Survey of 2,400+ shoppers finds that Q4 buyers are oscillating between two distinct psychological modes: survival and coping
Bazaarvoice recently released findings from The High Cost of Holiday Cheer: How Consumers Spend, Scroll + Regret Report, which reveals a widening disconnect between festive marketing and how consumers actually feel at checkout. According to the global survey of more than 2,400 shoppers, the “one-size-fits-all” holiday marketing strategy is dead as holiday buyers are managing stress, guilt, and financial anxiety.
Here’s the reality: anxiety surrounds nearly every purchase, as 52% of shoppers feel stressed about buying the essentials. Yet, the data also reveals that over half (62%) of shoppers are willing to stretch their overall holiday budget if they can buy a small indulgence for themselves, highlighting the growing influence of the little treat economy. This is the “lipstick effect” in action. Shoppers are anxious about the macro-economy, so they are cutting back on big-ticket items.
Additionally, the research indicates consumers are now shopping in two distinct emotional modes — one driven by necessity, the other by coping — fundamentally changing how brands must position products during the holidays. Essential purchases (household goods, groceries, basics) trigger logistical stress, such as concerns about availability, delivery speed, and reliability. Meanwhile, discretionary purchases (beauty, tech, fashion, toys) trigger financial stress; guilt over spending and fear of regret. This dual mindset explains why traditional holiday messaging often falls flat. Treating every product as a “gift” ignores the psychological reality shoppers are navigating.
“To win the discovery battle this holiday season, brands must ensure their online presence is equipped with the trust signals that AI models demand,” said Doug Straton, CMO of Bazaarvoice. “This is where authentic user-generated content (UGC), specifically ratings and reviews, becomes the most valuable asset. Those who treat their review data as structured, essential input for AI—ensuring authenticity, maximizing volume, and optimizing for the digital shelf—will secure their place at the top of the AI-driven recommendation and successfully drive holiday conversion.”
Additional key findings include:
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Even as prices climb, 49% of consumers say they plan to spend more this holiday season than last.
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62% of consumers report that even small indulgences, like a “just-for-me” gift, make them more willing to stretch their budget.
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Spending is not always rational. 61% admit to “doom shopping” — making purchases during moments of stress or distraction, often triggered by online browsing or scrolling through social feeds.
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78% report “doom scrolling” as a habit that leads to impulse purchases: endless feeds of ads, influencer posts, and trending products nudge buyers toward unplanned spending.
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These impulse purchases often bypass careful consideration: 49% of shoppers skipped checking product reviews before buying, and 45% of those later regretted the purchase.
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On average, doom-scrolling resulted in 5 items purchased per session, frequently triggering buyer’s remorse.
The High Cost of Holiday Cheer: How Consumers Spend, Scroll + Regret Report is based on a survey of 2,440 shoppers aged 18+ across the U.S., EMEA, and APAC, conducted in December 2025. The research analyzed emotional triggers, stress factors, and purchase behavior across essential and discretionary shopping categories.
Read More: The Psychology Of Sales Enablement: How Tools Are Designed To Empower And Motivate Sales Reps?
Bazaarvoice connects over 13,000 brands and retailers to the authentic shopper content that powers commerce. Our platform captures, moderates, verifies, and syndicates ratings, reviews and other user-generated content (UGC) such as customer photos and videos across the world’s largest shopper network, fuelling everything from product pages to AI-driven discovery and search. We don’t just help you collect reviews; we turn the voice of the customer into your most powerful sales and marketing asset, ensuring your products are discovered, trusted, and chosen.
Founded in 2005, Bazaarvoice is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices across North America, Europe, India, and Australia.
