By Mark Monte-Colombo, Director of Enterprise Seller Development & Brands, eBay UK
Peak season is here, and the race for festive spend has already begun. eBay Advertising’s 2025 Peak Season playbook shows that nearly one in three shoppers (32%) plan to spend more this Christmas than last year – a clear sign that consumers are ready to celebrate bigger and better. But with brands and retailers all fighting for attention in one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, standing out has never been tougher.
Marketplaces: the battleground for festive attention
Marketplaces like eBay are where festive shopping starts. Our research shows that 38% of shoppers use marketplaces to save time, 33% to buy for multiple people in one place, and 31% to find better deals.
Unlike traditional retail channels, marketplaces bring together convenience, variety and value — while making room for unexpected finds. Many shoppers arrive without a fixed idea of what they want to buy, making marketplaces the ideal setting for ads that spark inspiration and guide purchase decisions.
For advertisers, the opportunity is clear: marketplaces deliver both scale and precision. They offer access to millions of high-intent shoppers, combined with the data and tools to reach them with relevant, impactful creative at speed. When backed by dynamic bidding and AI-driven targeting, marketplace ads become the catalyst that moves consumers seamlessly from discovery to decision.
Making every festive moment count
Advertising is what turns festive intent into festive action. More than half of shoppers (56%) say online ads directly influence their festive purchases, and 57% are likely to click on them while shopping – proof that ads don’t just inspire, they convert.
But the smartest ads are more than just well-timed pushes — they’re adaptive engines that learn from real-time signals. They respond to changing demand, shifting budgets automatically to the highest-performing products and categories.
For brands and retailers, it’s no longer just about being seen – it’s about being relevant and intentional. That means understanding who the shopper is, what motivates them, and delivering creative that feels personal, purposeful and perfectly timed.
AI takes the reins this Christmas
AI is already part of the shopper toolkit, with more than half of consumers (53%) planning to use AI tools to support their festive shopping, from generating gift ideas (24%) and comparing prices (24%) to planning budgets (22%) and creating shopping lists (21%).
For sellers, tools like eBay’s Generative AI Description Generator and Magical Bulk Listing Tool make it faster and easier to create optimised listings, streamline uploads and enhance product presentation.
And with eBay’s Promoted Shops and Promoted Offsite solutions — sellers can automatically reach high-intent shoppers both on and beyond eBay. These solutions use AI-powered features to help ensure that no key shopping moment is missed, turning seasonal demand into meaningful results.
By making listings clearer, more engaging and easier to find, AI helps sellers connect with shoppers at the moments that matter most. It’s a win-win: smoother experiences for consumers, and stronger results for sellers.
Turning festive spend into lasting success
Peak season 2025 is bigger, louder and more competitive than ever – but it’s also full of growth potential for sellers that show up strategically. By harnessing the power of advertising and the reach of marketplaces, brands and retailers will be best positioned to capture attention and convert festive intent into long-term loyalty.
When done right, smarter advertising doesn’t just capture festive budgets — it builds loyalty, advocacy and growth that last well beyond the festive season.
For more insights into how shoppers are spending, clicking and gifting this Christmas, explore eBay Advertising’s 2025 Peak Season playbook here.
About the research
All research was undertaken on behalf of eBay Advertising by Censuswide, with fieldwork conducted from 11th July to 15th July 2025 for the 2025 survey. The survey sample was 2,001 adults in the UK who celebrate Christmas.
Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
