Rising prices, global trade strain, and widening trust gaps in product information are pushing shoppers to buy online less often and rely on stores for confidence and value — according to new research from Salsify
BOSTON, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Daily online shopping frequency has dropped sharply, falling from 21% to 9% in the past year as shoppers pull back from fast online purchases and lean more heavily on physical stores for confidence and value. This shift reflects rising prices, global trade strain, and growing trust gaps in product content that make shoppers more cautious about what they buy and where they buy it.
These findings come from Salsify's “2026 Consumer Research” report, which surveyed nearly 3,000 shoppers across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The data reveals a consumer mindset defined by risk reduction and verification, with buyers scrutinizing more details, comparing across more channels, and seeking reassurance through in-store discovery. Sixty percent of shoppers now say they find new products in store, surpassing online marketplaces and marking a clear pivot from years of digital-first shopping behavior.
“Consumers are recalibrating. They are being selective, they are verifying every detail and they expect product information that gives them confidence from the start,” said Dom Scarlett, research director at Salsify. “When content falls short, they walk away.”
Key trends revealed from the “2026 Consumer Research” report include:
1. Economic Pressure Forces Shoppers to Hit the Brakes on Online Buying
Rising prices linked to global trade volatility are reshaping how shoppers evaluate purchases. Consumers are comparing more, delaying more, and trading down more often as they try to stretch their budgets.
Thirty-nine percent compare prices more carefully, 38% reduce spending in specific categories, and 37% choose lower-priced alternatives regardless of origin. One in three now prioritizes domestically made products, reflecting heightened sensitivity to global trade dynamics.
Many shoppers are postponing non-essential spending entirely. Twenty-seven percent are delaying discretionary purchases, and one in five is buying more secondhand, reinforcing the shift toward value and expanding the resale economy.
2. Stores Become the New Search Bar as Shoppers Go Back to the Aisles
Physical retail is back at the center of the discovery journey. Brick-and-mortar stores (60%) now outrank online marketplaces at 57% and social platforms at 52% as the place where shoppers discover new products. Shoppers say discovering products in person gives them greater confidence in quality and accuracy than any digital channel.
3. The New Buyer Reflex: Verify Everything Before You Buy Anything
Shoppers no longer rely on a single source of information. Fifty-four percent use two to three channels for mid-range items, while 30% use four to six channels and 11% use up to 10 for big-ticket purchases. U.S. shoppers are the most thorough, with 56% checking four or more channels.
Inconsistent content instantly breaks trust. Up to 45% of Gen Z and 43% of millennials abandon purchases when product details do not match across sites.
AI has not solved the trust gap either. While 22% use AI tools to research products, only 14% trust AI recommendations enough to rely on them regularly, and one-third do not use AI shopping tools at all. Detailed product descriptions and clear specifications remain the top triggers of trust in AI-recommended products.
4. Social Commerce Cools as Shoppers Stop Falling for the Algorithm
Impulse buying is down as shoppers tighten spending and pull back from trend-driven behavior. Purchases driven by influencers dropped 16%, livestream shopping declined 12%, viral product purchases fell 17%, and virtual try-ons decreased 9%.
5. Quality Defines 2026 and Gen Alpha Has a Seat at the Table
Shoppers are investing in products that feel reliable, long-lasting, and accurately represented. Durability and longevity are the top signals of product value at 54%, with reviews close behind at 47%.
Poor product content remains costly. Forty-five percent of shoppers returned an online purchase due to incorrect or misleading information, with millennials returning at the highest rate at 56%.
The report also shows how the next generation is shaping household spending. Forty-three percent of parents say their Gen Alpha children influence purchases, and 9% say kids drive most household decisions, especially in food and beverage, fashion, and electronics.
Salsify's “2026 Consumer Research” Report
Salsify conducted a quantitative online survey via SurveyMonkey in October 2025 with 2,712 completed responses from online shoppers in the United States (908), Canada (902), and the United Kingdom (902). Incomplete surveys were removed to ensure accuracy. The margin of error is ≤ 3%. For more details 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 make every product experience matter. 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 to deliver the best possible product experiences across every selling destination and agentic commerce opportunity.
Learn how the world's largest brands, including Mars, L'Oreal, The Coca-Cola Company, 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.
Media contact:
Carolyn Adams
carolyn@bluerunpr.com
847.867.3005