Online Shopping Losing It Zing In The Eyes of Consumers, Report Says
Has online shopping lost its luster in the eyes of consumers?
A new report from Criteo, The Spark of Discovery – Reigniting The Emotion of E-Commerce, revealed that 76% of consumers said online shopping lacks excitement, with 29% describing it as a chore.
Additionally, 61% of shoppers use e-commerce for its convenience, with 36% saying they lament the loss of “unexpected finds” on their favorite retail website. When it comes to celebrating major life milestones, only 18% of consumers choose to do so through online shopping. They prefer to mark memorable occasions with in-person experiences that online shopping has yet to replicate.
“Once, shopping was about excitement – the thrill of the unexpected, the delight of discovery,” said Marc Fischli, executive MD EMEA at Criteo. “Today, we no longer ‘go shopping’ – we are always shopping – but that hasn’t made the experience more exciting. Instead, online retail has become a functional necessity, optimised for speed but stripped of surprise and spontaneity.”
Fischli said Criteo’s research shows that consumers crave the thrill of the unexpected, but too often, discovery is being left to chance. Brands that fail to reinject joy into the shopping journey risk fading into the background of a transactional, forgettable experience.
When directly engaging with a brand, 41% of consumers said they feel excited when reading a positive review or forum discussion, proving third-party endorsement is a powerful driver of brand trust. Customers also want brands to understand the context of their transactions, as 43% of online shoppers expect brands to use their data to create personalized experiences.
Brands are jostling to stand out to their target audiences in a fragmented consumer journey. Almost 4 in 5 (79%) consumers feel online shopping is lonely, and 78% say they are overwhelmed by too many product choices while only 50% find online shopping relaxing or enjoyable.
While influencers have a larger role in highlighting products for sale at retail, with 55% of brand leaders say influencers drive traffic, only 29% of consumers say influencer content makes them feel positively towards a brand. Instead, 73% of consumers say visiting a brand’s website contributes to their excitement. This underlines the important role of owned digital experiences in driving brand engagement and trust and highlighting a vital opportunity for brands to connect with shoppers, Criteo officials said.
Despite the lower consumer expectations of their online shopping experiences, Fischli said there is opportunity for retailers to right the ship.
“With the right mix of emotional storytelling and real-time data, brands can create serendipitous moments that feel personal and intuitive – delivering the magic of the ‘perfect find’ even when consumers aren’t actively searching for it,” he said. “AI and data-driven strategies can elevate discovery beyond just targeting the right audience at the right time; they should create moments of inspiration. Consumers are telling us they want brands to understand them beyond just their purchase history. Those who craft experiences that feel exciting and immersive – instead of just efficient – will be the ones that capture attention, foster loyalty, and ultimately drive long-term growth.”
