{"id":116300,"date":"2025-08-04T06:16:08","date_gmt":"2025-08-04T13:16:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zetaglobal.com\/?post_type=insight&p=116300"},"modified":"2025-08-26T07:34:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T14:34:06","slug":"holiday-retail-strategy-2025","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/zetaglobal.com\/resource-center\/holiday-retail-strategy-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the Mind of the 2025 Holiday Shopper: Why This Season Demands a Flexible Retail Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Home<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tInside the Mind of the 2025 Holiday Shopper<\/strong><\/span>:<\/strong> <\/span>Why <\/span>T<\/span>his <\/span>S<\/span>eason <\/span>D<\/span>emands a <\/span>M<\/span>ore <\/span>F<\/span>lexible <\/span>R<\/span>etail <\/span>S<\/span>trategy<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPublished on<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Every holiday season tells a story. But this year is moving at breakneck speed\u2014and brands that cling to old playbooks risk getting left behind.<\/p>

According to Zeta\u2019s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey<\/a>, U.S. shoppers are signaling a dramatic shift in when they buy, how they spend, and what truly matters to them. The path to holiday success? Rethink your assumptions, and respond in real time.<\/p>

Here\u2019s what we\u2019re seeing.<\/p>

A Financial Reset: High-End Budgets Are Down And Value Is King<\/h2>

Let\u2019s start with wallets. Compared to 2024, there\u2019s been a 27% drop in the number of shoppers planning to spend over $1,000 during the holiday season. That group shrank from 45% of shoppers last year to just 33% in 2025.<\/p>

Meanwhile, the budget-conscious segment is growing: 34% of consumers now say they\u2019ll spend less than $100, up from 32% last year.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

What\u2019s behind this compression? Lingering inflation, tighter credit, tariff pressures, and a growing preference for practicality. Even affluent households are reining in their discretionary spending.<\/p>

But here\u2019s the twist: this isn\u2019t a collapse. It\u2019s a recalibration. Consumers aren\u2019t disappearing, they\u2019re just more deliberate. That means retailers must rewire their promotional playbooks to meet a wide range of spending mindsets. Segment smarter. Reward loyalists. And don\u2019t assume the discount shopper won\u2019t splurge\u2014if the timing and offer are right.<\/p>

A Tale of Two Timelines: Holiday Shopping Is Happening Later<\/h2>

You\u2019ve got just 26 core shopping days between Black Friday and Christmas this year. That\u2019s one day less than last year (and six fewer than in 2023). But despite the compressed calendar, shoppers are in no rush.<\/p>

Zeta\u2019s survey reveals that 29% of consumers won\u2019t start shopping until the final week before Christmas, down only slightly from 32.5% last year. And the most budget-sensitive group\u2014those spending under $100\u2014are even more last-minute, with nearly 50% waiting until that final shopping week.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

What does that mean for retail marketers?<\/p>

It means your campaign calendar needs to stretch wider and flex faster. Front-load your awareness campaigns in early Q4, but hold back some of your most compelling value-driven offers for the December sprint.<\/p>

Above all create an agile \u201cwhat if\u201d plan after Cyber Monday so you already have backup plans if needed. If anything, that\u2019s when the real race begins.<\/p>

Black Friday Isn\u2019t Dead, But It\u2019s Definitely Different<\/h2>

Let\u2019s talk about the elephant in the mall: Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Are they still compelling?<\/p>

Only 34% of consumers say yes, a slight bump from last year but still far below the 48% recorded in 2022. That doesn\u2019t mean these tentpole days are irrelevant, but it does mean consumers aren\u2019t planning their entire season around them anymore.<\/p>

They\u2019re waiting for deeper discounts. They\u2019re expecting more personalization. And they\u2019re spreading their dollars across a longer timeline\u2014rewarding brands that show up consistently, not just with a single \u201cbig bang\u201d promo.<\/p>

Instead of betting it all on Black Friday, consider a tiered promotional approach: preview offers, limited drops, loyalty exclusives, and omnichannel bundles that build momentum across the week. The smartest brands will treat Cyber Week as a strategic arc, not just a date on the calendar.<\/p>

The Retail Channel Remix: Digital Dips as Stores Regain Ground<\/h2>

Here\u2019s a surprising stat: The desire to shop online shopping fell sharply, from 43% in 2024 to just 30% in 2025, as a preferred holiday channel. But that doesn\u2019t mean ecommerce is slowing down. What it does mean is that consumers are now blending channels, and expecting brands to do the same.<\/p>

Discount stores (23%) and department stores (21%) both gained share this year, showing a resurgence in brick-and-mortar appeal. Yet it\u2019s not about picking one over the other\u2014it\u2019s about integrating both.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"image\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

That\u2019s where omnichannel strategy becomes a competitive weapon.<\/p>

Use your digital touch points to drive in-store visits and vice versa. In-store engagement tactics will help drive your dwell time, and product recommendations (that are on point) will drive past the average of six product pages viewed.<\/p>

Match your online messaging with in-store exclusives. And make it seamless for consumers to click, collect, return, and repeat\u2014wherever they are.<\/p>

Value as a Key Part of The Retail Equation<\/h2>

In retail, \u201cvalue\u201d has long been associated with price cuts and promotions, but today\u2019s shoppers define it far more broadly. Value now reflects the total experience: quality for the price, speed and convenience, emotional resonance, trust in the brand, and how personally relevant the offer feels.<\/p>

Consumers are weighing not just what they pay, but what they get in return\u2014from faster delivery and flexible payments to curated recommendations and sustainable sourcing.<\/p>

For retailers, this means the path to driving value isn\u2019t always through markdowns, it\u2019s through meaning, ease, and trust. When you deliver on more dimensions of value, you earn the right to compete on something richer than price alone.<\/p>

Final Thought: Rethink the Season to Win the Moment\u00a0<\/h2>

Holiday 2025 is not business as usual. The economy is pressurized. The consumer is calculated. The timeline is compressed. And the competition is fierce.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

But in all that complexity lies opportunity for the brands that listen to real signals, adapt quickly, and execute with precision.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

If you\u2019re still planning campaigns based on what worked last year, it\u2019s time to evolve. A successful holiday retail strategy this season won\u2019t come from shouting louder\u2014it\u2019ll come from showing up smarter.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Download the 2025 Holiday Shopping Trends Report<\/a> to see the full results of the survey, plus more guidance for retailers to win the season.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWant the full picture?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\ud83d\udc49 Download the 2025 Holiday Retail Marketing Guide to see all the survey findings. Plus, get 7 bold strategies for turning insight into revenue this season. \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet it now!\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t