The New Holiday Timeline: 4 Ways Advertisers Can Get Ahead in 2026

This article was originally published in 2024 and has been updated with new data and recommendations for the 2026 holiday shopping season.

It may be July, but the holiday planning window is already open.

Nearly one in five consumers plans to begin buying holiday gifts between January and April. Meanwhile, just 9% expect to wait until December to start.

Yes, you read that correctly: some holiday shoppers are getting started before the first signs of spring.

October and November remain the most popular starting points, but the broader takeaway is clear. Holiday shopping is no longer concentrated around Black Friday, Cyber Week, or even the final months of the year. The journey is stretching earlier, giving brands a much longer window to influence what makes the list.

For advertisers, that changes the timeline. Holiday campaigns may not launch at full strength until the fall, but audiences, budgets, creative requirements, and priority media buys should be taking shape now.

The brands that wait for Black Friday to join the conversation will be entering after many shoppers have already started researching, comparing, and making decisions.

What Is Shaping the 2026 Holiday Shopping Season?

Early indications suggest that consumers are still prepared to spend, but they will be deliberate about where that money goes.

More than half of shoppers say they expect to spend about the same as they did during the 2025 holiday season. Another 18% plan to spend less, while one-quarter of U.S. shoppers expect to spend more.

The broader retail outlook remains positive. The National Retail Federation forecasts that U.S. retail sales will increase 4.4% in 2026, reaching $5.6 trillion.

But continued spending does not mean shoppers are making quick or impulsive decisions.

Two in five U.S. consumers begin researching holiday purchases before Black Friday, comparing products, checking reviews, and narrowing down their options. Many then wait for the major promotional window to complete the purchase, with 38% buying during that earlier research period.

For advertisers, that creates two distinct jobs. The weeks leading into Black Friday are the time to build awareness, provide useful information, and earn a place on the shortlist. Cyber Week is when messaging can shift toward urgency, promotions, and conversion.

The brands that wait until the deals begin may still reach shoppers, but they risk arriving after the most important decisions have already been made.

Four Ways to Get Ahead of the 2026 Holiday Season

1. Move From Planning Into Market Earlier

July and August should not be treated as downtime before the holiday rush.

Use this period to finalize audiences, channel mix, measurement plans, promotional calendars, and creative needs. Brands with longer consideration cycles should also begin building awareness rather than waiting until shoppers are ready to buy.

That does not mean launching overtly festive creative in the middle of summer. Early messaging can introduce products, build familiarity, gather engagement signals, and help brands learn which audiences and messages are gaining traction.

By October, advertisers should be scaling what works, not beginning from scratch.

2. Secure Priority Inventory Before Competition Peaks

Not every holiday media buy needs to be locked months in advance, but premium opportunities often require earlier action.

High-impact CTV and video placements, publisher sponsorships, custom content, retail media partnerships, and seasonal takeovers can become more limited or expensive as Q4 approaches. Advertisers that wait may still find inventory, but they could have fewer options and less negotiating flexibility.

Prioritize the placements that are central to the campaign and secure those first. More flexible programmatic, paid social, and search budgets can then be adjusted as shopper behavior and campaign performance become clearer.

The goal is not to make every decision early. It is to avoid leaving the most important ones until the last minute.

3. Make Value Easy to See

Consumers may be willing to spend, but brands should not assume they will overlook price, convenience, or practicality.

The Trade Desk found that holiday shoppers are twice as likely to prioritize everyday items over luxury products, while clothing remains the leading gift category, purchased by 54% of shoppers.

Value can mean a discount, but it can also mean free shipping, convenient returns, loyalty rewards, useful bundles, reliable delivery, or a product that clearly solves a problem.

Advertisers should bring those benefits into the creative rather than burying them on the landing page. Show shoppers why the product is worth considering and make the next step simple.

That consistency should continue across channels. Someone who discovers a product through CTV or social should encounter the same offer, imagery, and product information when they search for it or visit a retailer.

4. Plan for a Shopping Journey That Moves Everywhere

Holiday shopping is not an online or in-store decision. It is usually both.

In one 2026 survey, 69% of shoppers said they plan to buy products in physical stores. At the same time, 67% expect to research products online before purchasing in-store, while 53% plan to browse in stores and later complete purchases online.

That means advertisers need more than a collection of isolated channel campaigns.

CTV and video can introduce the product. Social and creator content can provide ideas and validation. Search can capture active intent. Retail media can bring the message closer to purchase. Location-based and mobile tactics can support shoppers as they move between digital research and physical stores.

The creative and offer should connect across those touchpoints, even if each channel has a different role.

What Winning Looks Like in 2026

The 2026 holiday season is not beginning on Black Friday, and the customer journey will not happen in one place.

Winning brands will start influencing shoppers before competition reaches its peak, secure the placements that matter most, make value unmistakable, and create a connected experience across media and commerce.

Holiday shoppers may still be making their lists. Advertisers should already be making their moves.

Looking for more insight into what shoppers expect from brands? Read Dear Advertiser: A Letter From Your Holiday Shopper.

Build Your 2026 Holiday Strategy

Digilant helps advertisers connect CTV, video, social, retail media, search, display, and digital audio into coordinated holiday campaigns. Contact our team to get started.