Shopping Trends: Shopping Has Shifted From an Intentional to Ambient Action — Here's Why

Since the first online transaction occurred in 1994 — a Sting CD sold by a Swarthmore College student named David Kohn, per Vice — shopping has been losing its “get up and go.”

Many shoppers have grown to prefer online shopping for its convenience, as just about anything can be purchased from anywhere at any time. However, about half of shoppers (49%) still prefer a mix of online and in-store shopping, according to recent consumer research by Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI).

Even with this mix, however, deeper shifts are occurring within the cultural and physical aspects of shopping — perhaps in response to the exponential growth of digital shelves.

Shopping is no longer something you have to “go” and do. Instead, it’s shifting from intentional actions to passive, more ambient ones. It’s becoming something people are just “doing” all the time and may not even realize it.

Via insights from Think With Google, this always-shopping phenomenon is called “ambient shopping,” and it’s “always on.” Explore what this shift in shopping trends means, where shoppers are doing it, and what brands can do to continue to cater to shoppers as everyone’s favorite pastime all-the-time evolves. 

Shopping’s Evolution: From ‘Going Shopping’ to ‘Always Shopping’

There are two crucial shifts in shopping’s evolution to examine: How shoppers have shifted (and how they’ll continue to shift) and how brands must shift in response.

But what exactly does this evolution in shopping trends look like? What describes an intentional shopping experience versus an ambient one?

What Is Intentional Shopping? Shoppers Show Up Where Products Are

Intentional shopping, which is far from extinct, refers to an intentional shopping experience when a shopper decides they want or need a product and then takes steps to purchase it, whether online or in a brick-and-mortar store. This approach has been around since the invention of commerce.

Intentional Shopping Examples

With intentional shopping, shoppers show up where products are. Intentional shopping behavior looks like this:

• A shopper plans a trip and researches Google and other marketplaces, like Amazon, for the best backpack to accommodate their essentials.
• A shopper makes lifestyle changes, so they search with specific terms like “caffeine-free,” “dairy-free,” or “allergen friendly” when browsing groceries online or at specific retailers.
• A shopper pulls up an app while shopping in a store like Target to locate a new item they received a discount for.
• A shopper takes advantage of auto-replenishment or subscription services to reorder essential items at a set cadence.
• A shopper searches for reviews and recommendations for sunscreen on social media platforms like TikTok before they purchase.

All these experiences, even if they can feel impulsive when a shopper clicks “buy,” have various degrees of intent and planning behind them, distinguishing them from ambient shopping experiences. 

What Is Ambient Shopping? Products Show Up Where Shoppers Are

Ambient shopping, or always-on shopping, refers to a shopping experience that occurs seamlessly and spontaneously, often while a person is engaged in other activities like browsing social media, streaming videos, or using apps. Rather than deliberately seeking out products to purchase, shoppers encounter opportunities to shop in a more passive (and integrated) way.

Ambient Shopping Examples

With ambient shopping, products show up where shoppers are. Ambient shopping behavior looks like this:

• A shopper swiping on Instagram or Facebook suddenly finds themself knee-deep in a brand’s inventory.
• A shopper scrolling on TikTok fawns over an influencer’s latest health and beauty haul when the influencer mentions a link in their bio to purchase the items directly using their affiliate link.
• A shopper watching an unboxing video with a friend or family member clicks a “buy now” button that appears on the screen to find out more and purchase.
• A shopper checking their email in the café line is pulled into their “promotions” inbox, leading them to a product page that offers one-click checkout.
• A shopper surfs on a direct-to-consumer (D2C) site while on their walking pad when personalized product suggestions appear based on previous site interactions, enticing them to add to their cart.

These are pretty specific instances, but encompassing enough that all shoppers are likely “guilty” of at least one, if not all, if not occasionally, if not daily — even for those who may otherwise “dislike” shopping.

Again, what differentiates this set of instances from intentional shopping is the lack of planning or intent behind the shopping experience — it just happens.

What Does the Buying Journey of an Ambient Shopper Look Like?

As shopping actions lose some of their intent, it’s no surprise that the ambient shopping buying journey looks different than an intentional shopping buying journey. 

And though this shift makes it increasingly difficult to predict where any shopper’s journey will start and end, these journeys can still be described in the same three phases: discovery, consideration, and decision.

From Intentional to Ambient Discovery

Discovery is a crucial part of ambient shopping experiences since it involves exposure to new products and brands.

Instead of intentional discovery, when shoppers search for a product or brand and explore their options, ambient shopping involves shoppers discovering new products and brands in an integrated way — like from their favorite influencers or via targeted ads on streaming services and social media.

An increase in the sophistication of personalization technologies with artificial intelligence (AI) — and an increase in favor of personalization from consumers — has led to a surge in ambient discovery events via “Explore” and “For You” pages on Instagram and TikTok, for example.

Shoppers even buy more frequently due to personalized product recommendations, per Salsify consumer research. 

From Intentional to Ambient Consideration

Intentional consideration involves research and comparison of different options between brands or across different retailers and channels. In other words, it’s when shoppers say, “I’ll think about it.”

When shoppers intentionally consider their options, they’ll likely bounce between online and offline (or in-store) channels to find the best option or deal.

In ambient consideration, shoppers aren’t necessarily comparing different product options or considering other channels for purchase — the sale happens either immediately or linearly. For example, a shopper may watch an influencer’s video from their “For You” page rating new fragrances, and then click a link to find out more about the one that sounds like the best fit.

