Despite the digitization of the customer experience, 78% of today’s shoppers still prefer seeing physical products with their own eyes in brick-and-mortar stores while researching things to buy, according to a Criteo Shopper Survey conducted in December 2024. The study involved more than 7,000 participants from key regions worldwide, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea.
This finding can be attributed to the fact that there are a ton of product categories—think groceries, consumer electronics and household goods—that consumers want to see or try in the flesh before making a purchase decision, even if they research the same items online before heading to the store.
As consumers increasingly engage with brands in both the digital and physical worlds, it’s more important than ever for marketers to implement seamless omnichannel strategies to connect with shoppers wherever they are, says Sherry Smith, executive managing director of the Americas at Criteo.
To meet customer expectations, Smith encourages marketers to fine-tune messaging and strive to deliver homogenous experiences across channels.
“It’s really important that messages are consistent,” she explains. “Consumers are fluid in how they shop and how they research. If I’m in a store, I might check something online and read a review. It’s very important that the prioritization of both [digital and physical channels] is at the forefront” of marketers’ minds.
Other key findings from the report are as follows:
- Just one-quarter of U.S. shoppers expect to spend less in 2025. Despite an uncertain economy, consumers are feeling optimistic about their finances. According to the report, 42% of U.S. shoppers plan to spend more this year while 32% intend to spend the same amount as they spent in 2024. Marketers should lean into this optimism.
- Sustainability remains a top consideration for consumers. Across the world, 85% of shoppers expect brands to be clear about product origins. They also value recycling, environmental impact and ethical production. To capitalize on this sentiment, marketers should be transparent about their sustainability efforts, highlighting things like ethical sourcing, use of eco-friendly materials and measurable environmental impact to build trust.
- Most consumers are loyal to brands, but there are some opportunities for marketers. While 66% of U.S. shoppers plan to buy products from the same brands as they did in 2024, 31% remain open to switching in some instances. For Smith, marketers have an opportunity to win business from these fence-sitters by focusing heavily on personalization. “The more you know me, the more I’m going to engage,” she says. Other tactics marketers can turn to include offering exclusive incentives and giving consumers as many shopping options as possible (e.g., ecommerce delivery, regular in-store shopping and buy online pick-up in store [BOPUS]).
- Consumers expect artificial intelligence (AI) will further personalize shopping. Globally, 51% of shoppers expect AI will influence purchasing decisions this year; the number is slightly higher in the U.S. (53%). Since 26% of U.S. shoppers say they are very likely to buy products that are recommended based on previous shopping behaviors—and 49% are somewhat likely to do so—Smith says it’s important that marketers ensure that AI is factored into any shopping tools consumers have access to (e.g., AI-powered recommendation engines). Other situations where shoppers expect AI to be helpful include identifying the best prices (51%), answering product-specific questions (45%), finding products that fit within a budget (41%) and suggesting gift ideas (40%).
With shoppers increasingly expecting personalized experiences, data will become even more critical for driving sales. However, it’s important for brands to strike the right balance between personalization and privacy. “Having a first-party data strategy is really important,” Smith says. “Always make sure that it’s privacy-first.” An easy way to do that is by giving shoppers the option to opt out of data collection.
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