Study: In-store expected to top online shopping this holiday season
Amid tighter budgets, more consumers plan to shop in person at brick-and-mortar stores than make purchases online this year.
Nearly 36% (35.8%) of holiday shoppers plan to shop in physical stores compared to 31.1% who expect to shop online (retailer sites/apps), according to a report by Alchemer, while 19.2% of shoppers anticipate an even mix of online and in-store shopping.
Alchemer’s “2026 Holiday Shopper Report” found that economic pressures have set the stage for holiday shopping this year as consumers carefully evaluate every purchase. Nearly 40% (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.
In related findings, 69% of shoppers rank price and value among the most important factors when deciding what to buy. Significant price increases are the leading reason shoppers say they would abandon a retailer they otherwise like.
Store Operations
The study also found that store operations significantly impact customer satisfaction and loyalty. It noted that consumers have little patience for operational failures from retailers:
•41% say out-of-stock items are their biggest shopping frustration;
•32.3% cite hidden fees at checkout;
•30.6% point to slow checkout experiences; and
•47.7% never provide feedback after a poor experience, often because they don't believe it will lead to meaningful change.
AI
Artificial intelligence is becoming a regular part of how consumers research products, according to Alchemer. But confidence in AI-generated recommendations hasn’t yet caught up with adoption.
[READ MORE: Most consumers have used an AI shopping agent]
Only 35.4% of surveyed consumers said they trust AI-generated shopping recommendations, and 42% believe online reviews may be fake or influenced by AI.
“Our research shows that shoppers don't expect retailers to reinvent the shopping experience, they just want them to get the basics right,” said Brian Henley, VP of research services, Alchemer. “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.”
Methodology
Alchemer surveyed 1,002 U.S. consumers across age groups, genders and shopping preferences to understand the attitudes and behaviors expected to shape the 2026 holiday shopping season.
