• Planning beats panic. Shoppers who timed purchases around major deal days and used price alerts paid less than last-minute buyers.

• Tools save money — when used carefully. Mobile apps and AI helped surface deals, but smart shoppers still double-checked prices and details.

• Flexibility needs limits. BNPL and easy returns worked best for shoppers who used them intentionally, not impulsively.

U.S. consumers set a new record for online holiday shopping during the 2025 season, with total e-commerce spending reaching $257.8 billion from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 — a 6.8 % increase from the year before.

This Adobe Analytics data not only highlights broad spending trends but offers insights that every holiday shopper (and deal-seeker) can use to shop smarter, save money and avoid common online pitfalls.

1. Plan for key sales days — but don’t wait too long

Adobe’s data showed that the spike in online spending was heavily concentrated around what retailers call Cyber Week (the days from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday), but strong deal activity also spread throughout November and December.

Smart tips:

• Try to map your gift list specifically to Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Electronics and small appliances on Black Friday, clothing and smart devices on Cyber Monday.
• Use price-tracking tools like camelcamelcamel or Honey to alert you when prices drop so you make sure you always get the lowest price.
• Sign up for retailer email lists and mobile alerts (Target Circle, Walmart+, etc.) so you’ll catch the deals early before stock runs out.

2. Use mobile tools — but check before you buy

For the first time ever, more than half of all online holiday purchases (56.4 %) were made on smartphones. Christmas Day itself saw 66.5% of all sales made via mobile as most stores were closed.

That means shoppers were relying on mobile deal notifications, shopping apps and quick checkouts. All of which were heavy drivers during the entire holiday shopping season.

Smart tips:

• Download retailer apps (Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy) and turn on push notifications for flash sales.
• Depending on what you’re buying, consider switching to a desktop or a larger screen to double-check details like size, color, and shipping timelines. Ordering mistakes happen much easier on small screens.

3. Embrace smart tools like AI and deal assistants

Adobe’s analysis found a 693 % surge in traffic from generative AI tools. Shoppers were using AI assistants and search tools more than ever to research products, compare prices and find the good deals.

Smart tips:

• Try ChatGPT, Google’s shopping, or Bing Shopping to help narrow your buying options and surface any deal or coupons that can save you money.
• I’m a huge fan of asking AI to compare products side-by-side. For example, try things like “Compare air fryer deals under $150” which will narrow down your choices quickly.
• Also, use AI to find coupon codes, historical pricing trends, and bundle offers you might otherwise miss. Chat GPT does a pretty good job find coupons when you ask it things like “find any coupon codes for Lands’ End.”

4. Take advantage of flexible payment options — carefully

The report also found that Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services hit a milestone of $20 billion in holiday purchases, up nearly 10 % from the prior season, with BNPL increasingly used for electronics, apparel and furniture.

Smart tips:

• If you use BNPL (like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay), be sure to check fees and interest terms before checkout.
• Only use BNPL for items you would buy anyway. Keep in mind that spreading cost out over time can be dangerous if it leads to impulse buys.
• Set calendar reminders for payment due dates so you avoid late fees.

5. Shop with a returns and warranty plan

Adobe found that returns were down 1.2 % overall, though late-December returns spiked just after Christmas.

A planned return strategy can mean you don’t overspend or get stuck with unwanted gifts.

Smart tips:

• Read return policies carefully when buying from a store you’re not familiar with. Free returns with prepaid labels are obviously ideal as we enter a world where more stores are charging for returns.
• Save confirmation emails and order histories so you can act quickly if return windows close fast after the holidays.

When buying big-ticket items like tech and appliances, be sure to check the warranty details when comparing one product or brand against another. A solid warranty is worth paying a bit more for if everything else is equal.