Ryder System, Inc. has released its 11th annual study examining U.S. consumer shopping behaviors and expectations for 2025, with a focus on holiday shopping trends. The “Ryder E-commerce Consumer Study: How U.S. Consumers Are Shopping in 2025” highlights key factors influencing purchasing decisions as economic uncertainty continues.
The study is based on three surveys conducted throughout early 2025, including reflections on the 2024 holiday season, an annual consumer experience survey, and an outlook for the upcoming holiday period.
Jeff Wolpov, SVP of Ryder E-commerce, commented on the findings: “It’s a challenging year for brands trying to forecast demand. Still, one of the best ways to prepare for upcoming seasons is to reflect on insights gained from the previous ones. Our study identifies patterns and trends in purchasing, packaging, shipping, and returns to help guide strategy.”
Among the main findings is that cost savings remain a top priority for shoppers. Free shipping (76%), holiday sales or discounts (64%), and free returns (31%) were cited as leading motivators for holiday purchases in 2025. In total, 94% of respondents selected at least one of these incentives. Additionally, a third of consumers reported shopping in-store during 2024 to avoid shipping fees, while nearly half plan to reduce their holiday spending in 2025.
Free shipping continues to be significant throughout the year and has increased as a deciding factor by five percentage points since last year and twelve points since 2023. In contrast, fast shipping has become less important; only 15% consider it essential now compared to previous years. For those picking up online orders in-store, avoiding shipping costs was cited by over seven out of ten shoppers.
Comparison shopping is also increasing as consumers look for ways to manage inflation. Nearly half said they are comparing prices more frequently this year—more than those who report buying fewer items.
Flexibility in fulfillment methods has grown in importance too. Scheduled delivery options have nearly doubled in significance since 2023 while preference for fast shipping declined over the same period. Despite this shift toward flexibility, urgency still played a role during last year’s holidays; almost three out of ten shoppers used in-store pickup because it was faster than standard delivery options.
The trend toward omnichannel retailing remains strong as well. Most consumers expect to shop both online and offline during the holidays: plans include visiting stores (74%), using e-commerce marketplaces (73%), store or brand websites (70%), mobile apps (50%), and social media marketplaces (23%).
Wolpov emphasized how these changes affect retailers’ strategies: “In today’s economic climate, robust omnichannel integration is indispensable,” he said. “This year’s findings reinforce the value of cost-conscious, seamless shopping experiences.”
Ryder System provides logistics and transportation services across North America—including supply chain management and e-commerce fulfillment—and manages extensive vehicle fleets and warehouse operations across multiple industries.
For further details about Ryder’s e-commerce solutions or access to the full study visit https://bit.ly/Ryder2025EcomStudy or https://www.ryder.com/en-us/e-commerce/e-commerce-fulfillment.
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