When margins tighten and shoppers get cautious, the reflex is to discount harder. The 2026 data points to a cheaper and more durable option sitting right next to it.
According to Alchemer’s 2026 Holiday Shopper Report, price is the deciding factor at purchase for 67.3% of shoppers and the top driver of a good experience for 65.6%. But hidden fees and unexpected charges at checkout rank as the number-two frustration of the year at 32.3%. Shoppers aren’t only chasing the lowest number. They’re punishing the surprise.
TL;DR — key takeaways
- Price is the deciding factor at purchase for 67.3% of shoppers and the top experience driver for 65.6%, according to Alchemer’s 2026 Holiday Shopper Report.
- A significant price increase is the single thing most likely to push a shopper away from a retailer they like, at 42.7%, more than double the runner-up.
- 44.1% of shoppers say the lowest price matters more to them now than it did a year ago.
- Hidden fees at checkout are the #2 frustration of the year at 32.3%, which makes transparency a loyalty lever in its own right.
- Price sensitivity climbs with age: price is a top purchase factor for 14% of 18-to-29-year-olds and 30% of shoppers 61 and older.
How much does price drive shopper decisions in 2026?
More than anything else in the dataset. Per Alchemer’s 2026 Holiday Shopper Report, 67.3% of shoppers name price as the deciding factor at purchase, and 65.6% name price and overall value as the top driver of a good experience. Product quality follows at 48.6% and availability at 32.6%. Price isn’t one input among many. It’s the frame around all of them.
What do shoppers do when prices go up?
They act quickly, and mostly by spending less. Here’s how shoppers respond to rising prices:
| Response to rising prices | % who cited it |
|---|---|
| Buy fewer items | 46.8% |
| Wait for sales | 41.1% |
| Trade down to lower-priced brands | 35.9% |
| Delay purchases outright | 34.1% |
Every one of those behaviors shrinks a basket, and none require the shopper to leave. That’s the quiet risk in a value-first season: loyal shoppers can hurt your quarter without ever churning.
Isn’t discounting the obvious answer?
It works, it’s expensive, and it trains shoppers to wait. Notice that 41.1% already respond to rising prices by waiting for sales. A promotional calendar shoppers can predict converts full-price demand into discounted demand, and that expectation is hard to unwind.
Transparency costs less and does more of the work. Hidden fees are the second-biggest frustration in the entire survey, and no-surprises pricing shows up as a genuine loyalty driver. Showing shipping, taxes and fees before checkout doesn’t cost you a cent of margin. It removes the moment where a shopper feels tricked.
Find out which prices are costing you shoppers. Alchemer Pulse analyzes open-text feedback and reviews for themes and sentiment by segment, channel or location, so pricing complaints surface as a pattern instead of an anecdote. Explore Alchemer for Retail →
Which shoppers are most price sensitive?
Older shoppers, by a wide margin. Price and affordability as a top purchase factor climbs from 14% among 18-to-29-year-olds to 30% among shoppers 61 and older. That’s the group most likely to weight price heavily in every decision and most likely to pull back holiday spending, which makes them the group whose pricing communication matters most.
It also cuts against the instinct to aim value messaging at younger shoppers. The shoppers who most need to trust your pricing often have the longest history with your brand.
How should retailers defend price and value?
Compete on clarity where you can’t compete on the number:
- Show the full price early. Total cost including shipping, taxes and fees is a stated purchase factor for 35.2% of shoppers. Put it on the product page.
- Explain increases instead of hiding them. If a price has to rise, say why and lead with value. A silent increase reads like a hidden fee.
- Keep fees off the last screen. The checkout surprise is what converts a completed purchase into a remembered grievance.
- Segment the message by age. Older shoppers weight price most heavily and need the clearest value story, not the loudest promotion.
With 44.1% of shoppers saying the lowest price matters more now than a year ago, nobody wins this season by pretending price doesn’t matter. But the retailers holding margin will be the ones shoppers trust to quote them a real number the first time.
Want the full report? Read the complete 2026 Holiday Shopper Report for the full pricing and value data, plus the seven priorities shaping the 2026 holiday season.
Methodology: Alchemer’s Research Solutions team surveyed 1,002 U.S. shoppers across age groups, genders and shopping channels about their retail experiences, research habits and 2026 holiday shopping plans.
FAQ
Q: How important is price to shoppers in 2026?
A: Price is the deciding factor at purchase for 67.3% of shoppers and the top driver of a good experience for 65.6%, according to Alchemer’s 2026 Holiday Shopper Report.
Q: What makes shoppers leave a retailer they like?
A: A significant price increase, cited by 42.7% of shoppers, more than double the next reason. Poor customer service follows at 19.3%.
Q: How do shoppers react to rising prices?
A: They buy fewer items (46.8%), wait for sales (41.1%), trade down to lower-priced brands (35.9%) and delay purchases (34.1%), per Alchemer’s 2026 data.
Q: Are hidden fees a real loyalty risk?
A: Yes. Hidden or unexpected charges at checkout are the second-ranked shopper frustration of the year at 32.3%, which makes upfront pricing a low-cost retention move.