Unwrapping Holiday Shopping: What 44 Billion Emails Reveal About When Consumers Really Buy

(NewsUSA) - Analysis of more than 44 billion emails and 83 million text messages uncovers surprising patterns in when holiday shoppers buy, and what brings them back

Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) may be among the biggest shopping days of the holiday season, but new research suggests consumer activity continues well beyond those major promotional events.

During the 2025 peak shopping season, weekend order rates were twice weekday rates, even as brands sent significantly fewer marketing messages. The research also found that customers making their first purchase from a brand during BFCM spent more per order, on average, than repeat customers.

The findings come from Intuit Mailchimp’s Breaking Through Peak Season Noise report, developed with Datalily. The research analyzed more than 44 billion emails and 83 million text messages sent globally through Mailchimp from Halloween through New Year’s Eve 2025, providing insight into consumer behavior during the busiest shopping period of the year.

Here are several key findings from the research.

1. Quieter marketing days can still be strong shopping days

Some of the season’s strongest shopping activity occurred when brands were sending fewer messages.

Weekend order rates were twice weekday rates, while message volume fell by roughly 60% on weekends. On the Sunday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, brands sent 59% fewer emails and 82% fewer text messages than they did on Black Friday.

The findings suggest that holiday shopping activity can continue even when promotional messaging becomes less frequent.

2. Text messages captured shoppers’ attention

Email remained the larger revenue driver overall, but text messaging generated strong engagement during periods of high shopping activity.

During BFCM weekend, SMS averaged a 15.7% click rate per message delivered, compared with 1.4% for email. At peak points during the season, SMS generated up to six times higher order rates than email and three times higher revenue per message.

The results highlight differences in how consumers respond to marketing channels during the holiday shopping season.

3. First-time customers spent more per order

The holiday season also brought new customers to brands. During BFCM weekend, shoppers making their first purchase from a brand accounted for 59% of email-attributed orders and nearly 70% of SMS-attributed orders.

First-time customers also had higher average order values. Through email, average order values for first-time buyers were 21% higher than those of repeat buyers. Through SMS, they were 39% higher.

For businesses, the findings suggest that holiday promotions can provide an opportunity not only to drive purchases but also to reach consumers who are shopping with a brand for the first time.

4. Some shoppers returned after the holidays

For some first-time customers, a holiday purchase was followed by another purchase in the new year.

Among shoppers who made their first purchase during peak season, 16.6% purchased again during the first quarter of 2026. Those who returned made their next purchase after a median of 26 days.

The findings point to the potential importance of the weeks following the holiday season as businesses continue communicating with newly acquired customers.

Looking Beyond the Holiday Rush

Taken together, the research offers a broader look at how consumers shop during the holidays. Shopping activity can remain strong beyond the biggest promotional days, consumers may respond differently across communication channels, and first-time customers can continue engaging with brands after their initial holiday purchase.

For businesses, understanding these patterns can help inform how and when they communicate with customers throughout the holiday season and into the new year.

To explore the full findings and interactive charts, visit Mailchimp’s Breaking Through Peak Season Noise report.

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