Discover how Google, YouTube, and AI shape the US holiday shopping—with 4S behavior, AI tools, and creator marketing strategies driving success.
The US holiday season — stretching from Halloween promotions through Black Friday and Cyber Monday to Christmas and New Year sales — is the highest-stakes period for retailers. According to the National Retail Federation, it accounts for nearly one-fifth of annual retail sales.
In 2024, American consumers proved resilient despite inflationary pressures:
- $241.4 billion was spent online from November to December 2024, marking an 8.7% YoY increase (Adobe Analytics, 2025).
- The global mobile order share grew from 67% to 69% of all orders, and mobile wallet usage grew 10%, flattening the purchasing funnel (Salesforce Holiday Insights, 2024).
- Early shoppers dominated: 38% of respondents expect to shop during October promotional events, up from 24% in 2023. (Deloitte Holiday Survey, 2024).
This fragmented path to purchase is best described through the 4S behaviors: searching, streaming, scrolling, and shopping. To show up in these discovery moments, brands must adapt to a nonlinear holiday journey, where inspiration can strike anytime.
How US Shoppers Behave Across the 4S
1. Searching
- 64% of U.S. holiday shoppers said their “4S” behaviors (scrolling, streaming, searching, and shopping) were blended during the past holiday season. (Google/Ipsos, 2024).
- Shoppers rely on Google for deals and side-by-side product comparisons and “best of” roundups.
Tip for brands: Be present in discovery searches like “best holiday gifts for under $50” or “eco-friendly toys” — not just in branded queries.
2. Streaming
- YouTube reaches over 230M people monthly in the US, surpassing any single streaming service (Comscore, 2024).
- 63% of US shoppers say online video inspired purchase decisions during the 2024 holidays (Google/Kantar US, 2025).
With YouTube available on Connected TV (CTV), holiday shopping inspiration now happens on the big screen, making it a prime advertising real estate for brands.
3. Scrolling
- 65% of Gen Z and millennials say short-form videos influence holiday shopping ideas.
- YouTube Shorts, combined with creator-driven content, has become the new mall window-shopping.
Consumers trust recommendations more when they come from creators they follow.
4. Shopping
- AI-powered tools simplify the path from discovery to checkout.
- Retailers using Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns saw 12–18% stronger conversions during Q4 2024 (Google Ads Performance Insights, Q1 2025).
Growing Holiday Sales with AI-Powered Tools
- AI Overviews in Google Search drive richer product discovery and higher-quality traffic.
- AI Max for Search campaigns helps brands match consumer intent in real time.
- Shoppable CTV ads on YouTube turn living rooms into storefronts.
- Partnership ads with YouTube creators — trusted by 82% of US shoppers — give authenticity to holiday promotions.
Key Takeaway
The US holiday season is no longer about linear funnels — it’s about moments. Discoveries are happening on Google and YouTube across millions of daily searches and streams.
Brands that blend AI-powered search with engaging video storytelling and creator collaborations are most likely to win a larger share of the $200B+ holiday market in 2025.
“Retailers who understand that YouTube and Google are the new holiday store windows, powered by AI, will win this season.” — Google Retail Insights, 2025
