Holiday Shoppers Face More Financial Stress in 2026 Season
A new ETA-TSG study finds 44% of consumers feel more financially stressed this holiday season, and 57% report negative effects when merchants reject their preferred payment.
Holiday shoppers are heading into the 2026 season under heightened financial strain, according to the seventh annual study conducted by the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) and The Strawhecker Group (TSG). The research found that 44% of consumers feel more financially stressed compared to prior years, underscoring the economic pressures shaping purchasing decisions this cycle.
The study highlights a growing friction point between shoppers and retailers: payment method acceptance. A substantial 57% of respondents said they experienced negative consequences when a merchant did not accept their preferred form of payment. That figure signals that payment flexibility is no longer a convenience but a potential driver of lost sales for businesses.
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The findings arrive as retailers gear up for one of the most competitive holiday shopping periods in recent memory. With consumer budgets under pressure, merchants who limit payment options may be inadvertently pushing customers toward competitors who offer broader checkout flexibility — whether through digital wallets, buy-now-pay-later services, or traditional card networks.
Analysts note that the dual pressures of financial stress and payment preference are compounding. When shoppers are already stretching budgets, a declined or unavailable payment method can be the deciding factor between completing a purchase or abandoning it entirely. For the payments industry, the data reinforces the business case for broad acceptance infrastructure heading into peak retail season.
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