Black Friday and Cyber Monday may dominate holiday shopping headlines, but new research indicates that consumer purchasing continues well beyond those major promotional events. An analysis of more than 44 billion emails and 83 million text messages sent globally through Intuit Mailchimp from Halloween through New Year’s Eve 2025 found that weekend order rates were twice weekday rates, even as brands sent roughly 60% fewer marketing messages on weekends. The findings come from Mailchimp’s Breaking Through Peak Season Noise report, developed with Datalily.
The data suggests that quieter marketing days can still be strong shopping days. On the Sunday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, brands sent 59% fewer emails and 82% fewer text messages than on Black Friday. Yet shopping activity remained robust, indicating that consumers often buy when promotional messaging is less frequent. For businesses, this means holiday sales strategies should not rely solely on the biggest promotional days.
Text messaging emerged as a powerful engagement channel during peak periods. While email remained the larger revenue driver overall, SMS averaged a 15.7% click rate per message delivered during BFCM weekend, compared with 1.4% for email. At peak points, SMS generated up to six times higher order rates than email and three times higher revenue per message. These differences highlight how consumers respond to channels during the holiday season.
First-time customers were a major force. During BFCM weekend, shoppers making their first purchase from a brand accounted for 59% of email-attributed orders and nearly 70% of SMS-attributed orders. They also spent more: average order values for first-time buyers were 21% higher than repeat buyers through email and 39% higher through SMS. This suggests holiday promotions are not just about driving immediate sales but also about acquiring new customers who may spend more.
Some of those new customers returned after the holidays. Among shoppers who made their first purchase during peak season, 16.6% purchased again during the first quarter of 2026, with a median of 26 days between purchases. The weeks following the holiday season may therefore be critical for continued engagement.
Taken together, the research offers a broader view of holiday shopping behavior. Activity can remain strong beyond the biggest promotional days, consumers may respond differently across communication channels, and first-time customers can continue engaging with brands after their initial purchase. For businesses, understanding these patterns can help inform how and when they communicate with customers throughout the holiday season and into the new year. The full findings and interactive charts are available through (NewsUSA).
