Klarna reports U.S. holiday spending is stretching well beyond classic retail this year, with consumers using its flexible payments to fund nights out, trips, and even car repairs alongside gifts.
Triple-digit growth beyond traditional gifts
From December 1 to December 22, 2025, spending through Klarna in entertainment increased by 130% year over year, experiences rose 115%, and automotive products, including maintenance and repairs, climbed 100% compared to the same period last year.
Klarna frames these spikes as evidence of “strong consumer demand and the continued adoption of Klarna’s flexible payment options during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.” The data suggests that shoppers are comfortable using instalments not only for products, but also for experiential and high-value practical purchases, such as tickets and vehicle maintenance.
By highlighting entertainment, experiences, and automotive as triple-digit growth categories, Klarna positions itself as a payment layer that fits both lifestyle splurges and everyday resilience—helping users fund memories and manage essential costs in the same ecosystem.
Footwear tops clicks heading into Christmas
In more traditional retail, Klarna also spotlights what U.S. shoppers clicked on most in the final run-up to Christmas, analysing online and in-app behavior between December 19–22, 2025, versus December 20–23, 2024. Footwear emerged as the most-clicked category, led by “timeless classics” such as the Nike Air Force 1 ’07, UGG Lowmel, Adidas Samba OG, and classic Jordan styles.
Children’s shoes ranked among the top three most-clicked categories, driven by UGG Kid’s Lowmel silhouettes and youth-sized Nike staples. This mix highlights how families continue to prioritize footwear that feels both trend-aware and practical—often using Klarna’s pay-later tools to spread out these purchases over the holidays.
Headphones, gaming, and accessories trends
Headphones were the second most-clicked category overall, driven by strong interest in Apple AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), as well as premium noise-canceling models from Sony and Bose. In gaming, Klarna notes that demand “centered on console upgrades,” with Microsoft Xbox Series X and Series S leading clicks, plus newer systems like the Nex Playground Game System capturing attention
Accessories also performed steadily, with handbags seeing continuous engagement as shoppers leaned toward “practical, everyday styles over statement pieces.” Brands such as Michael Kors, Coach, Lululemon, and Marc Jacobs appear among the top-clicked names, signaling that utility-focused bags with lifestyle branding remain a key holiday cart add.
Fragrance remains a classic gift lane
In fragrance, Klarna reports that “classic, giftable scents” dominated clicks, confirming that perfume and cologne still anchor many last-minute purchases. Standout names include Carolina Herrera’s Good Girl, Dior’s Sauvage, and Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb, all of which continue to perform as reliable, recognizable gift options across genders and age groups.
Because the insights are based on U.S. online and app click data, they give brands a clear read on demand intent—even before conversion—helping fragrance and beauty players calibrate inventory and marketing around the scents buyers are actively searching.
Klarna’s scale as a holiday barometer
Behind these category trends lies a payments network that has become a meaningful proxy for how consumers shop across channels. Klarna describes itself as “a global digital bank and flexible payments provider” with over 114 million global active Klarna users and 3.4 million transactions per day.
More than 850,000 retailers now work with Klarna, including Uber, H&M, Saks, Sephora, Macy’s, IKEA, Expedia Group, Nike, and Airbnb. Its services are available online, in-store, and via Apple Pay and Google Pay. That breadth makes Klarna’s holiday numbers a useful pulse check on where U.S. shoppers are choosing to spend, from sneakers and consoles to concerts and car care.
