Snapchat has published Wrapped in the Chat: The 2026 Holiday Insights Guide, exploring how brands can align messaging, timing, and ad formats with the private, trusted conversations where holiday purchase decisions are made.

According to Snapchat, today’s shoppers are highly intentional, delaying purchases for deals and researching extensively before buying, so shopper confidence, rather than awareness alone, is what drives conversion.

Collaborative commerce and peer-to-peer validation

• Family and friends are the number-one point of influence on final purchase decisions.
• 92% of daily Snapchatters actively involve their close network in their holiday shopping journey.
• Consumers are 64% more likely to buy a product after discussing it in their private chats.
• 68% of USA Snapchatters say that seeing which brands their social circle loves makes them want those brands more.

The unbounded holiday, from July through Q5

• One in two daily Snapchatters finalises their holiday and New Year wish lists before Halloween.
• 48% of daily Snapchatters begin buying seasonal items before November.
• 60% of Snapchat holiday shoppers seek product inspiration and gift ideas before December.
• 60% of all consumers continue shopping immediately after Christmas, and 65% of daily Snapchatters enjoy shopping from late December through the end of January.
• 87% maintain or increase their app usage during Q5.

Premium cross-category intent

• The average estimated holiday spend for daily Snapchatters across Christmas and New Year is $984, nearly double the $567 spent by non-users.
• 79% of Snapchat shoppers prioritise gift purchases over all other holiday spending.
• Compared with standard internet users, Snapchat holiday shoppers are 3.1x more likely to buy luxury goods, 2.5x more likely to buy sportswear, and 2.1x more likely to book seasonal travel or invest in home appliances.
• According to a Snapchat and TransUnion MMM benchmark analysis, Snapchat is 33% more efficient at driving incremental retail sales than the paid social average.

Snapchat’s holiday checklist for brands

• Start early - Launch brand and inspiration campaigns at least two to four weeks before target seasonal events, rather than holding budget for late-season dates.
• Optimise assets for shareability - Build creative that sparks community validation, with interactive layouts, direct calls to action and peer-to-peer recommendation cues.
• Capitalise on the Q5 wave - Avoid shutting down campaigns on 25 December, and maintain lower-funnel budgets throughout January.

The guide also highlights four ad formats for the season: Sponsored Snaps, which land natively in the Chat feed; Dynamic Product Ads; AR Shopping Lenses, such as virtual try-ons and gift randomisers; and Promoted Places on Snap Maps, which drive foot traffic to physical stores.

For more information, visit snapchat.com.