The online versus in-store debate is over. UK consumers now move seamlessly between channels, with 80% discovering products online and 83% in-store, while one in five already use AI tools for product recommendations.
For years, retail conversations have focused on channel shift: online versus in-store, ecommerce versus physical retail, digital versus traditional. But new research from Dentsu suggests consumers have already moved on.
Based on a nationally representative survey of 2,003 UK consumers, the latest Retail Consumer Navigator reveals a shopper who moves fluidly between channels, technologies and touchpoints in pursuit of one thing: easier, better decision-making.
The research finds that 80% of consumers discover products while browsing online, and 83% while browsing in-store. More than half say in-store promotions influence what they buy, yet social media now outperforms retailer websites for product discovery. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping shopping journeys, with one in five consumers already using tools such as ChatGPT and Claude for product recommendations.
Yet despite the rise of new technologies and fragmented discovery journeys, trust remains remarkably consistent. Customer reviews, recommendations from friends and family, value for money and trusted retailers continue to exert the greatest influence over purchase decisions.
The findings point to a shift in retail strategy. Success is no longer about driving consumers down a linear funnel. Instead, brands must compete in a world where discovery happens everywhere. Influence comes from multiple sources, and consumers increasingly seek help making confident decisions.
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