The holiday season is here, bringing the rush of last-minute shoppers, overflowing carts, and the race to find the perfect gifts. But getting products off wish lists and into carts is no longer as simple as it used to be. With so much competition and unpredictable shopping behavior, brands need smarter strategies to stay ahead. That’s where AI-driven, multichannel strategies come into play—helping businesses handle the holiday rush and make shopping easy for customers.
So, why are AI and multichannel strategies the real holiday MVPs?
Today’s shoppers move between channels. A person might start browsing on Instagram, check reviews on Amazon, add an item to their cart on your website, and then go to your physical store to complete the purchase. This is the reality of today’s multichannel shopping experience.
Here’s why it matters: businesses with multichannel strategies retain 89% of their customers, while those relying on a single channel only keep 33%. When you add AI’s ability to analyze customer data and personalize experiences, you don’t ensure your content is both consistent and engaging across every touchpoint, wherever your customers are shopping.
7 key trends you need to nail the holiday rush (and how to do it)
- Content that makes shoppers click ‘Add to Cart'
Consumers don’t want blind purchases; a simple product description isn’t enough anymore. Customers now expect engaging content, like holiday gift guides, behind-the-scenes videos, unboxing experiences, and user-generated content. This type of content helps shoppers feel more confident in their decisions. Content plays a big role in driving buying decisions, especially during the busy holiday season when people are shopping with others in mind.
🎯 How AI helps across channels:
Use AI to understand your customers’ behavior and personalize the content you show them. For example, if a shopper has shown interest in a product on Instagram, you can show them a similar product in an email campaign or recommend a gift guide based on their past purchases. AI can also help test different content options, such as images or captions, to see what works best for your audience. By ensuring your content is personalized and consistent across all channels, you’ll boost customer engagement and increase conversions.
If you want to manage your product content efficiently across channels, leverage Productsup’s AI-powered feed management solution to streamline your product data management.
- Personalized gifting
As shoppers look for gifts with a personal touch, personalized items are gaining traction. Whether it's custom jewelry, monogrammed accessories, or tailor-made experiences, consumers want gifts that show thought and care. In fact, in the US, nearly half of Gen Z and millennial consumers said they’re more inclined to buy or give personalized gifts in 2024 compared to the previous holiday season.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
AI can also help automate the process of customizing gifts, from engraving options to size and color choices, ensuring that every customer gets exactly what they’re looking for. By integrating AI into your multichannel strategy, you can showcase these personalized gift options consistently across platforms, ensuring customers find the perfect, thoughtful gift wherever they shop.
- 'Buy now, pay later'—a holiday lifesaver
People love picking out that perfect gift for friends and family, cooking traditional recipes, and dressing up for the festive season, but let’s be honest—it’s an expensive time of year. That’s why Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options are skyrocketing in popularity. Over 75% of consumers prefer using BNPL options when shopping, highlighting the need to showcase these choices early in the buying process. BNPL is particularly valuable for high-ticket items, like electronics and jewelry, where flexible payment options can drive conversions.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
AI can help identify which products to pair with BNPL options by analyzing customer spending habits. For example, if a shopper adds an expensive item to their cart, AI can automatically suggest BNPL as a payment option during checkout. Whether the customer is shopping on your website, app, or in-store, having BNPL available at the right time makes the purchase more appealing. Brands like Peloton have used this strategy successfully, offering BNPL alongside their products to make higher-priced items more accessible.
- Turning browsers into buyers with visual search
Today’s shoppers expect convenience at every turn. When they spot a pair of boots they love, they don’t ask for the brand name or hunt for it manually. Instead, they take a picture and instantly search for the product online. This is the power of AI-driven visual search, and it’s gaining popularity—62% of Gen Z and millennial consumers express a strong preference for on-site visual search capabilities in their shopping experiences.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
Whether it’s on your app, social media, or website, visual search lets customers find products instantly using images. AI drives this functionality, comparing uploaded photos with your product catalog in real-time. This means if someone sees a product they like on Instagram, they can search for it directly from the platform and complete their purchase on your website or app—no friction, no hassle. Add visual search functionality to all your digital touchpoints and optimize your product images with clear backgrounds, descriptive tags, and high resolution.
Discover how Productsup’s Image Designer can help you optimize product images for dynamic creative advertising. This tool allows businesses to easily create and tailor high-quality images for different marketing channels, ensuring consistency and better customer engagement. See it for yourself!
- Shopping smarter with social commerce
Social media isn’t just for browsing aimlessly; it’s a go-to shopping destination. Social commerce is rapidly growing, projected to reach $1 trillion in sales by 2028. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest are turning into virtual storefronts, making it easy for customers to purchase products directly from their product feeds.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
AI can help brands create content that works best for each platform. For example, on Instagram, you might post engaging pictures with product links, while on TikTok, AI can suggest trending hashtags to help your short-form video content go viral. By creating content tailored to each platform and ensuring a consistent shopping experience across channels, you make it easier for customers to go from discovering products to making a purchase. Brands like Lush Cosmetics are already leveraging TikTok trends to showcase their festive products, allowing customers to shop directly from their feed.
Find out how NHS Inc. doubled traffic on new social channels
NHS Inc., a leading skateboarding manufacturer, doubled social traffic by leveraging Productsup’s social commerce and feed management solutions to automate product feeds, optimize order synchronization, and connect with new customers on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.
Learn more here →- Omnichannel fulfillment: Because convenience is king
With more shoppers expecting a smooth and flexible shopping experience, omnichannel fulfillment is key. About 68% of shoppers opt for convenient options like Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup. In fact, 22.1% of these shoppers say they frequently rely on BOPIS for their purchases. The holidays are no exception, with last-minute shoppers turning to these methods to avoid shipping delays.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
AI ensures your inventory is synced across all channels so customers can easily find what they’re looking for, no matter where they’re shopping. Whether they choose to buy online and pick up in-store or have it delivered to their door, the experience should be seamless. Retailers like Walmart use AI and real-time data to optimize stock levels across all of their locations, ensuring customers have access to the products they want when they want them.
- Rise of experiential gifting
As consumers move toward more meaningful and memorable gifts, experiential gifting is taking center stage. Instead of traditional products, many are opting for experiences like concert tickets, travel packages, or unique classes and workshops. For businesses, integrating experiential gifts alongside physical products opens new revenue streams, strengthens customer engagement, and positions them as providers of unique, unforgettable solutions.
🎯How AI helps across channels:
AI can analyze customer behavior, preferences, and past purchases to suggest relevant experiences. It also personalizes promotions, ensuring customers receive the perfect gift every time. With product data management tools, brands can seamlessly integrate experiences with physical products—like offering fitness retreats alongside workout gear. PDM systems help synchronize data across all channels, making it easy for customers to discover and purchase both products and experiences, creating a smooth, unified shopping journey that boosts engagement and sales.
Ready to transform your holiday sales strategy?
This holiday season, your customers will be everywhere: scrolling through social media, browsing in stores, and searching for last-minute deals online. The brands that succeed will be the ones that combine AI and multichannel strategies to meet customers wherever they are.
So, are you ready to maximize your holiday sales and make the most of the season? Now’s the time to implement these strategies and watch your sales soar. Discover how the Productsup P2C platform can help you streamline your operations and boost sales. Book a demo today!