Email marketing remains a valuable channel for retailers, and incoming AI tools could improve it even more. A new survey by Optimove Insights points to opportunities and challenges for retailers using one of digital marketing’s oldest channels.

To capture a share of limited holiday gains, retailers and brands must zero in on pockets of opportunity across mobile commerce, social platforms, and consumer adoption of AI for shopping.

US holiday shopping remained strong, Fiserv pursued agentic commerce, and Zoomex launched a crypto-backed credit card.

As consumers grow more comfortable with using AI, retail industry leaders see 2026 as a pivotal year in shaping how the emerging technology disrupts the way people shop.

Consumers expect flexible financing options during their shopping journey, especially for big-ticket items, per a report from Synchrony’s Major Purchase Study. Advertising financing is essential, but making it easy for consumers to access is even more important. Simplifying checkout through one-click buy buttons or QR code scans in-store can streamline users’ experience for high pressure purchases and drive loyalty to those retailers for making the process painless.

PayPal merchants will now be discoverable within Perplexity, per a press release—right in time for Cyber Five. PayPal merchants stand to benefit from the rising tide of genAI adopters who are reinventing the research, product recommendation, and deal-seeking status quo. Merchants that cater to Gen Z should push to be early adopters of the new update: 47% of Gen Zers already have found a new brand or product through AI, per an Adobe survey. Early mover merchants could get a boost from genAI holiday volume this season.

Cyber Monday ad spending eclipsed Black Friday for the first time last year, per a Sensor Tower and Pathmatics analysis of spend from the “shopping” category between October 1 and December 31. While the digital sales day brought in just $300,000 more in ad spending than its in-person counterpart, it represents a turning point in the yearslong trend. As even Black Friday shopping moves online, advertising with the tail end of the Cyber Five period in mind could help with both day-of sales and December shopping.

"The magic where I see it is all that you have done through the year actually get puts into practice and see the result during the holiday season," said Minyi Su, marketing lead at Bluemercury, during a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers."

As shoppers flock to LLM-powered searches to learn more about products and set shopping budgets, Salesforce data reveals new opportunities for brands looking to have a firm hold on their customers' journeys.

Holiday shoppers are stressed and overwhelmed, per Accenture’s 19th Annual Holiday Shopping Survey. And this is leading to lower conversion rates: 85% of consumers are likely to abandon their carts due to frustration or indecision, according to the survey. To best meet customer needs quickly, retailers can partner with providers like Checkout.com on its one-click checkout solution Flow Remember Me or PayPal-owned Honey as it integrates AI-powered product recommendations based on users’ conversations with chatbots.

One-third of US adults say prices are noticeably higher on certain products due to tariffs or shipping/import changes, according to a July survey from Omnisend and Cint.

Synchrony reported $1.1 billion in net earnings during Q3 2025—a notable increase from Q4 2024’s $789 million, while net revenues were flat at $2.8 billion YoY, per a press release. Buy now, pay later platforms like Klarna, Affirm, and PayPal have an opportunity to pick off consumers from co-brand and private label issuers as the holiday season approaches. While these cards often boast high interest rates, PayPal’s in-store eligible Pay Monthly offers 5% cashback, and Affirm’s 0% interest days likely connect with Gen Zers trying to avoid revolving credit. As long as these fintechs can offer more competitive interest rates, installment plans, or rewards, co-brand cards are caught on the back foot for securing this consumer segments’ loyalty.

65% of US adults plan to begin their holiday shopping before Black Friday this year, according to August data from McKinsey & Company.

This sponsored video by Contentful will explore the strategies driving success this holiday season.

Despite economic uncertainty, 77% of consumers plan to spend the same or more this holiday season, but their shopping timelines and behaviors are shifting. Klaviyo’s 2025 BFCM Forecast shows why brands must rethink peak-season campaigns with omnichannel and AI-driven personalization.

American Express and UPS partnered to help ease the cost of shipping for small and midsize businesses (SMBs), per a press release. Amex and UPS’ partnership can help SMBs save on shipping costs and could make UPS a more attractive logistics partner—especially as other mailing providers, such as Korea Post, Norway and Finland’s carriers, Deutsche Post, and DHL Parcel Germany plan to stop US-bound deliveries due to confusion over duty charges and required data submissions.

In this podcast episode, we discuss Amazon’s yearly discount sales drive, Prime Day, and how it morphed into a 4-day shopping spree, the number of sales revealed on each day of shopping, how other retailers responded, and what should we expect when the holiday season approaches. Listen to the discussion with Analyst and guest host, Arielle Feger, Senior Analyst Zak Stambor, and Analyst Rachel Wolff.

The growing trade war could dim America’s birthday and beyond: With flags and fireworks largely produced in China, July Fourth may be quieter—and holiday gifts scarcer.

Planning for the holidays may be harder this year as tariffs cast a shadow over both consumers and retailers. “As of right now, we’re seeing a lot of unusual consumer behavior that’s likely to persist as long as tariff uncertainty persists,” said our analyst Sky Canaves, author of our “US Holiday 2024 Recap and 2025 Preview” report. Still, there are steps retailers can take to prepare. Here are three key strategies to help navigate a challenging holiday season.

Retail ended 2024 on a high note as mobile shopping drove ecommerce sales and stores staged a comeback. Will the 2025 holiday season be as fruitful?