VDO.AI study finds festive shoppers prioritise trust and comparison

MUMBAI: The festive shopper is browsing, comparing and second guessing, making brands work harder than ever to turn festive cheer into checkout clicks. VDO.AI’s Festive Consumer Index 2026 finds that consumers are entering the shopping season with spending intent intact, but are taking a more considered approach to purchase decisions. Discovery is happening across multiple digital environments, while the quality and relevance of advertising are increasingly shaping what consumers consider and ultimately buy.

Among advertising environments, connected TV (CTV) and over-the-top (OTT) platforms emerge as the most trusted, with 38 per cent of consumers placing their trust in advertising on these platforms. Social media follows at 29 per cent, while shopping apps account for 19 per cent. AI search stands at 10 per cent and news websites at just 4 per cent.

The numbers suggest that where an ad appears can matter almost as much as what it says, with premium and content-rich environments gaining importance as consumers become more selective about the advertising they engage with.

Despite the more cautious path to purchase, festive spending itself remains resilient. As many as 89 per cent of consumers plan to maintain or increase their festive spending this year. Fashion leads purchase intent, with 72 per cent planning to shop in the category.

But intent does not necessarily translate into an immediate transaction. More than 70 per cent of consumers compare at least three brands before making a purchase, while 58 per cent postpone buying while waiting for festive sales or better offers.

That puts decision support firmly on the marketing agenda. Product demonstrations emerge as the strongest creative preference among consumers, with interactive advertisements a close second. The findings indicate a growing appetite for advertising that can explain products, demonstrate their value and give consumers room to explore rather than simply interrupting their content.

Attention, however, has its limits. Excessive repetition is identified as the biggest contributor to advertising fatigue, while irrelevant messaging, overly promotional communication and generic creative also contribute significantly to consumers avoiding ads.

For marketers, the findings point towards a festive playbook built around relevance rather than sheer frequency. Consumers may have money set aside for the season, but brands still have to earn their attention before they earn their purchase.

VDO.AI Co-founder Arjit Sachdeva said the findings show that consumers have plenty of choices and information, but increasingly value advertising that helps them navigate those choices. For marketers, he said, the shift is from competing simply for attention towards earning it through relevance, usefulness and alignment with the point of decision.

The Festive Consumer Index 2026 therefore goes beyond tracking what consumers intend to buy. It examines where they look, which advertising environments they trust and what types of creative can move them closer to action, offering marketers a framework for planning festive media, creative and consumer experiences.