According to Forbes, Christmas 2025 is shaping up as the most digitally assisted shopping season yet, with 46% of UK consumers open to using AI agents for holiday shopping and willing to trust them with an average £200 spending threshold. Checkout.com research shows 42% already use tools like ChatGPT for gift ideas, while Shopify’s Global Holiday Retail Report finds 64% of shoppers expect to use AI for at least one task. Meanwhile, Clearpay’s data reveals over a third of shoppers plan to use Buy Now Pay Later this season, with adoption strongest among Gen Z and Millennials. Klaviyo describes Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025 as the first truly “AI-fueled” holiday shopping season, with spending spread across a 16-day window rather than concentrated on single days.
AI shopping copilots
Here’s the thing about this AI shopping revolution – it’s not about fully autonomous systems making decisions in the background. Shoppers want AI to filter the noise and surface smarter choices, but they’re keeping their hands on the steering wheel. The trust comes with conditions: secure systems, easy returns, spending limits they control themselves, and instant purchase alerts. Basically, people are happy to let algorithms do the heavy lifting of comparing deals and scanning holiday sales, but they still want final approval.
The human element
Even with all this digital assistance, the human touch still matters enormously. Shopify’s report shows 73% of consumers still value human interaction somewhere in the process. And loyalty programs are creating emotional connections – 71% of Gen Z and Millennials say they feel more connected to brands through them. The winning formula seems to be “AI plus human”: digital tools handle stock management and basic queries while staff focus on personalized service that keeps people coming back. It’s a delicate balance between automation and authenticity.
BNPL’s pragmatic appeal
Now let’s talk about the other big trend – Buy Now Pay Later isn’t just about expanding budgets anymore. Clearpay’s data shows people are using it for practical reasons: 63% cite convenience, 58% reliability, 52% flexibility, and 51% speed. Many shoppers aren’t trying to spend more overall; they’re looking to smooth out the impact of big-ticket purchases or spread multiple family commitments across several paychecks. But here’s the catch – used thoughtlessly, BNPL can still lead to overspending or missed payments. As it becomes standard at checkout, transparency will be crucial.
What really matters
So what does all this mean for the holiday shopping season? The flashiest tech won’t necessarily win. Shoppers still gravitate toward brands they recognize, clear terms at checkout, and real humans when something goes wrong. The retailers that stand out will combine digital speed with transparency, loyalty, and that human tone. They’ll make holiday shopping feel both effortless and genuinely worth returning to. After all, technology should serve the shopping experience, not the other way around.
