Pulled straight from the front lines of Flip’s retail client base who partner with us for call automation, these are the trends shaping holiday call volume in 2026 and the strategies our top retail brands use to stay ahead.
Holiday retail volume is projected to grow approximately 5% in 2026 , with e-commerce growing even faster at 8% (Deloitte, Bain). More shopping means more calls to customer service: order questions, requests, changes, hours, plus the inevitable stress of the holidays. Across Flip’s retail client base, call volume typically increases more than 25% during the holiday season and surges 2xโ6x during peak holiday weeks. Unsurprisingly, WISMO and Returns drive the biggest spikes, but Product Information and Coupon/Discount requests also ramp up. Brands that actively invest earlier, especially early troubleshooting and proactive messaging, manage the influx most successfully.
Here are the top 5 trends and how Flipโs top retail clients improve volume handling and drive performance outcomes during the peak holiday season:
1. Holiday Season Gets Earlier Every Year
The season is extending earlier into November. Flip clients note that call volume increases earlier in conjunction with earlier sales and promotions. One client saw year-over-year growth with November ’25 at ~3,200 calls vs. November ’24 at ~2,300, and the spike started earlier than the prior year.
Key to success โ Troubleshoot, insert guardrails, and add/anticipate additional intents early.
2. WISMO Dominates Holiday Call Drivers
Across nearly every brand, “Where is my order?” (WISMO) is the #1 or #2 intent during peak. One Flip client saw WISMO jump from 8% to 19% of calls as orders piled up and shipping slowed from 1โ2 days to 3โ4 days. Proactive messaging eases concerns. Itโs important to anticipate inevitable slowdowns during peak shipping season.
Key to success โ Brands that add proactive WISMO messaging (“orders may take up to 3 business days to process”) to set expectations will reduce inbound volume and customer discontent.
3. Coupon/Discount Inquiries Also Spike Around BFCM
- Coupon/discount/voucher codes became a top intent during Black Friday / Cyber Monday for retail clients. One client saw automation rates rise 5% almost immediately as Flip began validating promo codes via Shopify. Top brands capitalize on the increased volume and add a start-of-call promotions or discount codes.
Key to success โ Anticipate a rise in coupon/discount inquiries and put guardrails in place early. Consider special on-call promotions to capture attention during increased call volume and drive additional revenue.
4. Returns Surge Post-Holiday
One Flip client saw โStart Returnโ become their #1 intent in December (850 calls, 54% automated), surpassing WISMO. JanuaryโFebruary is high season for returns, exchanges, and gifts.ย ย ย
Key to success โ Brands that configure extended holiday return windows & communicate them early will match customer expectations and ease volume.
5. Treat AI Automation as a Revenue Driver
AI Automation has moved beyond a critical holiday volume management strategy. Every increase in automation directly increases revenue — especially during the holidays. Retail brands using Flip are actively tuning intents, adding FAQ/knowledge-base handling, and improving account matching before peak holiday time. Deep industry expertise ensures these high-pressure workflows are already tested and successfully utilized by hundreds of brands. That means more resolutions and additional order conversions. Plus, happy customers = more spending.
Key to success โ Turn to deep industry specialization (a retail expert) rather than a general AI partner for maximum ROI. Treat your CX AI automation platform as a revenue driving partner.
The Big Picture
for Retail CX During the Holiday Season
- Overall 2026 holiday sales are forecast to grow ~5% to $1.7T+ (Deloitte, Bain), with e-commerce growing 8% โ meaning online customer service volume will disproportionately increase.
- Call volume for retail brands typically surges 2xโ6x during peak weeks, with the biggest spikes concentrated between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, and a second wave of returns/exchanges in January.
- WISMO and Returns are the dominant holiday call drivers. Brands that proactively set shipping expectations and automate return flows will deflect the most volume.
- The holiday shopping window is compressing and starting earlier. Cyber Week remains the peak conversion moment, but brands are launching promotions in early-to-mid November, extending the support burden.
- A CX AI partner is critical infrastructure for handling holiday volume. Brands using Flip are actively tuning intents, adding FAQ/knowledge-base handling, and improving account matching before peak to maximize holiday success.
