For thousands of years, when people had questions they simply asked other people or went to the library. With the advent of search engines about 20 years ago, our ability to search for answers evolved and we now turn to a series of search engines to answer our questions.

Now with the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), search is evolving once again as the technology promises to play a major role in the future plans of Google and Microsoft’s Bing. We’re already seeing generative AI-powered search providing summarized results, giving consumers less of a reason to scroll through pages of search results.

In today’s dynamic retail landscape, understanding the ever-changing habits of consumers is paramount.

Captify’s latest retail report, powered by billions of search data signals, reveals the ongoing impact of the 2023 cost of living crisis on consumer behaviour and highlights the key trends shaping retail in 2024 and beyond.

Read the report to uncover:

The evolving retail landscape : Gain insight into the factors impacting consumer affordability and the driving forces behind the resurgence of retail.

If your brand caters to customers across both the United States and the United Kingdom, it’s important to understand their unique preferences so that you can set up a compelling customer experience that resonates both at home and across the pond.

That goes beyond converting currency from dollars into pounds, or adding a “u” to words like “favorite.” Consumer spending and behavior in each country ties back to regional customs and values, and it’s important to address those in your marketing and sales strategy.

Consumers no longer think of channels, just shopping, and shoppers now think of the physical store as an extension of their digital experience. This emerging shopper profile — the Click-and-Mortar™ shopper — wants the same digital experience when shopping in the store as they do on the couch at home. They give preference to merchants that offer that digital-assist in-store. Nearly 4 in 10 consumers now fit the Click-and-Mortar™ shopper profile, making it the fastest growing shopper segment worldwide.

Adobe issued new e-commerce data today, profiling the slow but steady shift in consumer demand for shopping on smaller screens. In the first few months of 2024, consistent double-digit growth in mobile spend has put it neck-and-neck with desktop shopping. At this trajectory, Adobe sees a tipping point in the months ahead.

The holiday shopping season (Nov-Dec), which already saw mobile dominate last year, is expected to see even stronger growth this year. And going into 2025, Adobe is forecasting that mobile shopping will consistently eclipse desktop, in months outside of the holiday season. This would be a major shift in consumer behavior online. Adobe’s full analysis is below.

How do you ignite loyalty in an economy where consumers seem to care more about deals than brands? The answer: meet them where they are. Amid lingering economic concerns, tempting consumers with exclusive offers is a proven way to win their business and stimulate an emotional connection. Learn how they can help you acquire and retain customers through the economic ups and downs.

According to researchers, it turns out in-store shopping is hot again, with 6 in 10 customers flocking to stores where they can see and touch items, even if they plan to buy online.

As physical and digital habits merge, e-commerce has evolved from a distinct channel to being dependent on and integrated with physical stores, reports KPMG. It’s no wonder that 51% of surveyed retailers are focused on enhancing the physical store experience in the next 12 months.

Third-party cookies are here to stay on Chrome — but identifiers for iOS, Safari, and potentially Android are not. While this is a temporary relief for some, consumer behavior and privacy expectations have already shifted permanently. 

Our comprehensive “Addressability & Performance Best Practices Study” offers timely analysis on the current state of identity, what to expect in the next 6-18 months, and identifies critical gaps during this transitional period.