Meta has published new holiday consumer insights for 2026, revealing how shoppers are using its platforms to discover, research, and purchase gifts ahead of the peak season.

Shopping starts earlier than ever

• 45% of shoppers begin holiday shopping before November, with 18% starting as early as summer.
• Instagram and Facebook are the top social platforms used for gift discovery, with Reels driving 58% of product discoveries among Gen Z shoppers.
• 86% of global holiday shoppers use social media for inspiration across Reels, Stories and Feed.

AI is reshaping the path to purchase

• More than 1 in 3 shoppers say they have used Meta AI to help find gifts, with younger shoppers significantly more likely to use AI-powered search tools during the holiday season.
• Consumers using Meta AI to discover products are more likely to make a purchase, with higher average order values than those who do not use AI assistance.
• Personalised AI recommendations are driving stronger click-through rates and conversion, particularly for beauty, fashion and home categories.

Video and creators drive purchase decisions

• 64% of Instagram users say they are more likely to buy a product after seeing it in a Reel.
• Creator content outperforms brand-owned content in driving purchase intent, with creator-led campaigns delivering 2x the return on ad spend of standard brand creative during the holiday period.
• Live shopping events on Facebook and Instagram are growing, with viewers 70% more likely to purchase a product they have seen demonstrated live.

Messaging is the new storefront

• More than 1 billion people message a business on Meta’s apps every week, with holiday messaging volumes up 30% year-on-year.
• Businesses using Meta’s AI-powered Business Agent to handle customer conversations during the holiday season are seeing significant improvements in response times and customer satisfaction scores.

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