Global cloud communications platform Infobip projects that Black Friday interactions will surpass 7.3 billion during the 2026 peak shopping period across Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The forecast comes alongside research across nine markets showing that 63.2% of consumers used an AI assistant or chatbot while shopping over the past 12 months. In addition, only 19% of respondents plan to wait until the official holiday week to begin buying gifts, signaling an earlier start to the retail season.
Surge in Black Friday Interactions Expected
Retail activity during the year-end holidays is expanding beyond traditional promotional dates. Infobip reported that nearly six in ten consumers plan to start holiday shopping by early November. This behavior prolongs the sales calendar and increases total Black Friday interactions across multiple channels. Consequently, retailers face operational pressure to connect with shoppers earlier through relevant offers and timely customer support in the economy sector.
Shifting Consumer Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence
Consumer habits are changing quickly as automated tools become standard shopping aids. Among the 63.2% of consumers who adopted automated tools, 21.9% reported using them frequently. Furthermore, among shoppers open to using artificial intelligence, 73.4% indicated they would use it to compare products, while 67.8% intend to locate deals aligned with personal preferences. However, the survey found clear limits to automated autonomy, as shoppers prefer tools that inform choices rather than make final purchases or resolve complaints.
Communication Channels and Response Speed
Retailers also face higher consumer expectations around message timing and channel delivery. The study noted that email remains the primary global channel for discounts and newsletters. Meanwhile, text messaging via telecommunications networks is selected far more frequently for status updates than promotional messages, offering brands a way to build initial trust through transactional notifications.
Response speed has also become a critical requirement during peak shopping periods. Specifically, 85% of shoppers surveyed expect an order confirmation within five minutes of purchase. In addition, 47% expect customer service responses within that same five-minute window, requiring brands to manage Black Friday interactions with higher automation through mobile software services.
“Black Friday is no longer a single day or even a single week. It has become an extended conversation between consumers and brands, beginning with discovery and continuing through purchase, delivery and support. AI gives retailers the opportunity to make those conversations faster, more relevant and more personal. The winners will not be the brands that send the most messages, but those that understand when, where and how each customer wants to engage.”
Goran Juršić, Chief Growth Officer at Infobip
Retail Outlook for the 2026 Shopping Period
The extended holiday shopping calendar demonstrates that customer engagement now spans weeks rather than hours. As a result, commercial success will depend on managing high message volumes while maintaining rapid response times across conversational channels. Retailers that align communication formats with consumer preferences will be better positioned to handle high customer traffic throughout November and December.
