Consumers drive earlier holiday shopping with digital tools

Holiday shopping peaks in November.

Holiday shopping in Singapore is starting earlier, with consumers increasingly turning to digital channels, mobile devices, and even AI-driven tools to find the best deals.

“Shoppers are planning ahead more than ever before, and that really is to beat inflation, secure early bird deals and avoid stockouts or delivery delays,” said Laura Quigley, Senior Vice President for APAC at Integral Ad Science.

She noted that major e-commerce events such as 9/9, 10/10 and 11/11 amplify urgency with time-sensitive promotions, while brands are adapting to an extended festive cycle with earlier campaigns and an always-on approach.

With 60% of consumers planning to shop online and 71% relying on mobile, Quigley stressed that marketers must prioritise mobile-first creativity, attention metrics, and media quality. “AI driven tools and contextual targeting are playing a larger role in helping brands remain visible and relevant throughout the shopper journey,” she said.

For retailers, the early start is evident in consumer habits. Celeste Phua, Head of Retail Branding and Communications at HomesToLife, said: “Consumers are now frequently adding things into their carts, making sure that they wait for the right voucher or flash deal to make their purchases.”

She added that recent shipping crises have pushed shoppers to buy earlier, particularly big-ticket items like furniture. “At HomesToLife, we really have a lot of orders that are customised, and we encourage customers to choose and make purchases early, because we can never know what shortages will lead to any delay.”

As for product categories, Quigley pointed to electronics such as smartphones, tablets, and smart home devices as top picks, alongside fashion, beauty, home goods, seasonal décor, and toys. Social commerce, she said, is becoming an increasingly important channel. Phua observed a clear uptake in functional furniture ahead of Christmas gatherings.

Retailers are working to sustain momentum over a longer festive period. “Personalised marketing is really important, so extending sales events such as staggered discounts or weekly flash sales keeps shoppers returning,” Quigley said. She added that experiential events, seamless omnichannel experiences, and short-form video content are essential in a mobile-first market.

Phua highlighted collaborative efforts with malls and financial partners. “Shopping malls themselves will also give out coupon rebates, as well as financing providers like credit card, they are also releasing a lot of double miles, double points,” she said. Staggered promotions, she added, “really create an accumulated series of interest over time, and most importantly, when the time is right, consumers will make the conversion to buy the products.