Amidst this, technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) – particularly the emergence of AI agents – present both significant opportunities and complex challenges. Strategic navigation requires clear insights into the evolving landscape, drawing from global trends and understanding the nuances of shopper adoption versus retailer ambition.
Salesforce’s 6th “Connected Shoppers” report, based on global surveys of 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 retail decision-makers, sheds light on these critical dynamics.
The Evolving Retail Ecosystem: Stores, Social, and Seamlessness
While digital channels continue to gain ground, the physical store retains a crucial, albeit evolving, role. Although shoppers estimate a slight decrease in purchase volume share via physical stores (from 45% in 2024 to a projected 41% in 2026 ), their importance as hubs for experience and fulfillment is growing.
Retailers are transforming these spaces, with 59% now offering services like customization or repairs, and 46% providing dedicated areas for events. Stores remain vital for benefits like immediate product access and the ability to physically interact with merchandise.
Source: Salesforce Connected Shoppers report, 2025.
Simultaneously, commerce is increasingly happening at the digital edge. Over half (53%) of shoppers now discover products on social media platforms, up from 46% in 2023. These platforms, along with messaging apps and live streams, are becoming integral channels not just for discovery, but also for purchasing and customer service.
Source: Salesforce Connected Shoppers report, 2025.
Connecting these dispersed physical and digital touchpoints is the central challenge addressed by Unified Commerce. The goal is a seamless experience across all channels, integrating front and back-end operations.
Retailers recognise its significance, with 88% stating unified commerce will be very important or critical to their business objectives in the next two years.
Achieving this seamless integration, however, remains a significant operational hurdle for many. See how the Salesforce Customer 360 approaches unifying the personalized omnichannel journey for retail customer experiences.
Even in carefully curated retail spaces, customers remain omnichannel, using mobile devices to access loyalty programs, research products in real time, and more.
Source: Salesforce Connected Shoppers report, 2025.
Younger generations lead the way across every mobile shopping behavior. For example, Gen Z shoppers are twice as likely as baby boomers to use store apps for checkout, and eight times more likely to order from competing retailers while walking the aisles.
The AI Paradox: High Hopes Meet Early-Stage Adoption
AI is viewed by retailers as their top opportunity, with 84% already using it in some capacity. There’s strong belief in its potential, with 89% expecting ROI and reporting that AI increases online sales volume.
Yet, from the shopper’s perspective, AI-assisted journeys are still in “early stages”. A majority have never used AI for core tasks like making purchases (66%) or receiving customer service (55%).
A clear generational divide exists; Gen Z shoppers, for instance, are ten times more likely than Baby Boomers to frequently use AI for product discovery.
AI Agents: Potential and Practicality
The advent of AI agents – systems capable of autonomous action – represents the next wave. Retailers are actively exploring this, with 43% piloting the technology and 53% evaluating use cases spanning customer service, merchant operations, marketing, training, and inventory management. Indeed, 75% believe AI agents will be essential for a competitive edge by 2026.
Shoppers, however, show the strongest interest in agents performing practical, value-driven tasks: optimizing loyalty points (70% interested), providing faster service answers (71%), and handling returns (67%). They are less inclined, currently, to use agents for purchasing complementary items (52% interested) or buying recommended products automatically (47% interested).
Building trust is paramount, with shoppers emphasizing data privacy, control (like easy opt-outs or purchase approvals), and transparency as key factors.
Loyalty in an Era of Choice
Customer loyalty remains a significant challenge, with 74% of shoppers having switched brands in the past year, primarily due to high prices but also poor experiences. Younger consumers (Gen Z and Millennials) switch at 1.3 times the rate of Baby Boomers. In response, retailers are investing in loyalty programs (67% offer one, 29% plan to), which
demonstrably influence behaviour – 84% of members say programs make them more likely to repurchase.
While traditional points and discounts remain popular, younger generations show a greater affinity for experiential rewards. Continuous program refinement is necessary, tackling shopper frustrations like reward complexity and retailer challenges like data integration and cost.
Strategic Considerations for the Path Ahead
Successfully navigating the future of retail appears dependent on several interconnected factors:
● Embracing Unified Commerce: Creating seamless, integrated experiences across proliferating channels is foundational, though implementation remains a significant hurdle.
● Aligning AI with Value: Bridging the gap between retailer enthusiasm for AI and current customer adoption requires focusing implementations where they offer clear, practical benefits and building trust incrementally.
● Building the Foundation: Unified commerce is increasingly seen as the bedrock for powering future AI capabilities, highlighting the need to address underlying data and system integration challenges.
The retail environment demands informed, strategic action. Understanding these complex global dynamics – the evolving role of stores, the rise of edge commerce, the nuances of AI adoption, and the drivers of shopper loyalty – is critical for building resilient and customer-centric businesses.
Explore the full depth of these global insights.
Dive into the comprehensive data and analysis from the 6th edition of the Salesforce Connected Shoppers report to inform your strategic planning: Access the full report
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