Budgets Are Smaller, but Tech Is Still the Top Gift

Despite rising costs, tech remains one of the most wanted gift categories. According to a CNET survey, 73% of holiday shoppers plan to buy tech this season, and they expect to spend an average of $808 on consumer tech products and services. [1] That figure is $123 less than last year's holiday shopping average, a meaningful drop. [1]

A Consumer Technology Association study of 2025 holiday shoppers found that 88% of U.S. holiday shoppers planned to buy technology products that season. Among those who expected to spend more than the prior year, the most common reasons given were that everyone uses technology, there are new and exciting options available, and tech is a gift that keeps giving.

In that same 2025 CTA study, smartphones topped the wish list, and nearly 70% of consumers said they were considering wireless headphones or earbuds as gifts, more than any other product category. [2] Cases, power banks, and smartwatches were also popular choices. Subscription services accounted for nearly a quarter of tech gift spending in that survey, with 70% of consumers planning to gift one, led by streaming video, music, and gaming. [2]

When Discounts Actually Hit, and How Deep They Go

One of the most useful things to understand about holiday season consumer tech shopping is the discount schedule. Online prices follow a predictable pattern: discounts are around 14% off in early November, climb to 21% off just before Thanksgiving, and reach their deepest point of 30% off during Cyber Week. [3] That means waiting for Cyber Week is still the strategy most likely to yield the steepest markdown, at least on paper.

The catch is that baseline prices have been inflated in many categories, so a 30% discount off a higher starting price may not represent the savings it appears to be. CNET's director of commerce content noted that even steep discounts are not lowering prices as much as before. Most shoppers seem aware of this: 84% of U.S. adults expect purchasing frustrations this season, including misleading discounts (43%), instant product sellouts (39%), and inflated baseline prices (35%). [1]

Before you buy, it is worth checking a price-tracking tool to see what a product actually sold for over the past several months. Ask yourself: is this discount measured against a price the retailer charged for a meaningful period, or against a briefly inflated "original" price? A good answer is a price history that shows a genuine drop. A bad answer is a "was" price that only appeared for a day or two.

Shopping Earlier Is Now the Norm

Close to one-third of U.S. adults (32%) plan to start holiday shopping before November, and 27% plan to shop specifically during sales events. [1] Adobe's forecast supports this shift, projecting that a Black Friday-level of spending will drive growth in October as shoppers seek out early discounts.

For consumer tech in particular, early October sales from major retailers have become a regular feature of the calendar. Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days was scheduled for October 6 to 7, and a separate sale event was set for October 5 to 11. Whether those events deliver genuine value depends on the specific product and whether the discount is real, not just a repositioned price.

Mobile shopping is also growing. Thanksgiving Day is projected to be the season's peak mobile shopping day, with $4.4 billion expected to be spent via mobile device on that day alone, representing an 11% increase over 2025. [3] If you plan to shop from your phone, make sure you are on a secure connection and that the retailer's return policy is easy to find before you check out.

Buy Now, Pay Later: What to Confirm First

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) spending is forecast to reach a record $21.3 billion this holiday season, growing 6.6% year over year. [3] That projected total is $1.3 billion above what consumers spent through BNPL during the 2025 holiday period. Gaming consoles, smart toys, and other high-ticket holiday season consumer tech items are among the products most commonly financed this way.

BNPL can make a large purchase feel manageable, but the terms vary significantly by provider. Before using it, confirm the following directly with the BNPL service:

  • Is there interest, and if so, at what rate and under what conditions?
  • What happens if you miss a payment, including any fees or credit reporting?
  • Does the return policy of the retailer still apply if you paid through a third-party BNPL service?
  • Will the full remaining balance become due immediately if you return part of an order?

A good answer to the return question is a clear written policy that matches what the retailer says. If the BNPL provider and the retailer give you different answers, get both in writing before you complete the purchase.

AI Tools Are Changing How People Find Deals

AI-driven traffic to retail sites grew 127% year over year in August 2026 and is projected to grow 130% year over year overall during the holiday season, with a spike of 141% year over year on Thanksgiving. [3] Shoppers are increasingly using AI assistants to compare products and find discounts, and 69% say they are less likely to return an item they bought with the help of an AI assistant. [3]

That lower return rate is worth noting. If an AI tool helps you feel more confident in a purchase, make sure that confidence is based on verified specs and current pricing, not on a summary that could be outdated. Always confirm the product details on the retailer's own page before buying.

How the Options Compare

Holiday season consumer tech shopping in 2026 comes down to timing, verification, and payment terms. The deepest discounts arrive during Cyber Week, but early October events can offer real savings on specific items if you have already tracked the price. CTA's 2025 holiday study found that consumers planned to split purchases evenly between online and in-store, and that wireless earbuds, smartphones, and subscription services ranked among the most popular gift categories that season. Budgets are tighter than last year, and misleading discounts are a widely reported frustration, so the most useful thing you can do is check a product's price history before any sale, read the return policy before you pay, and confirm BNPL terms in writing if you plan to finance a purchase.

Sources: [1] https://www.cnet.com/tech/holiday-shopping-2026/; [2] https://www.cta.tech/press-releases/tech-remains-a-top-holiday-gift-category-as-shoppers-focus-on-high-impact-purchases; [3] https://business.adobe.com/resources/holiday-shopping-report.html