Despite economic concerns, shoppers stretched their BFCM budgets—and 83% aren’t done shopping. Here’s what to know for next year’s BFCM, and how to capture their next purchase.

After months of economic uncertainty and tariff tensions this year, everything came together for a record-breaking Cyber Week.

56% of consumers spent more than they planned, delivering the spending surge brands were hoping to get. That surge didn’t happen by accident—strong offers, well-timed campaigns, and better discovery tools led shoppers to bring out their wallets.

We surveyed 600 US consumers to understand what drove their BFCM behavior and how brands can keep their attention through the rest of the season.

The results reveal a big opportunity to engage shoppers:

• 95% of shoppers are open to buying again from new-to-them brands if a brand can deliver on what they want.
• 83% still have items left on their shopping lists through the end of the year.

So the window to earn customers’ next purchase is very much open.

From AI’s mainstream adoption to what will keep them subscribed to brands’ email and SMS lists, these insights can inform your next moves.

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8 key actions you can take right now

Before we dive into the full findings, including insights for next year’s BFCM, here’s what we recommend doing in December based on the data:

1. Treat December as a major revenue window. As 83% of consumers still have shopping to do, keep engagement strong with value-forward offers.
2. Encourage new BFCM subscribers to stick around. Highlight what they’ll miss if they unsubscribe by teasing future deals or upcoming product launches and educate them on the value of being a subscriber.
3. Follow up with BFCM purchasers to encourage their next purchase. Second purchases dramatically increase retention. So use post-purchase flows to help them get the most out of their order and recommend new products that complement what they bought. Target gift-givers with comfort and everyday items for themselves.
4. Offer BFCM browse and cart abandoners a small incentive. They may have lost track of your Cyber Week offer but will appreciate a modest discount even if they missed out on the main event.
5. Support last-minute shopping. Share gift guides, inventory alerts, personalized recommendations, and holiday shipping cutoffs. 
6. Highlight flexible options to reduce friction. Offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options, gift cards, and extended returns.
7. Engage shoppers with triggered journeys. As shoppers browse your site and add to cart, trigger behavioral email and SMS flows that answer questions, surface reviews, and gently remind them about what they’re considering.
8. Gather zero party data (using quizzes, surveys, etc.). Build out customer profiles with their purchase intent, style, and other preferences so you have more information to personalize campaigns with.

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Over half of shoppers stretched their BFCM budgets—the right deals won them over

In October’s Attentive Consumer Pulse, consumers said they were increasing their holiday shopping budgets despite economic concerns. That upward trend continued into BFCM: 56% of shoppers spent more than they planned, while only 8% spent less.

Aside from the 4% who didn’t come in with a specific budget, the rest roughly hit their targets. This suggests shoppers are happy to stretch their budgets if it feels worth it, rather than sticking to strict caps on their spending.

Younger shoppers were the most flexible with their budgets. 75% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials ended up spending more than planned, compared with 47% of Gen X and 28% of Baby Boomers.

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Why many consumers spent more

Among those who spent more than anticipated, a few themes rose to the top:

• 56% found better deals than expected
• 43% were influenced by tiered discounts, minimum spend limits, and bundle deals
• 37% discovered new brands or products they wanted to try
• 36% were driven by impulse purchases
• 27% spent more to qualify for free shipping

This is encouraging. It’s no surprise that great deals will get customers shopping, but these other influences show that brands can pull other levers to increase cart sizes.

Why some consumers spent less

The small group that spent less was mostly held back by price and financial woes:

• 49% felt prices were too high even with discounts
• 47% said deals didn’t meet their expectations
• 32% were more cautious because of economic concerns
• 28% were held back by out-of-stock items

However, some of these shoppers would have spent more if the products they wanted had been available.

The takeaway

Shoppers’ budgets are flexible and they’re willing to spend more when it feels like a smart decision.

Compelling offers, discounts that encourage higher cart values, perks like free shipping, and strong inventory planning create more room for shoppers to click “buy now.”

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72% of BFCM shoppers used mobile, but omnichannel campaigns were key

BFCM isn’t a simple “online vs. in-store” or “mobile vs. desktop” story. It’s a multi-channel journey—with mobile playing a key role.

Where consumers shopped on BFCM

On average, shoppers used 2.3 channels to shop during BFCM. Only 36% stuck to a single channel.

94% of shoppers made at least one purchase online, while 46% made purchases in-store.

Furthermore, while 48% shopped on a computer or laptop, 72% of consumers (and 88% of Gen Z) shopped on mobile devices. This is up from the 64% that expected to shop on their phones and tablets in October.

Their favorite ways to shop on mobile?

• 68% shopped through mobile apps
• 59% used a mobile browser
• 36% bought through social shops

The campaigns that encouraged consumers to purchase

Marketing messages also followed a multi-channel pattern. When we asked which messages led to a purchase:

• 59% remember buying after seeing an email
• 35% remember seeing a text message before buying
• 26% remember purchasing after seeing a push notification

Among those who remember purchasing after seeing a marketing message, over half selected at least two channels.

