The 2025 Digitally Influenced Shopper Report
The 2025 Digitally Influenced Shopper Report
Why digital is the doorway to all retail sales
Digital isn’t just a channel; it’s the doorway to most purchase decisions
The influence of digital on all retail purchases is 3X larger than the traditional eComm sales penetration figures most brands use as a basis for investment.
| Online sales | In-store sales | Digitally-influenced reality | In-store sales (digitally influenced) | In-store sales ( not digitally influenced) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional view |
We set out to help eCommerce leaders quantify the hidden impact of digital touchpoints — like the digital shelf — on all retail sales.
Our 2025 study surveyed 4,000 household decision-makers across four markets:
What's new in this year's study?
Beyond digital’s influence, we aimed to uncover how shoppers search, navigate and buy online.
Changing spending habits
Adopting AI chat assistants
Navigating retailer sites
Adding products to cart through search
We learned that...
Digital touchpoints* drive purchases online, in-store and across all categories
% of shoppers influenced by digital touchpoints
| Market | Influence |
|---|---|
| Shoppers | 64% |
| Shoppers | 58% |
| Shoppers | 53% |
| Shoppers | 60% |
So what?
eComm is much bigger than online conversion; it’s now the foundation of product discovery and brand credibility.
* In this study, 'digital touchpoints' covers DTC websites, internet search engines, retailer websites (mobile and desktop), retailer apps & social media.
Younger shoppers turn to the digital shelf when they can’t find the product on the physical shelf
% of Gen Z and Millennial shoppers that will order online if a product is out of stock in-store
(1.5x more than Gen X and Boomers)
| Group | % of shoppers |
|---|---|
| Gen Z | 45% |
| Millennials | 46% |
| Gen X | 42% |
| Boomers | 42% |
So what?
Brands with a strong digital shelf presence and an eye on their omnichannel inventory actually boost their odds of retaining the sale.
Reviews are the difference between winning & losing new shoppers
Shoppers that avoid trying a new product if it has bad ratings and reviews:
| Rating impact | % of shoppers |
|---|---|
| Avoid | 7/10 |
| Avoid | 7/10 |
| Avoid | 6/10 |
| Avoid | 7/10 |
So what?
After all the effort and investment to drive a purchase, whether in-store or online, negative reviews — or no reviews at all — can derail conversion.
Now that we know digital plays a critical role, how should leaders take action?
Download the full reports today and unlock the door to the digitally-influenced shopper.