How To Prepare Your Brand for 2026: Key Consumer Behavior Changes Revealed

Don’t expect shoppers to be loyal in 2026 — they’re willing to switch brands to meet their needs, increasingly likely to interact with reviews, and use AI for product research.

Shopper spending might increase in 2026, but traditional loyalty is on the rocks (with a few exceptions).

The latest Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI) survey of more than 1,000 shoppers from the U.S., U.K., and Canada reveals that only 39% of shoppers will spend less in 2026, a stark contrast from the 69% of shoppers who said they’d make a New Year’s resolution to cut back on spending in 2025.

Besides a willingness to spend, what other consumer behavior trends are emerging? Reading and leaving reviews, and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for product discovery and research.

Ratings and Reviews Rack Up Consumer Interest

Writing reviews has become second nature for modern consumers. Sixty-three percent of shoppers have left a rating or review in the last year, with 42% of shoppers doing so to “help other shoppers make informed decisions,” illustrating a newfound sense of consumer social responsibility.

Why should this matter to brands? Nearly a third (28%) of shoppers have purchased a new brand instead of their go-to choice due to better product reviews or ratings, demonstrating the importance of your omnichannel presence.

AI Use for Product Discovery and Research Increases

Sixty-four percent of shoppers use AI shopping tools to discover or research new products, including 79% of Gen Zers, 77% of millennials, 60% of Gen Xers, and 36% of baby boomers.

More than half of shoppers (54%) use AI chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT) to help them discover and research new products, and there’s a growing interest (19%) in AI shopping assistants (e.g., Amazon’s Rufus). This underscores the importance of optimizing your product detail page content for conversions and AI search results alike.

2026 Success: Know How To Capture Consumer and AI Attention

Consumer market behavior shows that the price isn’t always right. Though shoppers will brand swap for a better price or promotion 55% of the time, 87% of shoppers will pay more for a brand they trust, and 61% prioritize personal values over price when shopping for holiday gifts, according to Salsify research.

Therefore, perpetuating a good brand reputation is paramount. This requires thoughtful brand content and authentic conversation about your products across your digital shelf presence.

To succeed in the start of 2026 and beyond, ensure your content is consistent, compelling, and creative, and backed by reviews to capture consumer and AI attention.