The home furnishings category generates hundreds of billions of dollars annually, yet the shopping experience remains frustratingly complex for most consumers. Nearly every shopper reports feeling overwhelmed by options, with the average furniture purchase taking weeks and requiring dozens of open browser tabs before a final decision.

Social platforms want a bigger role in search ad budgets, but user habits lag behind. As search expands beyond traditional engines, these platforms must turn occasional behavior into intent-driven activity to grab ad dollars.

As product catalogs grow, content multiplies, and shopping journeys splinter across platforms, AI recommendation engines are becoming the connective tissue between desire and decision. In 2026, retail leaders expect the technology to move from responding to queries to proactively anticipating what consumers want and guiding them through increasingly complex choice environments.

OpenAI seeks real consumer intent, and a potential Pinterest acquisition would give OpenAI first-party shopping signals and native ad infrastructure to rival Google and Meta.

Social networks will claim close to 32% of US digital ad spending in 2026, as powerful AI systems and improved video monetization help push social past a plateau in time spent among US consumers.

Mobile will account for nearly half of US online sales in 2026 and become the dominant channel in 2027. To make the most of this shift, retailers and brands should enhance integration of their shopping apps and loyalty programs.

Pinterest is pushing further into search to maintain growth, especially among Gen Z. Two-thirds of Pinterest’s interactions involve search, CEO Bill Ready told Business Insider. The platform has 80 billion monthly search queries, according to Pinterest. That’s comparable to ChatGPT’s 75 billion queries per month. Pinterest’s high-intent audience, paired with shoppable pins, presents an ideal platform for brand messaging. As more users weed out genAI images, legitimate ads will stand out and minimize fears of scams.

Pinterest reported Q3 2025 revenue of $1.1 billion, up 17% YoY and slightly ahead of forecasts, as global user growth and AI-driven ad features continue to lift engagement. Monthly active users climbed 12% to 600 million, with international markets up 16% and driving most of the gains. Yet softer Q4 guidance spooked investors, sending shares down 20%. CFO Julia Donnelly cited “moderating ad spend” among US retailers facing tariff pressures. Globally, Pinterest’s AI tools—visual search, generative creative, and shoppable feeds—are strengthening its position as the web’s most frictionless bridge between inspiration and purchase. Consistency remains Pinterest’s quiet advantage.

Social search is gaining ground. Roughly two-thirds of US consumers search on at least one social platform in ways that can influence every part of the consumer journey.

Lens integration sidesteps users to search without leaving the app. It sets up future monetization even if beta excludes ads and affiliate links—for now.

Pinterest’s Q1 involved strong user and global revenue growth: US monetization, though, could be under pressure moving forward.

AI agents are here, but they’ve had little effect on the consumer journey so far. That should change by the end of 2028.

Apple’s AI update embeds ChatGPT across iPhones and iPads, putting OpenAI’s tech at users’ fingertips and reshaping how genAI fits into daily life.

Amazon and Google are enhancing their visual search tools as consumers seek more seamless, intuitive ways to search for products online.

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.

GenAI search could have a transformative impact on the shopping journey. To satisfy customers and stay competitive, retailers should focus on two essential innovations.

The ecommerce search experience is ripe for reinvention: Pinterest, Walmart, Etsy, and others are relying on AI to deliver more relevant results and drive sales.

Social commerce has yet to reach its potential in the UK. Social buying is still on the rise—and there is plenty of headroom to grow spend.

Dramatic shifts are in the works for 2024, as genAI, changing media norms, and innovative commerce redefine the business landscape. Our top nine trends explore what’s in store.

Ecommerce success relies on a seamless search strategy. To help consumers find, learn, and buy products more easily, retailers are building out their on-site search capabilities, adding video, incorporating AI, and giving shoppers more tools to find what they are looking for. Here are some of the latest improvements from Walmart, Amazon, and Instacart.