Black Friday & Cyber Monday consumer trends across the US and Europe in 2026

As competitive and economic pressures increase, earning consumer wallets during peak season can be harder than ever for brands. Instead of a predictable, monolithic customer base, shoppers are deeply fragmented—leaving the majority entirely undecided on their holiday spending.

But many brands are in denial about this reality, relying on generic, broad-stroke holiday campaigns that fail to hit the mark. This disconnect is driving serious customer fatigue, with 42% of consumers admitting they felt disappointed or apathetic after last year's holiday interactions.

Personalization can stop the drop. But only if it's used to treat shoppers as individuals.

In this guide we cover:

• Top trends and data insights: Fresh consumer data gathered from 7,000 shoppers across the US, UK, France, Germany, and Spain.
• Five pivotal consumer trends: The essential strategies brands must deploy to navigate pricing skepticism, social media engagement shifts, and evolving buyer personas.
• The phygital mandate: How to connect digital and physical channels seamlessly to deliver the effortless cross-channel navigation that 82% of consumers now demand.