Stamford – November 10, 2026 -- Some 83% of U.S. consumers plan to do most of their holiday shopping with retailers they know and trust, according to new holiday findings from Synchrony's In Sync with Consumers survey. Rewards and financing are also gaining weight in purchase decisions, with several measures up double digits on 2025.
Favorite retailers get the first look at holiday budgets
Some 80% of respondents said they will check favorite retailers for holiday offers before considering other sources. Another 55% plan to support more local retailers and small businesses, up 5 percentage points from 2025. Meanwhile, 28% are taking a more selective approach to what and where they buy.
Darrell Owens, EVP and CEO, Lifestyle at Synchrony (NYSE: SYF), said trust earns retailers the first look, but clear, differentiated value converts interest into sales.
Earned rewards use climbs 13 points to 66% as price hunting intensifies
Some 75% of consumers say they go out of their way to find the best price, up 9 points year over year. Rewards and payment tools are part of that search:
- 66% plan to use retailer rewards they have earned, up 13 points from last year.
- 58% plan to use specific credit cards for rewards points or cash back.
- 42% are looking for financing deals that split purchases into smaller payments, up 12 points.
- 40% would apply for a store card offering a discount on a first purchase, up 8 points from 2025.
On rewards behavior, 36% actively use rewards or cash back to offset costs. Another 29% will use them only if they happen to have rewards available at payment.
Shoppers expect to spend an average of $1,034 on holiday gifts
Gift cards lead planned categories at 62%, followed by clothing and accessories at 60%, electronics at 32% and entertainment such as shows or concerts at 22%.
Big box retailers (61%) and online marketplaces (60%) top the list of places consumers have shopped or plan to shop this season. Discount retailers and dollar stores follow at 39%, and department stores at 36%.
Survey of 1,092 U.S. adults captures intentions, not completed sales
The survey sampled 1,092 U.S. consumers aged 18 and older, balanced to U.S. Census demographics, between October 1 and October 6, 2026. Synchrony notes that the results reflect reported intentions rather than completed purchases. Its guidance to retailers is to make relevant products, earned rewards and offer terms easy to find and understand.