflation is the common backdrop: 59% say higher prices are likely to influence holiday spending decisions.
-But the constraint changes by income. Among low HHI consumers, 54.4% cite wages and  42.2% cite their personal financial situation as concerns that determine purchase decisions; among high HHI consumers, inflation remains a great concern at 60.0% while personal-finance pressure falls to 31.8%.​
–That distinction matters. One audience needs affordability and budget control; another needs evidence that the product is worth the price.​

The two largest mindsets consumers report having are seeking the lowest prices (35%) and staying within budget without sacrificing important purchases (27%). Only 9% describe a higher-spend or splurge mindset.​

Digital Purchasing Is Primary
Ecommerce is no longer a channel within the holiday plan—it is the center of the holiday buying experience, and the smartphone is its dominant interface.

62.4% expect to make at least half of their gift purchases online, and 26% expect to make 75% or more online.

-When it comes to digital purchases exclusively, smartphone use reaches 80.7%, far ahead of laptop (48%), tablet (30%), and desktop (24%).​

AI is a shopping assistant, not an influencer: Half of consumers have already used AI for shopping or purchase decisions, but adoption is highly uneven. The leading uses are product research (43%), comparison (39%), ideas (35%), and deal finding (33%).​

-The trust gap is the key finding: only 2.3% rank AI recommendations among top brand-choice influences. ​

“The 2026 holiday season is not about whether consumers will spend; rather, it is about where growth exists, when those consumers enter the market, and what ultimately earns their purchase,” added Woronoff. “Holiday shoppers are prepared to spend, but spending intent alone understates the challenge. Consumers are entering earlier, comparing more aggressively and evaluating every purchase against price, quality, convenience, and confidence. A broad retreat from spending doesn’t define the season; selective spending does.​”

To access the full report, click HERE.

Methodology 
This survey was conducted online using SurveyMonkey among a national sample of 1,029 adults across U.S. geographic regions, income levels, genders, and ages. The survey was conducted on August 25, 2026.

About Adtaxi
Founded in 2010, Adtaxi is a leading digital marketing agency committed to helping businesses achieve growth through innovative and data-driven marketing strategies. With a client-centric focus, Adtaxi leverages advanced tools and platforms to drive meaningful results across search, social, and programmatic advertising. Recognized for its expertise in performance marketing, the agency specializes in scalable solutions that enhance brand reach, optimize conversions, and maximize return on investment. Dedicated to data-driven industry insights, Adtaxi offers Marketing Research Services to clients and consumers alike. Through tailored strategies and an unwavering dedication to client success, Adtaxi empowers brands to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape, making digital transformation accessible and impactful for businesses of all sizes.