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Share on XAI Shopping Use Nearly Doubles as Australian Holiday Buyers Go Mobile-First, Raising the Stakes for Media Quality: Integral Ad Science (IAS)
AI-assisted product discovery rises from 12% to 22% year on year, while mobile-first shopping climbs from 57% to 62% as advertisers compete for value-conscious consumers across an increasingly fragmented digital journey
Australian holiday shopping is becoming more AI-assisted, mobile-first and digitally intensive, creating a growing imperative for advertisers to ensure every media dollar reaches consumers in quality, relevant environments, according to new research from Integral Ad Science (IAS).
IAS’s Holiday Shopping Australia 2026 Report shows a significant shift in how Australians research and purchase during the Q4 shopping season. The proportion planning to use AI tools to research products and gift ideas has increased from 12% in 2025 to 22% in 2026, while overall openness to using AI for shopping rose from 56% to 62%.
At the same time, mobile has strengthened its position as the primary shopping device, increasing from 57% of consumers in 2025 to 62% in 2026. Shopping intent also remains resilient: 77% plan to maintain or increase their holiday budgets, up from 73% last year, even as 54% say they will pay greater attention to sales and discounts.
For marketers, the findings point to a clear Q4 challenge: as consumers move between AI tools, social platforms, video, commerce environments and the open internet, reach alone is no longer enough. Media quality increasingly becomes a performance lever – helping advertisers reduce wasted impressions, protect investment and ensure ads have the opportunity to influence real consumers in relevant environments.
| Commenting on the findings, Jessica Miles, Country Manager, ANZ, Integral Ad Science, said Australia’s holiday shopper has changed more in 12 months than most media plans have. AI-assisted product discovery has nearly doubled. Mobile has extended its lead. And shoppers are doing more of their buying online. For marketers heading into Q4, that is a real opportunity, but following the audience is not a strategy. Consumers now move between social, video, commerce and AI-powered environments within a single purchase journey. Reach alone tells you very little about what that spend achieved. This is where media quality earns its place. Not as a hygiene check, but as a performance lever. Real people. Suitable environments. Measurable outcomes. Every brand will be where the shopper is this Q4. The question is who can prove it worked. |
Key findings from IAS’s Holiday Shopping Australia 2026 Report:
1. AI moves from experimentation to active shopping behaviour
2. Mobile becomes the dominant holiday shopping screen
3. Online is the baseline – but digital intensity is increasing
4. Social and video gain influence across the shopping journey
5. Quality and relevance are increasingly connected to advertising effectiveness
Year-on-year snapshot
| Trend | 2025 | 2026 | Movement |
| AI used for product/gift research | 12% | 22% | +10pp |
| Mobile as primary shopping device | 57% | 62% | +5pp |
| Maintain/increase holiday budget | 73% | 77% | +4pp |
| Plan to shop online more YoY | 40% | 49% | +9pp |
| Video usage increasing | 31% | 38% | +7pp |
| Contextually relevant ads helpful | 39% | 43% |
About the research
The 2026 IAS study surveyed 532 Australian consumers in September 2026 about their holiday shopping plans, digital behaviour and perceptions of online advertising. The 2025 study surveyed 501 Australian consumers in July 2025. Year-on-year comparisons are directional and reflect the responses captured in each respective study.
