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The holiday shopping season is here, and consumers are approaching it with a different mindset in 2026. Retailers need to understand the trade-offs shoppers are making, and the channels they’re using in order to decide where to put budget and attention.
HOW WE DID IT
Using SurveyMonkey for market research, we surveyed adults across the US and UK to understand consumer behavior for the upcoming holiday season: when they plan to start their shopping, how they are adjusting to rising prices, and where they plan to shop.
- Audience: US and UK adults 18+
- Fielded: October 5-6, 2026
- Sample size: 1,237 adults (519 US / 718 UK)
- Margin of error (95% Cl): ±6.0pp (US) / ±4.0pp (UK)
WHAT WE LEARNED
- Most shoppers expect a pricier season. Two-thirds of Americans (66%) and nearly three-quarters of UK adults (73%) say holiday shopping will be more expensive than last year. Only 24% of US adults and 19% of UK adults expect it to cost as much as last year or less.
- In the US, spending is shifting from "me" to "them." Almost half of Americans (49%) plan to spend less on gifts for themselves, while 37% plan to spend more on others (29% plan to spend less). UK adults are more likely to increase than cut spending on both themselves (37% more vs. 29% less) and others (44% more vs. 21% less).
- Shoppers are relying more on deals and lower spending this season. Shoppers are most commonly relying on more sales and promotions this year (34% US, 33% UK), followed by buying fewer gifts (32% and 28%) and spending less per gift (29% and 22%). About one in five US adults (21%) plan to switch to lower-priced products.
- Holiday shopping starts later in the UK, while US shoppers are less committed to a timeline. November is the most popular month for holiday shopping in both countries (31% US / 32% UK). 29% of UK adults expect to begin their shopping in December compared to 18% of Americans. A quarter of Americans (25%) are not sure when they’ll start, compared to 14% in the UK.
- Shopping is hybrid, and online retailers lead. Only about one in three plans to shop mostly online (36% US, 37% UK). More, however, are shopping equally between online and in-store (42% US, 35% UK), and 22% in the US and 27% in the UK shop mostly in stores. Half plan to buy from large online retailers (50%. 49%), followed by large general retailers or supermarkets in store (39% in both the US and UK) and discount or value stores (36% and 39%).
THE TAKEAWAY: FROM INSIGHTS TO ACTION
For many retailers and businesses, this is the most profitable time of the year. In order to adapt to consumers' changing habits, there are some key questions to ask before entering the holiday season.
- How should you message value? With roughly a third of shoppers planning to lean on sales and promotions, and most expecting higher prices, is your offer framed around savings, or do you assume shoppers will find the deal themselves?
- When should you show up? The bulk of shoppers start in November, but a quarter of Americans haven’t decided. Are you capturing undecided shoppers early, and in the UK, are you staying visible into December?
- Who are you targeting? US shoppers are protecting spending on others at the expense of treating themselves. Does your holiday creative lead with gifting rather than self-purchase?
🎁 The questions this research raises are ones your own audience can answer. SurveyMonkey LaunchPad makes it easy to run studies like this one: pick a solution, reach your audience, and get decision-ready results in hours.
