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2026 Holiday Retail Reports – Large Retail & Specialty Stores

2026 Holiday Retail Reports – Large Retail & Specialty Stores

$99.00

BIA’s 2026 Holiday Retail Reports break down local advertising spend for the November–December season across 15 retail verticals, with a 2026 forecast by media channel and a comparison to 2025. The bundle includes two reports: the Holiday Retail Report covers five large-format retail categories, and the Specialty Stores companion covers ten specialty categories, now including Pet Supplies and Shoe Stores.

(Note: BIA ADVantage clients can download both Holiday Retail Reports in the platform. Login now.)

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About the reports

Published October 2026, the 2026 Holiday Retail Report (9 pages) and 2026 Holiday Retail Report: Specialty Stores (14 pages) show where local retail advertisers will spend this holiday season. Both are built on BIA’s U.S. Local Advertising Forecast, updated September 2026, and pair it with the latest research on how and when consumers plan to shop.

A look inside the 2026 outlook

$1.41T forecast U.S. holiday retail sales, November and December
58% of shoppers plan to start holiday shopping earlier than last year
~40% of planned gift spending falls in the five days from Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday

Sources cited in the report: Narvar and Etail; PwC, Holiday Outlook 2026.

What’s inside

  • 2026 holiday retail outlook: the sales forecast, when shoppers plan to start, and what drives their purchase decisions
  • 2026 ad spend for each vertical, compared with 2025, with year-over-year growth
  • 2026 ad spend by media channel for every vertical, across 17 channels including Direct Mail, Mobile, PC/Laptop, TV OTA, Radio OTA, CTV/OTT, OOH and Email
  • Channel takeaways that show which media lead each vertical and which are growing fastest
  • BIA Tips for Advertisers for every vertical, with media-mix ideas sellers can take into the pitch
  • Trends to Watch for every vertical, from gift-list intent to the final-week rush

New for 2026

  • Two new verticals: Pet Supplies Stores and Shoe Stores, for 15 verticals in all
  • What shoppers plan to give: the top 10 gift categories this season
  • How shoppers are using AI tools for gift ideas, product comparisons and reviews

Who it’s for

  • Local sellers targeting retail verticals
  • Sales managers looking for end-of-year opportunities
  • Chief revenue officers setting local sales goals and budgets
  • Media leaders building strategies for holiday retail advertisers

Verticals covered

Holiday Retail Report

  • Clothing Stores
  • Department Stores
  • Discount Department Stores
  • Home Centers
  • Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters

Holiday Retail Report: Specialty Stores

  • Electronic Stores
  • Furniture Stores
  • Gift, Novelty and Souvenir Stores
  • Hardware Stores
  • Hobby, Toy and Game Stores
  • Jewelry, Luggage and Leather Goods Stores
  • Other Home Furnishings Stores
  • Pet Supplies Stores New
  • Shoe Stores New
  • Sporting Goods Stores

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