New Survey - 69% of Shoppers Buy While Multitasking—Is Retail Ready for the Always-On Consumer?

Boston, Mass. – January 23, 2025  – Is retail ready for the always-on consumer? Salsify, the platform empowering brand manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to win on the digital shelf, reveals in its 2025 Consumer Research Report that 69% of shoppers make purchases while multitasking—scrolling TikTok, watching Netflix, or browsing YouTube. Economic strains and emerging technologies have accelerated retail’s evolution, forcing brands to rethink their strategies.

“In 2025, consumers are making faster, more fragmented buying decisions, but they still expect seamless and personalized experiences,” said Salsify Research Director Dom Scarlett. “Retailers must earn trust by combining affordability with richer, more accurate content, as shoppers prioritize relevance and reliability over impulse buying.”

Key trends revealed from the 2025 Consumer Shopping Report include:

• Shopping Never Stops—Ambient Buying Becomes the Norm
  Shopping is now woven into everyday life. According to the study, 69% of consumers make purchases during passive activities, led by Millennials (76%) and men (75%). This shift toward ambient shopping means brands must target audiences on social platforms and streaming services where buyers are already engaged.
• Economic Uncertainty Fuels Frugality and Side Hustles
  Economic anxiety is reshaping spending patterns in 2025. The data reveals that 66% of shoppers are cutting back on non-essentials, while 52% will choose less expensive store brands. Meanwhile, 27% have started side jobs, and 18% are relying on savings or debt to stay afloat. Brands that offer budget-friendly options and loyalty incentives will resonate with cost-conscious consumers.
• Viral Trends and Influencers Redefine Product Discovery
  Influencers are wielding more influence than ever. Thirty-nine percent of shoppers made purchases based on influencer recommendations, an 18% jump from last year. Viral products also drove demand, with 34% of shoppers buying items they saw trending on TikTok and Instagram. Brands must invest in influencer partnerships and be prepared for sudden spikes in demand.
• Algorithms and Livestreams Are Redrawing the Retail Playbook
  AI and live shopping are no longer experiments—they’re reshaping retail. Thirty-five percent of shoppers made purchases through live streams, up 22% in a year. Meanwhile, 28% trust AI assistants to help them shop, and 17% have acted on AI recommendations. These technologies are turning screens into personal shopping assistants, blending entertainment and commerce. For brands, this isn’t just evolution—it’s a reinvention. Winning now means mastering AI, video, and personalization to capture today’s fast-moving shoppers.
• Content Mismatches Cost Sales and Trust
  Shoppers are unforgiving and quick to abandon purchases when product content falls short. The Salsify report found that 54% dropped purchases due to conflicting information, and 71% returned items over inaccurate descriptions. These failures damage credibility, turning buyers into critics. For brands, trust isn’t earned in the checkout process—it’s built into every click, image, and description leading up to it. With 87% of shoppers willing to pay more for brands they trust, consistency and authenticity are no longer optional—they’re essential for long-term success.
• Beyond Page 1—Shoppers Are Digging Deeper for the Perfect Product
  Shoppers are more committed to the search process than previously thought. The Salsify report reveals that 41% of shoppers will scroll up to page three to find the right product, and 26% will continue up to page five. Only 18% of shoppers believe in page one or bust. This deeper commitment highlights the importance of product visibility beyond the first page. Brands must optimize content and ensure accuracy across multiple touchpoints to capture attention and drive conversions.

Salsify’s 2025 Consumer Shopping Research Report
Salsify conducted a quantitative online research survey via SurveyMonkey in October 2024, among a completed general consumer pool of 1,910 online shoppers in the United States (953) and the United Kingdom (957). The margin of error is ≤ 3%. For more information on the methodology or to view the full results, download the report here.  

About Salsify
Salsify helps thousands of brand manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in over 140 countries collaborate to win on the digital shelf. The company’s Product Experience Management (PXM) platform enables organizations to centralize all of their product content, connect to the commerce ecosystem, and automate business processes in order to deliver the best possible product experiences across every selling destination. Learn how the world’s largest brands, including Mars, L'Oreal, Coca-Cola, Bosch, and ASICS, as well as retailers and distributors, such as DoorDash, E.Leclerc, Carrefour, Metro, and Intermarché, use Salsify every day to drive efficiency, power growth, and lead the digital shelf. For more information, please visit: www.salsify.com.