BOSTON – October 1, 2025 – Consumer wallets are loosening, but loyalty is no longer the driver of sales. The latest Q4 Ecommerce Pulse Report from Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI) finds that just 39% of shoppers plan to spend less in 2026, compared with 69% a year earlier. At the same time, 72% switched brands in the past year, showing how reviews, reputation and AI tools are redefining what wins on the digital shelf.
“Shoppers are less loyal, more selective, and increasingly guided by signals of trust,” said Dom Scarlett, Research Director at Salsify. She says, “Price can still prompt a switch, but it is reviews, reputation and AI-driven recommendations that now close the sale. Brands cannot rely on repeat business. They need to win every purchase.”
Key findings from the Q4 report reveal:
- Loyalty is in Freefall: Nearly three-quarters of shoppers bought from a new brand in the past year instead of their go-to-favorite. Millennials (80%) and Gen Z (76%) lead the trend.
- Reviews Edge Out Price at Checkout: 32% say ratings and reviews are the most important final factor in making a buying decision, compared with 16% for price and availability.
- AI Adoption Surges Into the Mainstream: 64% of shoppers used AI-powered tools for product discovery in the past year. Among Gen Z, adoption is highest at 79%. More than half (54%) used chatbots such as ChatGPT.
- Deals Trigger Switching, But Trust Seals It: 55% of shoppers switched brands for a better deal, yet 87% say they will pay more for a brand they trust.
- Out-of-Stocks Kill Loyalty Fast: 58% buy from another brand when a favorite item is unavailable, while only 28% wait for restocks.
Spending Outlook for 2026
Shoppers are entering 2026 with more confidence. Nearly one in three (30%) expect to increase spending, though some note rising prices may be part of the reason.
Generational differences are evident. Half of Baby Boomers expect to spend about the same in 2026, while Millennials (41%) and Gen Z (37%) are the most likely to say they will spend more. Across all age groups, about four in ten expect to spend less, but those figures remain far below last year’s levels.
Feedback Is the New Shelf Space
Shoppers are reshaping the marketplace through their own feedback. Sixty-three percent left a product rating or review in the past year, most often to help other shoppers make informed decisions (42%). Nearly twice as many leave positive reviews (40%) compared with negative ones (22%), creating a feedback loop that increasingly determines which brands win or lose on the digital shelf.
Every Product Page Is a Battlefield in 2026
The 2026 digital shelf will be defined by trust, discoverability, and credibility, not loyalty. Nearly half of shoppers (44%) compare prices across at least three retailers before buying, which means every product page competes directly for attention and conversion. To win, brands must:
- Prioritize ratings and reviews as the new currency of commerce.
- Optimize content for both human shoppers and AI-driven discovery.
- Deliver consistency across every retail and marketplace channel.
For more insights into shifting consumer behavior, download the full Q4 Ecommerce Pulse Report.
About the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI)
The Digital Shelf Institute is the commerce community for manufacturers. In the digital age, manufacturers have more opportunities to control their commerce destiny than ever before. The Digital Shelf Institute brings together an ecosystem of experience to share ideas, outcomes, and strategies in the form of virtual content, podcasts, reports, and articles that will drive revenue in the years ahead. The Digital Shelf Institute also hosts the Digital Shelf Executive Forum, an invitation-only community platform for digital shelf executives of leading brands.
About Salsify
Salsify helps thousands of brand manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in over 140 countries collaborate to make every product experience matter. The company’s Product Experience Management (PXM) platform enables organizations to centralize all of their product content, connect to the commerce ecosystem, and automate business processes in order to deliver the best possible product experiences across every selling destination. Learn how the world’s largest brands, including Mars, L'Oreal, Coca-Cola, Bosch, and ASICS, as well as retailers and distributors, such as DoorDash, E.Leclerc, Carrefour, Metro, and Intermarché, use Salsify every day to drive efficiency, power growth, and lead the digital shelf. For more information, please visit: www.salsify.com.
For more information, please visit: www.salsify.com.
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