Retailers constantly face change when it comes to consumer shopping preferences. Between the rise of influencers on social media, fast and free shipping, artificial intelligence (AI), and more, brands are faced with high expectations that shoppers are getting from retail conglomerates.
Digital shopping experiences, in particular, are now the preferred method for many consumers worldwide. Primarily driven by a desire for convenience, personalization and seamless, engaging interactions, retailers now find themselves revamping their customer engagement strategies once again.
According to Kait Stephens, CEO and founder of Brij, offering digital shopping experiences to consumers is absolutely critical for a retailer’s success.
“Digital isn’t just an add-on anymore,” she says. “It’s the backbone of modern retail. Consumers expect a seamless, personalized experience at every touchpoint, whether they’re shopping online, browsing in-store or engaging with a brand on social media—true omnichannel. If you’re not meeting them in those moments with convenience and relevance, you risk losing them to someone who will.”
Primary Drivers for Digital Shopping Experiences
There are a variety of factors that are driving consumer interest in digital shopping experiences. And in order for retailers to give shoppers what they’re looking for, it’s important to first understand what consumers actually want.
Here are the different key factors:
- Unmatched Convenience and Accessibility: Digital shopping platforms offer the ability to browse and purchase products 24/7 from anywhere with an internet connection. This eliminates the need to travel to a physical store, find parking or wait in long lines.
- Personalization and AI: Consumers now expect a shopping experience that is tailored to them. Utilizing AI and machine learning to analyze browsing history, past purchases and preferences can help provide highly relevant product recommendations and personalized promotions.
- Broader Selection and Price Comparison: Online stores are not limited by physical shelf space, allowing them to offer a vast and often overwhelming variety of products. This gives consumers more options to choose from.
- Integration of Digital and Physical Worlds: The lines between online and in-store shopping are blurring. This “omnichannel” approach allows consumers to have a consistent and integrated experience. Examples include:
- Click-and-collect: Buying online and picking up in-store.
- In-store technology: Using mobile apps for in-store navigation, personalized offers or self-checkout.
- Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR): Enabling consumers to virtually try on clothes or see how a piece of furniture would look in their home before making a purchase.
- Social and Interactive Experiences: Digital shopping has become a more social activity. Consumers often rely on online reviews and recommendations from other shoppers or influencers on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
- Seamless and Flexible Payments: The demand for frictionless transactions is high. Digital experiences offer a variety of effortless payment options, including mobile wallets, contactless payments and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) services, which allow consumers to defer payments over time.
The Future of Retail Engagement
Now that you understand exactly what consumers are looking for, you can better tailor your digital shopping experiences to suit their needs. Stephens offers some advice for what brands should be focusing on when making changes.
“The basics, like personalized product recommendations, mobile-first checkout and real-time inventory, are table stakes,” she says. “But the leaders are going further. They are thinking about digital touch points across every aspect of the consumer journey—post purchase setup videos, engaging content like recipes, sweepstakes to improve brand engagement and seamless loyalty and warranty programs.”
The most important thing retailers should keep in mind is that these experiences need to connect seamlessly across channels, according to Stephens. Whether a customer buys online, picks up in store, or redeems rewards, it should feel like one brand relationship.
This change in the way consumers prefer to shop is resulting in a decline in loyalty program engagement.
“Most loyalty programs haven’t evolved with the customer,” Stephens says. “Shoppers are juggling multiple memberships, and if the value isn’t obvious or unique, they tune out. Too many programs are still transactional—earn points, get discounts—without offering experiences or personalization.”
Loyalty today is less about a punch card and more about whether a brand truly understands and values its customers. If you want a successful loyalty program with plenty of engagement with your customers, you need to consider their entire shopping journey instead of just one specific channel, such as considering in-store purchases, marketplaces, direct-to-consumer and even event participation.
Creating an Inviting Digital Shopping Experience
The future of shopping is omnichannel. Physical stores won’t disappear, but their role will shift from transactional spaces to experiential hubs where customers can discover and connect with products.
“Digital will continue to deliver speed and personalization, powered by AI and social commerce,” Stephens explains. “More of our transactional shopping online will be done by agents. Underpinning it all will be values. Customers will increasingly choose brands that align with their beliefs, whether that’s sustainability, transparency or inclusivity.”
In order for retailers to create an inviting digital shopping experience for consumers, transparency is key. And according to Stephens, it’s non-negotiable.
“Be clear about pricing, sourcing and sustainability practices,” she advises. “Give customers real control over how their data is used. And when mistakes happen, own them and respond authentically. Consumers reward honesty. If you’re transparent, you’re not just selling products, you’re building trust, and that’s far more valuable in the long run.”
It’s also a smart idea to invest in digital-first infrastructure, such as data, mobile and AI, but pair it with agility.
“AI will make us all 10x faster. Everyone should be upskilling and investing in AI with urgency,” Stephens says. “Customers should be able to move between digital and physical seamlessly. Keep a pulse on shifting preferences by listening constantly and iterating quickly. And don’t be afraid to experiment with emerging technologies early; the brands that lean in now will set the standard for tomorrow.”
Most importantly, never lose sight of trust. The brands that combine innovation with authenticity will define the next era of retail.
