How do consumers search and buy products? – Salsify’s “2025 Consumer Research” report

The way consumers go through the shopping path is changing. Shopping is no longer just something we have to “do” – it happens all the time, no matter if we are aware of it or not. A company’s success, therefore, depends largely on its ability to be present in every channel and at every point in the consumer’s shopping journey – to provide consistent, comprehensive product information and a compelling experience.

Marketplaces, social media and AI with increasing influence on purchasing decisions

According to the latest forecasts, e-commerce is expected to grow at a moderate pace in 2025, lower than predicted just two or three years ago. However, it is growing all the time, and the value it is expected to reach this year – $6.86 trillion – is impressive (and accounts for 21% of global retail sales).

New products are most frequently purchased by consumers in marketplaces (66% of indications). Second among online channels in this regard are online search engines (37%), and third is social media (34%, with as much as 16% y/y growth!). Traditional stores are also still popular, with 58% of respondents buying new products there.

However, before consumers make a purchase, they need to know the product – they find out about it through both online and offline channels, but they are increasingly using new digital channels to do so. The use of an omnichannel strategy by companies is therefore now more important than ever (you can read more about it in our blog post Omnichannel strategy is a focus on customer experience). And companies that want to effectively reach customers must also provide them with high-quality product content.

Quite recently, the main source of shopping inspiration was primarily ads in traditional media or catalogs, but in 2025 as many as 57% of consumers learn about new products from the marketplace. This is an increase of 10% compared to the previous year and signals that it is crucial to have a presence on large sales platforms. Marketplaces are now not only a place to buy a product, but also to look for inspiration – consumers browse there for recommendations, opinions of other users, or use personalized suggestions.

Traditional stores also continue to play an important role in the process of discovering new products. For 54% of customers, they remain a source of new offer knowledge, although their importance is declining in favor of digital channels. Consumers are increasingly adopting a webrooming strategy, i.e. they search for product information online, but make a purchase in a physical store. On the other hand, as many as 63% of respondents admit that they happen to visit a stationary store just to see a product live, and then buy it online – at a better price or with convenient delivery.

Social media is increasingly important as a place to discover new products and brands. 51% of consumers admit that they have bought a product they came across by browsing content shared by friends on social media. On platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, influencer recommendations and communities are effectively replacing traditional advertising campaigns.

The growing importance of e-commerce and social commerce in the product selection process makes it necessary for companies not only to be present in multiple channels, but also to ensure the quality of the content presented there. Product descriptions and visuals (photos, videos, 3D models) are crucial for 77% of consumers. Before making a final decision, customers want to know well what they are buying – the more high-quality information they receive, the more likely they are to make a transaction.

User reviews remain an extremely important factor that influences the buying decision – 71% of consumers read reviews before buying a product, and as many as 48% will abandon the transaction if they don’t find enough reviews. Brands must therefore actively engage their customers to leave reviews and opinions, and use the content they generate to build product credibility and authenticity.

Artificial intelligence is also beginning to play an increasingly important role in product search. Already 17% of consumers are using AI-based tools to help them find a product, and 28% believe that such tools can make the shopping process much easier. Businesses are also beginning to take notice. More and more of them are using chatbots or personalized recommendations based on machine learning algorithms. They are making it easier for customers to choose products that are better tailored to individual preferences.

The importance of price, product availability and product content

As the consumer is aware of the product, he can move to the purchase consideration phase. In it, he compares different products, analyzes their advantages and disadvantages, and looks for confirmation that a particular offering is the best. The two most important factors that in 2025 are crucial in making a purchase decision are price and product availability – indicated by as many as 84% of consumers. In times of rising inflation and economic pressure, consumers are more inclined than ever to compare offers and look for alternatives to them. Even the most attractive product will not be bought if it is difficult to access or its price is not competitive.

Another key element that influences purchasing decisions is the aforementioned product presentation. Consistency of product information is also an extremely important aspect. 54% of consumers have abandoned a purchase because they encountered inconsistent or conflicting information across different sales channels. They move very seamlessly between online stores, social media and mobile apps, so brands must ensure that the content presented there is consistent.

Purchase decision is also influenced by enhanced content, such as infographics, interactive presentations, or detailed descriptions of product features. More than 65% of consumers say that it is this kind of content that helps them better understand the value of a product and increases their willingness to make a purchase. Consumers want to be sure they are making the best choice, so companies need to provide them with the maximum amount of information in the most attractive and intuitive form.

Personalization also plays an extremely important role in purchasing decisions. 71% of consumers expect brands to tailor their product recommendations to their previous purchases and preferences. Personalized offers are becoming not only desirable, but even expected by customers. Companies that do not implement advanced personalization strategies (in both online and offline channels) run the risk of losing customers.

How trust, product information and delivery affect conversion

Price and availability are not the only factors that play a role in the final stage of the purchase path. As many as 69% of consumers say they trust brands that offer quality and value, which means that building a reputation and consistently delivering good products is very important when it comes to customer retention. The growing importance of the brand as a source of trust is also evident in the statistics – 87% of consumers were willing to pay more for a product if they trusted its manufacturer, or the company that sells it.

However, even if a consumer is close to making a purchase, he or she may waver at the last minute. One of the most common reasons for this is misinformation about the product. 71% of consumers returned goods because they did not meet their expectations, and 54% admitted that the reason was a discrepancy between the description and reality. This confirms the great importance of the quality of content presenting the product.

Return policies also play an important role in the purchase decision. 43% of consumers abandon a purchase if the return policy is not transparent or too restrictive. Customers expect to be able to easily return a product without additional charges or complicated procedures. Increasingly, the decision to buy also depends on whether a company offers a free return option, which is standard in many large online stores.

Another factor that can determine the transaction is the speed and convenience of delivery. 57% of consumers abandoned a purchase when the expected delivery time was too long, in their opinion. Speed of delivery has become one of the key elements in building a competitive advantage, especially in the era of instant delivery offered by giants such as Amazon. What’s more, consumers not only expect a product to reach them quickly, but they also want a lot of choice when it comes to how their order is delivered.

Salsify’s “2025 Consumer Research” report is based on surveys completed by 1,910 consumers from the US and the UK in October 2024.