Most Shoppers Plan to Stick With Trusted Retailers This Holiday Season
New Synchrony research shows 83% of consumers intend to shop familiar retailers, while rewards redemption rises sharply heading into the holidays.
A large majority of consumers plan to concentrate their holiday spending at retailers they already know and trust, according to new research from Synchrony. The survey found 83% of shoppers agreed they would direct most of their seasonal purchases toward established retail relationships rather than exploring new merchants.
Rewards redemption is set to play a notably larger role this holiday cycle. Some 66% of consumers said they plan to use retailer rewards earned throughout the year during the holiday season, a 13-percentage-point jump compared with the equivalent figure from 2025. The trend suggests loyalty programs are increasingly influencing where and how shoppers allocate their budgets.
Read more MSIG USA Names Andrew Pateyuk Head of Retail and Wholesale Property →
The findings carry meaningful implications for retailers competing for consumer wallet share during one of the most critical sales periods of the year. Brands that have invested in building loyalty ecosystems appear positioned to benefit as shoppers lean on existing relationships and accumulated rewards rather than hunting for the lowest price across unfamiliar platforms.
Additionally, 28% of consumers surveyed indicated further notable shopping intentions, though analysts note the broader data underscores a defensive consumer posture — prioritizing familiarity and value extraction over discovery spending amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
The Synchrony data points to a holiday season shaped less by impulse and more by deliberate, relationship-driven purchasing decisions, reinforcing the competitive advantage of retailers with deep, trusted customer bases. Continue reading at All Financial Services & Investing.
