Holiday and Gifting eCommerce Strategy: How to Grow Gift Sales Online

To grow online gift sales, make it easy to buy a complete gift in one order: bundles, relevant add-ons, gift messaging and clear delivery dates. A holiday eCommerce strategy is the plan a brand uses to capture peak-season demand, from assortment and pricing to checkout and shipping. The brands that win plan months ahead.

The stakes are large. U.S. online holiday sales reached $257.8 billion between November 1 and December 31, 2025, up 6.8% from the year before, according to Adobe Analytics via Digital Commerce 360. It was the first season above $250 billion.

Key takeaways

• Gift shoppers want to finish the gift in one order, so bundles and add-ons matter most.

• Mobile checkout carries most holiday orders.

• AI tools are now a real source of holiday shopping traffic.

• New categories and add-ons should launch two to three months before the peak.

In this guide

1. What did the 2025 holiday season show?

2. How do you increase online gift sales?

3. What are the best add-ons for flower and gift orders?

4. How do you win corporate gifting orders?

5. How should gifting brands plan for Valentine’s Day?

6. FAQ

What did the 2025 holiday season show?

The 2025 holiday season showed that online gift spending keeps growing, that most orders happen on phones and that AI is a new source of shoppers. Brands that plan for all three enter the next season with an advantage.

Key figures from Adobe Analytics via Digital Commerce 360:

• $257.8 billion in U.S. online holiday sales, November 1 to December 31, 2025

• 6.8% growth over 2024

• 56.4% of transactions completed on smartphones

• 693.4% growth in traffic from generative AI tools compared with the prior season

The AI figure matters for content. Shoppers are asking AI tools for gift ideas, and those tools cite pages that answer the question directly.

How do you increase online gift sales?

You increase online gift sales by removing the reasons shoppers leave to finish the gift elsewhere. Offer complete bundles, add-ons that fit the occasion, gift messages and wrapping, and clear order-by dates. Each one keeps the whole gift in your cart.

Seven tactics:

1. Build gift bundles for specific recipients and occasions.

2. Add occasion add-ons in the cart, such as cards, candles or a bottle of wine.

3. Offer gift messaging and wrapping at checkout.

4. Publish order-by dates for each shipping method and region.

5. Speed up mobile checkout, since most holiday orders happen on phones.

6. Create gift guides that answer the questions shoppers ask AI tools.

7. Launch new categories early, two to three months before the peak.

What are the best add-ons for flower and gift orders?

The best add-ons for flower and gift orders are items people already buy for the same moment: cards, vases, chocolates, candles and wine. The best of these complete the gift rather than decorate it. Wine is a strong example because it suits birthdays, thank-yous, dinners and holidays.

UrbanStems added wine as a bouquet add-on in November 2025 through DRINKS Anywhere. Orders with wine average $189.30, compared with $121.81 without. Wine attaches 62% more often than comparable add-ons on the site, and 55% of wine orders come from new customers.

Gift recipients must be 21 or older and sign for wine at delivery. The checkout removes wine for addresses where it can’t ship, so the rest of the gift still goes through.

How do you win corporate gifting orders?

You win corporate gifting orders by making large, multi-recipient orders simple. Offer bulk ordering, address uploads, custom notes, a few price tiers and clear delivery dates. Corporate buyers value reliability and presentation over range.

Wine is a common corporate gift, and it brings extra steps: each recipient must be of age and live in a state that allows wine shipping. An embedded alcohol partner handles those checks for every address, so the gifting brand can offer wine without managing the rules itself.

How should gifting brands plan for Valentine’s Day?

Gifting brands should plan Valentine’s Day by November. Consumers were forecast to spend a record $29.1 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2026, according to the National Retail Federation. Brands that set up bundles and add-ons early are ready when demand arrives.

UrbanStems followed this timeline. It launched wine in November 2025, three months before Valentine’s Day, which CEO Meenakshi Lala calls “our Super Bowl and Black Friday combined into one.” The brand projected a 45% lift in alcohol sales over baseline for the holiday.

FAQ

When should I start planning for the holidays? By late summer for assortment and new categories, and by October for promotions and content.

What sells best as a holiday add-on? Items that complete the gift for the occasion, such as cards, candles, chocolates and wine.

How do I increase gift sales without discounting? Add bundles, add-ons and gift services that raise the value of each order.

Can gifting brands sell wine without a license? Yes, through embedded alcohol commerce, where licensed partners sell and ship each bottle.

How much do Americans spend online during the holidays? $257.8 billion in 2025, according to Adobe Analytics.

About DRINKS Anywhere. DRINKS Anywhere lets eCommerce retailers and consumer brands sell wine and spirits in their own checkout, without licenses, inventory or fulfillment. Licensed partners sell and ship every order, and DRINKS handles state rules, tax and age checks. Talk to our team: https://drinks.com/contact