Visa's Holiday Survey: 54% of Shoppers Now Use AI. What It Means for Your Business This Season

AI is already helping shoppers find gifts, compare prices and track down discounts. But that doesn’t mean they’re ready to let AI pay for everything. For your small business, the opportunity is clear: make it easy to discover you, give shoppers a reason to buy, and make checkout feel fast and secure.

Visa’s 2026 Holiday Spending Shift Survey found that 54% of U.S. adults have used AI for at least one shopping task, up from 47% last year. The survey also points to shoppers who are watching their budgets and staying alert to fraud.

Here’s how to turn those habits into a practical holiday-season plan for your restaurant, salon, retail store or mobile business.

Make your business easy to find, and easy to compare

Shoppers are using AI for practical errands, not just novelty. Among people using AI for shopping, 61% use it to compare prices, 59% to check availability, 57% to find discounts and 54% to get gift suggestions.

That means your online information needs to be accurate wherever customers might look. AI tools and people alike can only act on what they can find.

Before the holiday rush, check that your website, business listings and social profiles show:

• Current hours, address and contact details

• Accurate products, services, menu items and prices

• Up-to-date availability, including out-of-stock items

• Clear information about promotions, gift cards and ordering

• Accurate pickup, delivery, booking or shipping details

For a restaurant, that could mean updating seasonal menu items and online ordering hours. A salon can make gift certificates and service options easy to understand. A retailer can list popular products and keep inventory information current. If you sell at markets or events, make sure your online listings tell customers where and when they can find you.

Gen Z is especially open to AI assistance: more than eight in ten are receptive to it, and 73% would let AI suggest gift ideas. You don’t need to build an AI shopping tool to reach them. Start by making your basic business information clear, current and easy to scan.

Turn discovery into a checkout customers trust

AI may help a shopper find your business. The sale still depends on what happens next.

There’s a significant gap between using AI to browse and trusting it to pay. Just 23% of U.S. consumers say they trust generative AI to handle payment transactions on their behalf, according to Visa’s Trust Index. Many shoppers still expect to complete the purchase directly with you.

Keep that handoff simple. Make prices and totals clear. Offer a checkout that works smoothly on a phone. In person, make it easy for customers to tap, insert or use a digital wallet. Visa’s survey found that 21% of shoppers had shifted toward using digital wallets in response to fraud concerns.

A reliable POS system for a small business can help connect the customer’s decision to the payment experience. CardPlus works with GOKUL, which offers a comprehensive POS solution with super competitive pricing. The right setup depends on your business, so consider how you take orders, manage sales and accept payments before choosing a system.

Make security visible without slowing service

Nearly three in ten shoppers said they were targeted by fraud during last year’s holiday season. Among Gen Z, that figure rose to 39%. Three-quarters of consumers said they had changed how they shop in response to fraud.

Their actions included using two-factor authentication (34%), changing passwords more often (34%), avoiding saved payment details (25%), switching from debit to credit (24%) and using digital wallets (21%).

You can’t control every concern a customer brings to checkout. You can make your own payment experience clear, professional and reassuring.

Use modern, PCI-compliant payment hardware and a payment setup that supports encrypted transactions. Make sure receipts don’t expose full card numbers. Train staff to handle payment devices and customer information carefully. If you’re not sure how your current setup handles security, ask your payment provider to walk you through it.

CardPlus offers modern payment terminals, including Dejavoo Z11, QD and P Series models, along with local support to help merchants understand their payment setup. A terminal is one part of a broader security program, not a substitute for following the requirements that apply to your business.

Digital Transactions also covered a related checkout development on October 30: Checkout.com’s adoption of Visa Payment Passkey. Passkeys let customers authenticate on their devices, often using biometrics, instead of entering a one-time passcode. The article reported 5 million passkeys in use worldwide as of May, according to the FIDO Alliance. This is useful context as checkout evolves, but the immediate takeaway for many small businesses is simpler: offer familiar payment choices and keep the process straightforward.

Give value-conscious shoppers a reason to choose you

Cost pressure remains a big part of the season. Visa found that 84% of consumers had taken at least one action to manage higher everyday costs. Nearly half (47%) said they were hunting for discounts, while others were cutting discretionary spending (35%) or trading down to cheaper brands (33%).

A well-planned offer can help you stand out without making your everyday pricing confusing. Consider a limited-time bundle, a gift card promotion, a seasonal menu special or a service package that gives customers clear value. Make the terms easy to understand and keep the offer consistent across your website, social pages and in-store signs.

This is also a smart time to review your own payment costs. Processing fees can chip away at margins, especially during a busy selling season. Review your statements and ask whether your setup still fits your sales mix. CardPlus helps small businesses save money on processing fees while keeping payment options convenient for customers.

Keep an eye on emerging shopping habits, without chasing every trend

Visa’s survey suggests that more shoppers are looking beyond familiar channels. Three in ten Americans expect to buy at least one holiday gift from an overseas seller. Quality and uniqueness ranked ahead of better deals as reasons to shop internationally.

The survey also found growing interest in stablecoins and crypto, especially among Gen Z. These trends may be worth watching, but they don’t mean every local business needs to accept new payment types this season. Focus first on accurate listings, reliable fulfillment, clear promotions and a checkout your customers already understand.

There’s a similar difference between what people dream about and what they plan to buy. Travel and live-event tickets are popular wish-list items, while more shoppers prioritize physical gifts in their actual holiday spending. For your business, that’s a reminder to promote what customers can buy from you now, whether it’s a physical product, a gift card, a meal or a bookable service.

Your holiday-readiness checklist

Use this quick review to prepare before your busiest days:

• Check discoverability: Confirm your hours, prices, menu or service listings, and availability are accurate online.

• Review your offer: Make gift cards, bundles and seasonal promotions simple to understand.

• Test checkout: Run through an in-person and online transaction, including a mobile wallet payment if you accept one.

• Review payment security: Ask about your terminal, encryption, receipts and the security steps your team should follow.

• Prepare for busy periods: Check terminal connections, supplies and staff training before lines build.

• Review processing costs: Look at your statements and discuss options for improving your payment setup.

Make the season easier for customers, and your team

This holiday season, shoppers are using AI to research and compare, but they’re still cautious about handing over payment decisions. That gives small businesses a practical path forward: show up with accurate information, offer clear value and make the final payment feel secure and effortless.

Visa economist Michael Brown summed up the mood: “Consumers are approaching the holidays with both value and security in mind... They’re hunting for deals, shopping smarter and staying alert. That resilience is the real story.”

If your current payment setup is making checkout harder than it needs to be, talk with CardPlus. Our team can help you explore modern payment terminals, payment processing for small business and POS options built around how you work.

Source note: Visa’s 2026 Holiday Spending Shift Survey, conducted by Morning Consult for Visa among 1,016 U.S. adults from September 26 to October 2, 2026; reported margin of error ±3 percentage points. Also: Kevin Woodward, Digital Transactions, October 30, 2026, on Checkout.com’s Visa Payment Passkey adoption and related survey findings. General information only; not legal or financial advice.