Optimizely Survey: Consumers Report Heightened Expectations for Digital Experiences this Holiday Season

63% of global consumers are more likely to do holiday shopping with brands that personalize the experience

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Leading provider of digital experience platform solutions, Optimizely, today revealed results from a new survey, indicating global consumers’ eagerness to shop and spend online this holiday season, while having higher expectations for their digital experiences with brands.

Based on a survey of over 5,000 consumers located in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia and Sweden, the research finds that nearly six in 10 consumers (59%) are looking to make this year’s holiday season a big one, considering the impact of the pandemic on 2020 holiday plans. This was especially true for respondents in Sweden (72%). Their deeper wallets will play a role in making this happen. On average, consumers expect their holiday spending budgets to increase 21.2% over last year (a 25% increase for American shoppers, and a notably smaller increase for German respondents at 13.6%).

“While brands should be delivering excellent digital experiences for consumers throughout the year, the stakes are especially high during the holiday season,” said Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely. “Retailers have a captive audience of consumers who are seeking relevant content, ideas and offers online. However, only the brands that have progressed their digital maturity through experimentation and personalization to become adaptive to consumer needs will differentiate and win over shoppers.”

Following last year’s unprecedented e-commerce boom, the 2021 holiday season shows continued signs of growth. In fact, 55% of global consumers (and 66% of American respondents) said they will do even more online shopping for holiday gifts than they have in the past. Additionally, about the same amount (56%) plan to do holiday shopping via mobile websites and / or apps (66% of U.S. respondents and 60% of U.K. consumers). Web and mobile aren’t the only online channels consumers will look to for holiday shopping, as nearly half of survey respondents (47% globally and 52% among Americans) said they get inspiration for holiday gifts from social media ads.

With these insights in mind, all signs point to a ripe opportunity for retailers – but only if they can deliver excellent experiences online. The Optimizely survey finds that over one-third of global consumers (35%) expect their holiday shopping experiences with brands online to be better than last year. Personalization will be key to delivering on these heightened expectations, as 63% of respondents (and 68% of German consumers) say they are more likely to do holiday shopping with brands that personalize the experience to their needs and preferences.

Visit our website to learn how leading brands and retailers are partnering with Optimizely to unlock their digital potential and deliver adaptive experiences for customers.

About the Survey

Optimizely commissioned Regina Corso Consulting to conduct a survey of over 5,000 consumers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Australia and Sweden to understand their preferences and habits when it comes to digital experiences – including in relation to the upcoming holiday shopping season. This survey was conducted online between August 20 and 29, 2021.

About Optimizely

At Optimizely, we’re on a mission to help people unlock their digital potential. With our leading digital experience platform (DXP), we equip teams with the tools and insights they need to create and optimize in new and novel ways. Now, companies can operate with data-driven confidence to create hyper-personalized experiences. Building sophisticated solutions has never been simpler. Optimizely’s 900+ partners and 1100+ employees in offices around the globe are proud to help more than 9,000 brands, including Toyota, Santander, eBay, KLM and Mazda, enrich their customer lifetime value, increase revenue and grow their brands. Learn more at optimizely.com.

Contacts

Media:
Matt Erickson
Sr. Manager of Global PR & Thought Leadership
+1 952-261-6022
[email protected]

Kally Lavoie
PAN Communications
[email protected]

Author Information

As a detail-oriented researcher, Sherril is expert at discovering, gathering and compiling industry and market data to create clear, actionable market and competitive intelligence. With deep experience in market analysis and segmentation she is a consummate collaborator with strong communication skills adept at supporting and forming relationships with cross-functional teams in all levels of organizations.

Sherril holds a Master of Business Administration in Marketing from University of Colorado, Boulder and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Rutgers University.

Latest Insights:
IBM Quantum
April 22, 2026
Article
Article

Will IBM Quantum’s Q4Bio Challenge Results Lead to Biochemistry Breakthroughs?

IBM Quantum played a pivotal role in the Q4Bio Challenge Results, with five of six finalist teams using its quantum hardware to achieve novel discoveries in molecular simulation and drug discovery that...
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite Redefines the AI Wearable Stakes—But Who Wins the Wrist War?
April 22, 2026
Article
Article

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite Redefines the AI Wearable Stakes—But Who Wins the Wrist War?

Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear Elite marks a turning point in wearable AI, delivering a dedicated neural processing unit for on-device intelligence, privacy, and real-time voice interactions—positioning the company against Apple and Samsung....
VAST Data Valuation Triples. Can a Unified Platform Scale AI Globally?
April 22, 2026
Article
Article

VAST Data Valuation Triples. Can a Unified Platform Scale AI Globally?

Brad Shimmin, Vice President & Practice Lead at Futurum, analyzes VAST Data valuation and its AI operating system strategy, questioning whether unified infrastructure can scale amid persistent market fragmentation....
CadenceLIVE 2026 — Can Agentic AI Finally Crack 3D IC Design Automation?
April 22, 2026
Article
Article

CadenceLIVE 2026 — Can Agentic AI Finally Crack 3D IC Design Automation?

Brendan Burke, Research Director at Futurum, unpacks CadenceLIVE 2026's agentic AI expansion—ViraStack, InnoStack, and a customer-tested Mental Model architecture—and why 3D IC design automation remains the semiconductor industry's hardest unsolved gap....
Latest Research:
Data Fitness for AI-Driven Operations
April 20, 2026
Research
Research

Data Fitness for AI-Driven Operations

In our latest market brief, Data Fitness for AI-Driven Operations, completed in partnership with NETSCOUT, Futurum Research explores why observability alone is insufficient as AI moves toward autonomous execution, and...
Unblocking AI Compute: SiFive Intelligence’s Open Solution for Edge to Cloud Scale
April 14, 2026

Unblocking AI Compute: SiFive Intelligence’s Open Solution for Edge to Cloud Scale

In our latest Market Report, Unblocking AI Compute: SiFive Intelligence’s Open Solution for Edge to Cloud Scale, completed in partnership with SiFive, Futurum Research explores how shifting AI workload demands...
Packaging the AI Frontier: Intel Foundry’s Advanced Packaging Alignment with the XPU Industry Roadmap
April 9, 2026
Research
Research

Packaging the AI Frontier: Intel Foundry’s Advanced Packaging Alignment with the XPU Industry Roadmap

In our latest market brief, Packaging the AI Frontier: Intel Foundry’s Advanced Packaging Alignment with the XPU Industry Roadmap, completed in partnership with Intel Foundry, Futurum Research examines why advanced...

Book a Demo

Newsletter Sign-up Form

Get important insights straight to your inbox, receive first looks at eBooks, exclusive event invitations, custom content, and more. We promise not to spam you or sell your name to anyone. You can always unsubscribe at any time.

All fields are required






Thank you, we received your request, a member of our team will be in contact with you.