Ambient consideration is made possible by the growing weight of word-of-mouth recommendations, user-generated content (UGC), ratings and reviews, as well as the creation and consumption of video content. Direct links to product detail pages (PDPs) with auto-applied discounts also help sweeten deals and lessen deliberation.

From Intentional to Ambient Decisions

In intentional shopping events, an unlimited number of steps can drive the consumer purchase decision process. Shoppers may have spent time comparing their options and bouncing between different channels, both online and offline, before buying.

However, when it comes to ambient decisions, consumers might check out directly from the apps they’re spending their time on, especially with one-click options like Apple Pay. Or, perhaps they might be browsing your D2C site from within Facebook or Instagram’s browser and checking out.

These purchases happen much more quickly, as the discovery, consideration, and decision occur almost simultaneously during ambient shopping events. It may involve more than one touch point, but they’re direct and linear.

Much like ambient discovery and consideration, ambient decisions are likely powered by shoppers seeing ratings and reviews — either from an influencer’s video or highlighted via sponsored content. 
Just how convincing are they?

On PDPs, 25% of shoppers are most influenced by customer ratings and reviews in making their final buying decision, per the “Ecommerce Pulse Report: Q4 2024” from Salsify and the Digital Shelf Institute (DSI), with other shoppers also citing product images and videos (22%) and pricing and availability (19%). 

How Brands Must Answer for Ambient Shopping

For the evolution of shopping to have occurred — or to keep occurring — brands are an important part of the equation. Brands can accommodate ambient shopping trends now and in the future by continuing to meet shoppers where they are.

Again, since ambient shopping doesn’t require “going” shopping, ambient shopping occurs in different online zones typically reserved for downtime — streaming services, social media, gaming platforms, and other apps.

But to guarantee you’ll connect with more shoppers, intentional or ambient, you must have a solid presence on social media.

Social Media Is Becoming Synonymous With Shopping

Per SEO.AI, TikTok has more than 1 billion monthly active users globally, with 150 million in the U.S. alone. And, the average daily time spent on TikTok has more than doubled from 27 minutes and 24 seconds in 2019 to 58 minutes and 24 seconds in 2024.

Even if your organization hasn’t historically jived with TikTok or feels out of place, you’ll have to develop an authentic strategy on the platform — that is if you want to keep up. Or, better yet, partner with influencers to do the legwork for you.

According to research by Mintel, nearly half of Americans (47%) say they have purchased through social media, 58% say they are interested in doing so, and 39% have made a purchase on social media and would do so again. 

Before the purchase even happens, however, social media users and gamers of all ages, but particularly younger groups, are increasingly consuming content about shopping with “hauls,” “try-ons,” and “unboxings.”

Or, for example, if your branding wows a shopper in an ad on a streaming service, and then they experience it in a positive light via an influencer’s recommendation on Instagram or TikTok, the sale is practically guaranteed.

Why Is Social Shopping Content So Effective?

Perhaps shopping-centric video content is so effective because it almost always captures all three value markers linking decision-making and idea adoption, as described in Nordgren and Schonthal’s “The Human Element: Overcoming the Resistance That Awaits New Ideas”: Functional value, social value, and emotional value.

Functional value describes the utility of the item. For example, if you watched an influencer or content creator unbox a pair of Allbirds wool sneakers — they’ll likely share that they’ll keep them dry and temperature-regulated.

The second marker, social value, describes the feelings or reputation of the brand or company. Using the sneaker example, the influencer may talk about how Allbirds aims to reach a carbon footprint of near zero. The third marker, emotional value, can relate to the excitement the influencer has for the shoe design or color.

Even for shoppers without a large social media presence, expanding your brand’s reach onto more platforms can ensure you’ll be seen — somehow, some way.

You might not capture them ambiently, spontaneously, or immediately. But there’s a good chance you’ll catch their eye and be something they come back to later.

Answer Omnichannel Behavior With Omnichannel Experiences

It’s not a matter of capturing intentional versus ambient shoppers: Brands must be present on enough channels to answer all shopping trends and behaviors.

Rather than playing a bit of Russian roulette (will a shopper fatefully cross paths with an enviable offering from your brand, or won’t they?) it’s best to cover your bases.

You have to be a little bit of everywhere, and you have to offer omnichannel experiences.

Omnichannel experiences are described as showing up on as many channels and touch points as feasible for your brand in a consistent, compelling way, all the while providing a seamless transition from discovery to consideration to decision to post-purchase for shoppers throughout.

Ongoing omnichannel expectations from consumers go hand in hand with shopping’s evolution and ambient shopping.

Shopify found that 59% of consumers browse items online first before buying them in-store, also known as “webrooming.” This behavior is indicative of intentional shopping.

On the other hand, Salesforce research showed that more than three-quarters (78%) of shoppers have used multiple channels to start and complete a transaction. This behavior is indicative of ambient shopping. 

Developing an omnichannel strategy benefits your organization beyond connecting with shoppers exhibiting intentional and ambient behavior. It also increases operational efficiency and can help you consolidate your tech stack.

Shopping ‘Til They Drop … Their Mobile Device Because Their Hand Is Tired

As the phrase “going shopping” lessens in usefulness, perhaps the age-old reference used to beckon our companions, “Get in, loser, we’re going shopping,” will lose its meaning, too. (It tracks, “Mean Girls” itself has already been reimagined.)

But maybe shopping doesn’t have to be a “going” action to enable brands to reach their next stage of growth while fulfilling consumers’ needs — maybe it can be passive and ambient. Maybe embracing the notion of “being,” just “being a shopper,” will bring everyone closer to the present, being present, and, of course, a delivery of presents ordered in an ambient daze.