The news: Consumer electronics have the longest research window of any retail category, with 39% of global shoppers taking two weeks or more to make a purchase. That’s far longer than the 51% of fashion and apparel shoppers and 60% of beauty and personal care shoppers who buy within three days, per Criteo’s “Consumer Electronics Pulse 2026” survey.

• 41% of global shoppers wait for promotions or big sales events before making electronics purchases. Nearly half (45%) say sales events sometimes influence when they decide to buy, and just 14% purchase based on need regardless of promotions.
• 48% of consumers interact with AI assistants or chatbots while shopping for electronics, higher than travel (44%), home and furniture (38%), and apparel and fashion (37%).

Digging in: Consumer electronics shoppers are holding off on buying until a deal arises, making pre-event marketing crucial.

While it may be tempting to pile budgets into the moments just preceding a sale, such as Black Friday or Prime Day, much of shoppers’ big ticket item research happens earlier. That longer research cycle opens opportunities for challenger brands to surface in customers’ discovery phase.

Consumers’ use of AI tools adds a consideration surface without replacing the existing research tools; 39% of consumer electronics shoppers still prefer to browse and filter options on their own, per Criteo, with little interest in personalized recommendations or curated selections. That makes visibility in AI answers important but doesn’t mandate a full shift of commerce strategies toward agentic AI offerings.

Recommendations for retailers: The weeks preceding a sale event should be considered an acquisition window, with the event itself providing opportunities to convert curious shoppers who aren’t moving linearly toward a predetermined brand.

• Maintain visibility across retail media, search, apps, and emerging AI surfaces as shoppers compare products and brands throughout the consideration period.
• Launch cross-platform outreach strategies, including SMS, email, and social, to promote deals early to fragmented audiences.

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