Holiday 2025: A Shift in Consumer Trust That Retailers Can’t Ignore

New consumer data reveals a change in consumer trust that should capture the attention of every fulfillment and operations leader heading into another demanding holiday season. Shoppers are placing overwhelming trust in Amazon.com to deliver their holiday purchases on time. According to Plus One Robotics’ annual holiday shopping survey, 75 percent of consumers trust Amazon most to meet delivery promises while other big-box retailers earn only 17 percent.

This widening trust gap is a big change from last year when big-box retailers enjoyed far higher consumer confidence. The decline isn’t necessarily due to weaker performance by retailers, but rather reflects Amazon’s continued investment in logistics and automation. Its ability to deliver quickly and predictably has reshaped what consumers consider the standard for holiday fulfillment.

The Automation Advantage Behind Amazon’s Reliability

Amazon’s position is supported by a vast seller ecosystem and a fulfillment network built to handle scale with precision. More than 60 percent of sales in the Amazon store come from independent sellers, creating a supply engine that can absorb and distribute high holiday volume.

Consumers have also grown accustomed to the convenience Amazon provides. Prime members saved nearly $95 billion globally on fast, free delivery in 2024, further solidifying expectations around what's considered baseline service. This level of performance is made possible by an enormous investment in robotics. Amazon now uses more than 1 million robotic units in its fulfillment centers. The scale of this automation allows the company to process millions of packages with consistency that manual labor alone can’t match.

Rising Expectations for Speed and Domestic Delivery

The Plus One Robotics survey also confirms that shoppers remain focused on speed and reliability. Nearly half expect delivery within two days to three days. Cost and shipping speed continue to influence where purchases are made, but this year’s data shows expectations becoming even tighter as consumers grow accustomed to rapid fulfillment.

A shift toward domestic delivery is also beginning to influence how shoppers choose where they buy. The survey shows that 58 percent of consumers now prefer their orders to be fulfilled within the U.S. This preference is rooted in a mix of practical concerns, including uncertainty around tariffs, global tensions, and the rising cost of importing goods. As a result, more of the fulfillment burden is landing on domestic warehouses, which increases the pressure for faster processing and greater accuracy.

How Retailers Can Address Consumer Concerns

Shoppers point to delays, package damage and theft as their top three concerns. Delays and damage can start in the warehouse long before the package reaches the customer’s front door. The most frequent sources of slowdown or error are manual induction, sorting, palletizing and receiving processes. During the holiday surge, these weaknesses become more apparent and costly.

This is why automation that enhances accuracy from pick to porch has given leaders like Amazon a structural advantage. Retailers that rely heavily on manual workflows find it increasingly difficult to keep up, especially as seasonal labor shortages impact staffing.

What This Means for Retailers

Shoppers care less about holiday branding and more about whether their order arrives when promised. Marketing and ad spend may draw customers in, but order fulfillment will determine whether they return. The currency of customer trust is now speed, accuracy and consistency.

Erik Nieves is the co-founder and CEO of Plus One Robotics, an AI software company developing robots for warehouse automation.