BSM Media finds moms are shopping earlier and using AI

A five-year BSM Media study finds moms are starting holiday shopping sooner, relying more on Instagram Reels, TikTok, creators and AI, and still prioritizing children’s gifts despite inflation and budget pressure. The research, based on 501 online responses in 2021 and 2026, suggests retailers need to reach moms earlier and across more discovery channels.

Why it matters: - Holiday shopping is shifting earlier, which could force brands and retailers to move promotions ahead of the traditional Black Friday window. - Moms are using more discovery tools, from social video to AI, which makes the path to purchase more fragmented. - Even with higher prices, moms are still protecting spending on children’s gifts, showing that holiday demand has not disappeared.

What happened: - BSM Media, a marketing agency focused on moms and families, released a five-year comparison of holiday shopping behavior based on consumer research from 2021 and 2026. - The studies included 501 completed online responses. - The research found that moms are starting holiday shopping earlier and are more likely to use short-form video, creators and AI to find gifts. - Maria Bailey, CEO of BSM Media and author of "Marketing to Moms," said holiday shopping is no longer a six-week season and that brands waiting until Black Friday may be too late.

The details: - In 2021, 6% of respondents expected to begin holiday shopping in September, and 45% said October was their starting point. - In 2026, 18.75% expect to begin in September. - Another 13.89% plan to begin before September. - An additional 12.73% shop for holiday gifts year-round. - In 2021, Pinterest influenced 43.56% of respondents’ gift ideas, TikTok influenced 18.81%, and Instagram Reels influenced 28.71%. - In 2026, 56.28% cite Instagram Reels as a source for discovering holiday gift ideas. - In 2026, 40.58% cite TikTok. - In 2026, 41.55% cite influencers or content creators. - In 2026, 41.55% cite Instagram Stories or posts. - In 2026, 76.33% cite Amazon. - In 2026, 22.22% cite Pinterest. - Bailey said a typical shopping path may include discovering a product in a Reel, seeing another parent use it on TikTok, checking Reddit reviews, asking an AI assistant to compare options and then buying from Target or Amazon. - On AI, 19.57% already use it for shopping. - Another 30.43% have used AI for other purposes and would consider using it for shopping. - Another 24.40% have not used AI but would consider it. - 22.95% say they would not use AI for holiday shopping. - Among AI use cases, 55.31% would use it to find gift ideas. - 46.62% would use it to compare prices. - 39.61% would use it to compare products. - 38.65% would use it to find gifts for someone difficult to shop for. - 36.71% would use it to find deals. - 25.12% would use it to find age-appropriate gifts for children. - 21.74% would use it to summarize product reviews. - The biggest factors affecting holiday spending are food and grocery prices at 65.99%, higher everyday household expenses at 64.85%, higher gift prices at 46.71%, fuel costs at 45.80% and travel costs at 36.05%. - 43.77% expect total holiday spending to be somewhat or significantly higher than in 2025. - 38.55% expect spending to stay about the same. - Nearly 47% say they start shopping when they do to spread purchases across several paychecks. - 72.45% say sales influence when they shop. - If money is tight, 65.53% would cut adult gifts. - 58.50% would cut gifts for extended family. - 53.06% would cut gifts for themselves. - Only 12.47% would cut gifts for their children. - Bailey said moms may change when and where they shop, but they work hard to protect the holiday experience for their children.

Between the lines: - The data points to a more complex holiday funnel, where inspiration, comparison and purchase happen across multiple platforms instead of one dominant channel. - AI is emerging as a new discovery layer, which could pressure brands to optimize for both social platforms and AI-driven search behavior. - The spending data suggests financial strain is changing shopping tactics more than holiday intent.

What's next: - Retailers and marketers may need to launch holiday messaging earlier and across more channels. - Brands may also need to think about discoverability inside AI tools, not just on social media and retail sites. - The study suggests moms will keep shopping strategically as they use sales, stagger purchases and protect children’s gifts.

The bottom line: - Moms are shopping earlier, discovering gifts in new places and using AI more, but they are still prioritizing their children even under economic pressure. - More information