"Less than 15 years ago, it was fairly common for people to wake up at ridiculously early hours to drive to a store, where they would stand in line, waiting for the doors to open in order to grab the best deals. Those people still exist, but not in the numbers they used to, thanks to the convenience of online shopping (and the early start to holiday deals)."
"The average consumer is expected to spend $1,595 on holiday gifts this year, according to Deloitte. That's 10% less than 2024, a figure that highlights the importance shoppers will be placing on bargains this year. And a growing number of consumers will be relying on AI to help them find those deals. Some 33% of the people Deloitte spoke with in its 2025 Holiday Retail Survey said they plan to use AI as part of their holiday shopping-double the number who did last year."
In-person Black Friday participation has declined as online shopping and earlier holiday deals reduce the need to queue at stores. Average consumer holiday spending is expected to be $1,595, about 10% lower than 2024, increasing bargain-seeking behavior. A growing share of shoppers plan to use AI for inspiration, discovery, and deal-finding, with 33% reporting intended use in one survey and 56% in another for Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Retailers with AI-powered recommendation engines stand to benefit, and embedding AI gift finders, style assistants, or deal copilots could meet rising expectations for personalization and efficiency.
Read at Fast Company
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