Observed Signal · Aug 4, 2026 · Survey · Source: Retail Dive · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Consumer AI adoption in holiday shopping Market: Two‑thirds of Holiday Shoppers Use AI
A survey by marketing firm Attentive of 600 U.S. consumers found that 67% of shoppers used AI tools in the past three months to help manage purchases this holiday season, with usage rising to 80% among Gen Z. The report also found that 71% plan to start holiday shopping before Black Friday and 84% expect Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals to begin ahead of the day. Shoppers use AI to ask about products, compare options, get recommendations and find deals. Respondents prioritized incentives such as free shipping, gifts with purchase, price-match guarantees and loyalty perks when making buying decisions.
Survey shows substantial consumer adoption of AI tools for shopping and decisioning, which is relevant to retailers, MarTech and retail media strategies ahead of the holiday season.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Attentive surveyed 600 U.S. consumers and found 71% plan to start holiday shopping before Black Friday (46% plan to shop prior to November).
- 84% of consumers expect Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to start before Black Friday, mostly in November, according to the report.
- 67% of shoppers used AI tools in the last three months to manage purchases; 80% of Gen Z reported AI usage in that period.
- Survey breakdown: 58% ask AI about a particular product, 51% use AI to compare products/brands/features, 45% use AI for product recommendations and 43% to find deals/coupons/best price.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mappedGetty Images
Licenses visual, editorial and audio content to brands and publishers.
“A person shopping online. Eighty percent of Gen Z consumers have used AI in the last three months for their purchases. Getty Images...”
Informa TechTarget
B2B tech media and intent data platform for vendor demand generation.
“This website is owned and operated by Informa TechTarget, a global network that informs, influences and connects the world’s technology buye...”
Attentive
AI-powered mobile-first marketing automation for commerce brands.
“Consumers are looking to AI this holiday season to sift through products and search for bargains, according to Attentive....”
Salesforce
Enterprise SaaS platform for CRM, marketing, data, analytics, and workflows.
“During Black Friday, retailers offered 28% online discounts on average in the U.S., flat between 2024 and 2025, according to a Salesforce an...”
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