Salsify publishes its 2026 consumer research report — a survey of nearly 3,000 respondents in the U.S., U.K., and Canada — spotlighting consumer behavior toward brands, retailers, and evolving ecommerce technology.
Salsify’s latest consumer research report sheds light on how to make shoppers feel like they matter with shopping experiences that matter: They’re eager to discover and buy in-store and research products before purchase across multiple channels.
New shopper insights reveal hesitation (and some enthusiasm) toward current and emerging AI technologies: The AI trust gap. Also bubbling up? The influence of the biggest generation, Generation Alpha, and how they impact household purchases across verticals.
What’s status quo is the importance of consistent, compelling content to pique the interest of all audiences (consumer, customer, AI, and otherwise). Learn more about how to elevate your brand in 2026 and make these insights matter.
Here are three major shopping trends based on consumer data from Salsify’s latest survey.
About a quarter of shoppers (22%) may be incorporating AI shopping and search tools like ChatGPT into their buying journeys, but just 14% trust AI recommendations alone to make a purchase.
More shoppers (27%) trust AI shopping tools for some purchases, but verify with other sources, and a third (33%) just don’t use them.
Trust is built, however, by detailed product descriptions and specifications — when these are provided by AI shopping tools, 31% of shoppers are convinced to make a purchase.
Gen Alpha, the generation born between 2010 and 2024, is the largest generation ever at more than 2 billion strong, according to science news outlet PsyPost.
The favor of the 43% of parents and guardians who shared that their Gen Alpha children influence spending in some way should be a high priority for brands in 2026, as well as the 9% of parents who shared that their Gen Alpha children influence not just some, but most purchases.
Gen Alpha trends impact purchases across food and beverage; fashion and apparel; and electronics verticals the most (19–26%), highlighting opportunities to appeal to families and spice up your strategy with nostalgia-laden campaigns that marry the rizz and the rad.
Findings from the “2025 Consumer Research” report touted that 87% of shoppers are willing to pay more for a brand they trust; however, this year’s research peeled back another layer on these insights and revealed an increase in price sensitivity due to the impacts of global trade policies.
More than half (54%) of shoppers say durability and longevity are the top factors that drive the perception of product quality and value. Additionally, 67% of shoppers say product quality and value are the top factors influencing brand trust.
This makes providing proof of durability and longevity crucial via ratings, reviews, and collateral if you want to drive conversions and build trust in 2026.
Undoubtedly, 2026 will be another year of big changes across the digital shelf and how shoppers (and shopping agents) navigate the buying journey.
Brands that want to stay relevant across generations and AI recommendations must know how to keep their content consistent, compelling, and creative to maintain and build trust.