How Japanese shoppers are changing their Christmas spending

With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on many household budgets (mine included!!), Japanese shoppers are approaching the 2026 holiday season with a little more care. But that doesn't necessarily mean choosing the cheapest option!

A survey by Shopify covering 2,000 consumers in Japan found that 47% said economic conditions such as prices, interest rates, and employment uncertainty were negatively affecting their holiday shopping plans. During the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period, respondents expected to spend an average of ¥12,927.

However, shoppers aren't just about chasing bargains. Almost two-thirds of the respondents said they'd rather wait for something they genuinely wanted than settle for a cheap alternative. The most common definition of a good deal was being able to buy a higher-quality product that would otherwise be outside their budget.

Technology is also playing a growing role in Chrissy shopping. More than half of respondents said they might use AI for at least one part of their holiday shopping, such as finding discounts or researching products. However, only 23% said they'd trust AI to make a purchase entirely on their behalf.