High-income consumers are more likely to discover new brands or products in-store, but they typically make the final purchase online.

Every step of the grocery shopping journey is being digitized; how do consumers feel about it?

Google and Amazon enhance visual search capabilities to speed up the path to purchase: As more shoppers rely on the tool, both companies see an opportunity to make the shopping experience faster, simpler, and more relevant.

“If you’re a marketer looking to reach Gen Z, you need to be everywhere,” our analyst Blake Droesch said. Although Gen Z is known to spend a significant amount of time on social media, tapped into newer buying behavior such as social commerce, they also rely on physical stores. Here are three ways Gen Z’s path to purchase stands out.

Gen Z’s complicated path to purchase leans heavily on digital platforms and channels. But offline resources still play a key role.

Physical retail is the leading channel for product discovery, while digital channels complement it by influencing decisions after discovery. To convert shoppers, prices must be competitive, but reviews also heavily influence purchases, especially in apparel and shoes.

Gauging the influence of digital on the shopper's journey.

“In the digital era, each step along the path to purchase has become significantly more complex,” our analyst Blake Droesch said on a recent EMARKETER webinar. “The store remains a vital centerpiece, but the number of digital channels that consumers are using to discover and evaluate brands continues to grow at a rapid pace.” Brands and retailers need to stay on top of evolving purchasing behavior to meet their customers where they are. Here are three trends and opportunities that can help.

Gen Zers and young millennials are the most likely to splurge on beauty in 2024—but their path to purchase is anything but straightforward.

Our latest forecast and exclusive consumer surveys highlight the most compelling omnichannel opportunities for fashion brands, retailers, and marketers.

Our primary research on US online beauty buyers shares insights into how consumers discover and purchase new beauty brands and products across channels.

Our primary research on US online beauty buyers shares insights into the evolution of consumer habits and preferences in one of retail’s most resilient categories.

Our regional flash survey explores how consumers in Latin America research products, the formats they prefer most, and the influence of sponsored product ads on their purchase decisions. It also provides marketers with actionable insights into how to best position their brands on the path to purchase.

Gen Zers are more calculated in their purchase decisions and are less likely to make impulse purchases compared with older generations. Social media is just one tool they use to evaluate products.

How does social media influence Gen Z’s customer journey?

Ecommerce hasn’t overtaken physical stores: An excerpt from our recent report explains how retail stores stack up against digital channels in driving new product discovery and conversions.

There’s no doubt that the combination of all digital activities drives far more product and brand awareness than the physical store. But no single online channel—whether third-party retailers, brand websites, or social networks—has overtaken the power of the store.

How do consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase new brands and products?

With an increasing number of ways to discover, research, and buy products, the customer journey is becoming less linear and more spread across touchpoints in the physical and digital worlds. We break down these changes and what retailers need to do to stay in touch with their consumers.

Younger consumers turn to social media to inform their purchases: 45% of Gen Z shoppers use Instagram for product research, 1.5x more than look to Facebook and TikTok.