PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — There’s one gift shoppers really want this holiday season: ease of mind. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Holiday Retail Survey, 59% of local shoppers say gift-buying is stressful, especially when shopping for people who seem to have everything.
So, where do you turn for help?
“They are using AI in their shopping experience,” said Jenna Pogorzelski, managing director with Deloitte’s Philadelphia office. “Typing something into AI to find the best deals at local retailers, getting insights on product reviews and things like that are really opportunities for consumers to sort of ease distress in the holiday season.”
About a third of survey respondents said they plan to use AI to help with their shopping — more than double last year.
While it’s a good place to start for gift ideas, Pogorzelski advised verifying AI results before making any purchases in-store or online.
“You have to validate,” she said. “Make sure the results of generative AI are truly, truly quality.”
Experiential presents like gift cards are also growing in popularity, which Pogorzelski said are good options for people who are notoriously difficult to shop for.
Some are already taking advantage of early Black Friday sales, the survey found, but most holiday shopping will kick off in December.
“Things continue to shift earlier, but even despite those deals or despite those perceived deals, they’re still seeing the majority of shopping happening in those critical weeks,” she said.