Attentive’s Cyber Week performance data tells a similar story. Coordinated campaigns across channels saw the highest conversion rates with 14.9% higher revenue per click for campaigns that combined SMS and email compared to SMS by itself.

The takeaway

Mobile is where most shoppers are spending their time on BFCM, but it’s truly an omnichannel experience.

To adapt, we recommend:

• Making your mobile site and app quick to load and easy to navigate
• Coordinating email, SMS, and push together to guide shoppers across touchpoints

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AI went mainstream: 72% used AI for BFCM shopping, led by Millennials and Gen Z

In October’s pulse, 69% of shoppers said they planned to use AI tools for BFCM. That intention showed up in behavior: 72% of shoppers used AI in some way during BFCM.

AI use was especially common among younger consumers. 90% of Gen Z and Millennials used AI to help them shop, compared with 73% of Gen X and 34% of Baby Boomers.

How shoppers used AI during BFCM

Shoppers used AI across the full purchase journey—from discovery to decision-making to price checking. The top use cases were:

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On top of that, smaller sets of consumers are experimenting with more advanced behaviors:

• 27% of Gen Z used visual search to find similar items
• 27% of Gen Z and 20% of Millennials used AI to help them manage their budgets
• 13% of shoppers used an AI agent to handle multi-step shopping tasks
• 11% of shoppers used AI to complete purchases

These behaviors are still emerging, but they point to where AI use is headed, as the tech that supports them becomes more capable and widespread.

The relationship between AI use and spend

AI also showed up in how much people spent. 68% of AI users spent more than they planned, compared with 25% of those who didn’t use AI.

We can’t say for sure whether AI directly caused that extra spend—it’s possible that higher-intent shoppers were also more likely to use AI—but it does suggest that AI is becoming part of higher-conversion journeys.

According to Adobe, AI traffic to US retail websites grew 805% year-over-year on Black Friday—and AI-referred visits were 38% more likely to convert.

The takeaway

AI is now a mainstream shopping assistant, particularly for Gen Z and Millennials.

It makes it easier for shoppers to find the right products, feel confident in their choices, and commit to purchases.

To take advantage of this shift, update your website—especially product pages—with clear, structured content that’s easy for LLMs to read. Add clear specs, thorough descriptions, and comparison content so AI tools can surface your brand accurately when shoppers ask for help.

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Customers rewarded their favorite brands, but BFCM also nudged them to try new options

BFCM is often framed as a brand-switching free-for-all, but shoppers painted a more balanced picture. Most kept their favorite brands at the center of their carts—while still making room to explore.

The split between familiar and new brands

When we asked people how they split their BFCM shopping between familiar and new brands:

• 25% only shopped brands they’d purchased from before
• 30% mostly shopped brands they’d purchased from before
• 41% said it was an even mix of new and familiar brands
• 3% mostly tried new brands
• 1% only shopped with new brands

In other words, loyalty anchors BFCM, but 75% of shoppers included at least one new brand in the mix.

Brand exploration was stronger with AI users, but they also showed strong loyalty. 

Compared with shoppers who didn’t use AI, they were more likely to say they mostly bought from brands they’d purchased from before or had an even mix of new and familiar brands.

AI users were slightly less likely to say they mostly or only tried new brands. Given that AI users also spent more, this suggests that AI is helping shoppers broaden the set of brands they’re willing to consider, while still showing up for the ones they already love.

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What causes shoppers to try new brands

When shoppers chose a new brand over a familiar one, these are the top brand-controlled levers that enticed them to switch:

• 54% said better deals or discounts
• 45% said lower prices overall
• 42% said free shipping
• 35% said better product quality

As far as external factors, consumers said they were most influenced by:

• 40%: Customer reviews and ratings
• 37%: Wanting to try something new
• 35%: Recommendations from friends and family
• 30%: Search results

The takeaway

BFCM is both a loyalty and discovery moment.

Shoppers show up looking for good deals from brands they already trust—but strong offers, visible social proof, and easy discovery from referral programs, search, social, and AI tools can encourage them to try something new.

As a result, BFCM strategies that reward brand loyalists and entice new customers will help grow your base while keeping your existing fans happy.

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A notable 73% of shoppers subscribed to new brands—now’s your chance to win over the ones that are deciding whether to stay

Gain any new subscribers leading up to or during BFCM? Now you’ve got an expanded audience for your promos through the end of the year and into 2026.

73% of shoppers subscribed to at least one new brand for BFCM alerts. That’s a lot of fresh names on your list—but many are still deciding whether they want to stick around.

Why some BFCM shoppers plan to unsubscribe

When we asked how many of these new lists they expected to unsubscribe from:

• 45% said they won’t unsubscribe from any
• 34% said they’ll unsubscribe from some
• 21% said they’ll unsubscribe from most

So about 55% of new subscribers want to unsubscribe from at least some of the brands they joined.

