New research shows most 2026 shoppers research, compare, and check reviews across multiple channels before buying anything.
Shoppers today rarely make a straight-line decision. Before buying almost anything, most people bounce between platforms, compare prices, and look for proof that a brand can be trusted.
According to Hansa Research, more than 70% of buyers now interact with multiple touchpoints before completing a single purchase. That single number explains why retail strategy has become so much more complicated than just setting the right price.
It’s Not Just About Price Anymore
Retailers used to compete mainly on price and product range. That’s no longer enough. Today, four things matter most: relevance, convenience, trust, and experience.
Pricing still plays a role, of course. But research cited by Hansa suggests that 60% to 70% of buying decisions are actually driven by feelings and experience — things like trust, comfort, and familiarity with a brand — more than by cost alone.
Omnichannel Is No Longer Optional
The line between online and offline shopping has essentially disappeared. A typical customer journey now might start with discovering a product on social media, move to comparing it across websites, continue with an in-person store visit to confirm, and end with a purchase through a mobile app.
More than 73% of shoppers now use more than one channel before completing a purchase. And their expectations have risen to match: consistent pricing everywhere, real-time stock visibility, easy returns, and one seamless brand experience regardless of platform.
Even small inconsistencies, like mismatched prices between a website and a store, are enough to make shoppers lose trust and walk away.
Today’s Shopper Does Their Homework
Modern shoppers research more than ever before making a decision. More than 80% do research before buying, and most compare at least three brands before committing to one.
Cart abandonment tells a similar story. It runs between 65% and 75%, reflecting how easily hesitant shoppers walk away mid-purchase if something feels off, whether that’s an unexpected fee or a clunky checkout process.
Despite all this rational comparison-shopping, emotion still plays a major role. Shoppers gravitate toward brands that feel reliable, straightforward, and easy to deal with, even after they’ve done the research.
Data Explains What’s Happening, Research Explains Why
Retailers increasingly rely on analytics to understand shopper behavior, and it’s paying off. According to Hansa’s research, retailers who use analytics effectively see conversion rates rise by 15% to 25%.
But raw numbers only go so far. Data shows what’s happening, like high traffic with low conversions, but not necessarily why. That’s where qualitative research, like interviews and direct feedback, fills the gap, uncovering the hesitation or distrust that a dashboard alone can’t explain.
Personalization Only Works When It’s Useful
Personalization has moved from a nice-to-have to an expectation, but it has to be done carefully. Customers want relevant recommendations and well-timed offers, not intrusive tracking that feels like overreach.
Segmentation matters here. New customers need trust-building content, repeat customers respond to loyalty perks, and price-sensitive shoppers wait for sales. Done well, personalization can lift sales by 10% to 30%.
One Bad Experience Can Cost You a Customer
The shopping experience itself has become part of the product. Site speed, checkout ease, delivery communication, and return policies all shape whether someone buys again.
The stakes are real: almost 30% of customers stop engaging with a brand entirely after a single bad experience. A smooth, fast journey keeps people coming back; a frustrating one loses them for good.
Reviews Have Become the New Sales Pitch
People trust other shoppers more than they trust brand messaging. According to Hansa’s research, 90% of shoppers check reviews before buying, and products with strong reviews consistently see higher sales.
That kind of social proof reduces doubt, builds trust faster than any advertisement, and speeds up the decision-making process. In 2026’s retail environment, it’s become almost impossible to compete without it.
The Interesting Twist: Shoppers Want Honesty, Not Hype
Here’s a trend worth sitting with. Mobile-first shopping has become the most common way people find and buy things in 2026, ahead of desktop or in-store browsing as the starting point.
But the twist isn’t the device, it’s the tone. Hansa Research notes that shoppers would rather hear the plain truth about a product than big promotional claims. Value itself has been redefined; it’s no longer just about price, but about reliability, speed, and service.
In other words, a brand that oversells itself is now more likely to lose a sale than one that simply tells shoppers exactly what they’re getting.
What Retailers Should Actually Do
Based on these patterns, Hansa Research recommends retailers focus on a few practical steps: using data and direct observation together to understand shopper behavior, actively finding and removing friction points, unifying the online and offline experience, personalizing through real segmentation rather than blanket messaging, and continuously testing what works.
Even modest usability improvements, according to Hansa’s findings, can boost sales by 10% to 20%. In a market this competitive, understanding why customers hesitate may matter more than any single pricing decision.