18 Big Challenges Retailers Are Facing This Holiday Season

"Customers are more cautious, competition for attention is fierce, and AI-driven discovery is changing how people find and evaluate products. The savviest brands have already refined their messaging, strengthened their operations and stayed close to their customers, giving them a steadier footing for the weeks ahead. Here, 18 members of Forbes Agency Council share their solutions to some of the biggest challenges retailers are facing to help them navigate this holiday season."

"1. Earning Attention In A Short, Noisy Time Span The biggest holiday hurdle isn't competitors; it's earning profitable attention in a short, noisy window of time. Winners prepared months ago by building owned audiences and telling a consistent story across the funnel on a weekly learn-and-shift cadence so that the budget follows what's working and targets higher-value customers instead of vanity clicks. - Elisa Hauser, TubeScience"

"2. Pivoting To GEO If you don't know what generative engine optimization is, then it will be your biggest challenge. Traditional search engines and SEO are going away: AI is the new search. If you haven't pivoted from SEO to GEO by the end of the year, you will get left behind. Feel like you never fully understood SEO? Now it's time to feel the same way about GEO. - Michael Chagala, Rank Harvest Digital Marketing"

"3. Showcasing Genuine Product Value Tariffs have raised prices on many goods, so brands must do a better job of communicating the value of what they are selling this holiday season and not just rely on impulse purchases. Turn "must-haves" into "must-gives." - Stephen Rosa, (add)ventures Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?"

Holiday retail faces a new mix of challenges: cautious customers, fierce attention competition, and AI-driven discovery reshaping how people find and evaluate products. Successful brands have refined messaging, strengthened operations and stayed close to customers to gain steadier footing. Winning retailers prepared months ahead by building owned audiences, telling a consistent funnel story, and using a weekly learn-and-shift cadence so budgets follow what works and target higher-value customers. Brands must pivot from SEO to generative engine optimization (GEO) as AI becomes the new search. Price pressures from tariffs require clearer communication of product value, turning must-haves into must-gives.

Read at Forbes