The reasons they want to unsubscribe highlight opportunities to show them the value of sticking around:

• 36% only wanted BFCM deals
• 35% liked the brand but were getting too many messages
• 31% liked the brand but felt that messages weren’t relevant
• 28% got what they needed and don’t plan to shop again soon
• 24% prefer to follow the brand on other channels
• 22% are no longer interested in the brand
• 20% didn’t end up buying from that brand at all
• 19% thought BFCM deals were unappealing
• 16% had a negative shopping or service experience

What leads new shoppers to buy again

On the flip side, only 5% said their purchase was a one-time thing—meaning, 95% of consumers are open to shopping with new brands again if the experience is right.

Here’s what they said would make them buy again from a new-to-them brand:

• 41%: Product quality exceeds expectations
• 34%: Free shipping on the next order
• 34%: Great customer service
• 30%: Easy returns
• 29%: Exclusive loyalty offers
• 29%: Another sale
• 17%: Personalized product recommendations

The takeaway

BFCM subscribers are still deciding whether they want to give your brand a long-term spot in their inboxes.

You can tilt that decision in your favor by:

• Teasing future deals (like Boxing Day) and upcoming product launches
• Personalizing message content for relevancy and frequency to match engagement
• Helping them fall in love with their new items with post-purchase flows that include usage guides and care or style tips (bonus: this also lowers return risk)
• Offering additional perks like free shipping or loyalty rewards
• Building out their customer profile with zero party data (through quizzes, surveys, etc.) to understand purchase intent, style, and other preferences that let you better personalize future campaigns

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Shopping didn’t end with BFCM: 83% still have items to check off their list in December

BFCM may be the biggest spike on the calendar, but it’s not the end of the story. Most shoppers still had more to buy once Cyber Monday was over.

When we asked how much shopping they still had left to do for the rest of the year:

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That means 83% had more items to check off their lists—and even among the shoppers who were done, most were still willing to pay attention to deals.

In fact, according to data pulled from Adobe, in 2024, consumers spent approximately 2.7x more between December 3–31 than they did during Cyber Week. This may shift with 2025’s financial landscape, but it underscores that December is still a major revenue window.

What does change after Cyber Week is shoppers’ mindset. As economic uncertainty continues, they become more cautious and value-focused. 76% of shoppers say their shopping over the next two months will be affected in some way.

Among those adjusting their behavior:

• 49% said they’re waiting for sales and discounts before buying
• 36% will buy fewer items
• 33% will stock up on essentials
• 32% will switch to lower-cost alternatives
• 31% will shop at different retailers
• 29% will delay non-essential purchases
• 25% will look more at secondhand or resale options
• 25% will use more payment plan options

While shoppers remain cautious, this matches sentiment we’ve seen since starting the Attentive Consumer Pulse in April. They’re still willing to buy, but they want to feel confident they’re getting good value when they do.

The takeaway

December is still very much in play and rewards brands that help shoppers feel smart about their choices.

You can:

• Follow up with BFCM purchasers using post-purchase flows to educate them on their purchase and cross-sell new items that complement what they bought.
• Turn gift-givers into self-purchasers, focusing on comfort and everyday categories.
• Entice BFCM browse and cart abandoners with a small incentive—in the chaos, shoppers can lose track of items they wanted to buy but will appreciate a modest discount even if they missed out on the main event.
• Support last-minute shopping with gift guides, inventory alerts, personalized product recommendations, and holiday shipping deadlines.
• Capitalize on December’s key shopping moments like Free Shipping Day, Super Saturday, and Boxing Day.
• Highlight flexible options including BNPL, gift cards, and extended return policies.
• Lean on triggered journeys to continue engaging shoppers as they browse your site and add items to their carts.

“The second purchase is the biggest unlock for lifetime loyalty and dramatically improves future retention. After BFCM, encourage customers who bought for themselves to buy a complementary item, replenish essentials, or ‘complete the set.’ For gift buyers, convert them into self-purchasers by focusing on comfort and everyday categories with a ‘Holiday is for them. This one’s for you.’ message.”

- Lisa Parsell, Lead Value Consultant at Attentive

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Earn the next purchase and prep for BFCM 2026

BFCM delivered the surge brands hoped for. Now it’s time to turn that momentum into lasting relationships.

These insights will be helpful as you start sketching out your 2026 BFCM plans—but also show how brands can adapt to changing customer behavior heading into the new year.

Use the rest of the year and into Q1 to keep iterating on providing value and relevance. That’ll set you up for a strong year and an even better Cyber Week in 2026.

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The Attentive Consumer Pulse: Attentive surveys 600 US consumers semi-monthly to help brands understand how consumer mindset is shifting and how to adapt their marketing strategies. This special edition for December 2025 surveyed those who shopped BFCM sales.