• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, Yesterday

Holiday marketing is already gearing up, but brands have to be careful not to overdo it. 

An alarming 82% of consumers unsubscribe from firms that send texts and emails while they are shopping online, according to Optimove’s 2025 Consumer Holiday Retail Shopping Survey.  

Of the shoppers polled, 45% unsubscribe from one to three brands during the holiday season, 33% from four to 10 and 7% 11 or more. Only 15% do not opt out at all.  

Despite these rates, email is by far the most popular marketing medium among consumers:

• Email — 55% 
• Text message — 17% 
• Social media — 12%
• Mobile app notification — 5% 
• Phone call — 4%
• Direct mail — 3%
• Regular postal mail — 2%
• Other — 2% 

But there are warning signs of marketing fatigue, the study says. While 65% of consumers say they receive the appropriate number of messages, retailers risk alienating more than one third of consumers when they oversaturate communication channels. Consumers say: 

• I would like to get many more — 27% 
• A few more than I get now could be useful — 16% 
• I get just the right amount — 22% 
• I wish I could get a few less — 25% 
• I am bombarded by them and often shut them off — 10%

Moreover, 63% will not open at least half of the emails from brands they do not recall subscribing to.  

In general, 59% of consumers intend to wait for Black Friday/Cyber Monday to start shopping. But 88% want offers to be sent early, and 59% desire them more than a month in advance.  

This year, 53% will shop both online and in-store, while 31% will shop online only and 16% will shop exclusively in-store. In addition, 55% have decided where they will shop, although 54% are open to new brands. They will switch for better quality (38%) and better prices (37%).

Engagement is based on:

• Relevance — 39% 
• Special offers — 23%
• Personalized messaging — 20% 

The top three shopping destinations are: 

• Amazon — 89% 
• Walmart — 61% 
• Target — 60% 

Meanwhile, 48% plan to spend more than last year and 36% plan to spend the same amount. As for the economy, 36% have more confidence, 37% feel the same and 27% have less confidence than last year.  

Optimove surveyed 345 consumers in households with incomes of $75,000 or more in July.