Yet, Gen Alphas already wield enormous economic influence, driving nearly half of their household’s spending and $101 billion in annual direct spending in the US, according to a recent DKC report. Emily Sunderland, a partner at BCG who assisted the research, explains that social platforms aren’t just a media channel for Gen Alpha. “It’s the mall,” she says. Social commerce businesses like TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop, Amazon Stores, YouTube commerce and live-shopping streams have closed the gap between inspiration and checkout, dramatically shifting the sources of influence for younger generations.
This shift becomes particularly pronounced during the holiday period, when these platforms witness surges in gift-focused content, holiday hauls and last-minute shopping streams. TikTok Shop has leaned into this behavior with dedicated holiday shopping events and creator-led gift guides, while Instagram has enhanced its Shopping tab with holiday collections and countdown features; YouTube, too, has expanded its live-shopping capabilities with extended holiday streams featuring influencer-curated gift selections. These platforms are also implementing faster checkout processes to capitalize on Gen Alpha’s expectation for immediacy — recognizing that for this generation, the distance between “I want this” and “I bought this” should be measured in seconds, not days.
Sunderland’s research found that 40% of young consumers already use AI as a co-shopper for styling advice, trend discovery and price comparison. Influencer content is just as prominent. Per BCG, Gen Alpha is twice as likely to purchase based on micro-influencers who have fewer than 100,000 followers, than creators with a million-plus.
“Their exposure to products is unlike that of any other generation,” says Lewis. “For brands, that means the center of gravity has shifted away from the store or their own channels. Kids are judging products based on how they look in the hands of real people, not in campaigns.”
This reality reshapes holiday marketing fundamentally, as brands realize traditional seasonal advertising campaigns matter less than influencer unboxings or authentic product reviews during peak gifting season. The holiday period intensifies this dynamic: brands are now racing to seed products with micro-influencers and everyday users weeks before Black Friday, knowing that a single viral holiday gift guide video from a trusted creator can outperform millions in traditional ad spend.
