Commerce 2026: “The Journey is the New Product”

French retail is in a constant state of reinvention. While online purchases, now accounting for 11%, serve as a significant indicator, they represent only the tip of a much deeper and ongoing transformation: the evolution of the customer journey. No longer a simple linear process, this journey has transformed into a complex ecosystem where physical and digital experiences are inseparably intertwined. For industry players, the critical question is no longer where the consumer completes their purchase, but how they make decisions and interact at every stage of the process.

The “Commerce 2026” study, conducted by Choreograph (WPP Media) with 1,870 French participants, dives deep into the new behaviors of today’s resolutely omnichannel consumer. To better understand this complexity, the study categorizes purchase behaviors into three main types of journeys, each represented by a key sector:

• Optimized Purchase (Grocery): A pursuit of convenience and efficiency for high-frequency, often routine purchases.

• Project Purchase (DIY-Gardening): A search for expertise and solutions for occasional purchases where trust is critical for successful implementation.

• Rationalized Purchase (Electronics): Rare, high-involvement purchases with substantial budgets, where the journey consists of multiple reassurance phases.

Understanding these three dynamics is essential for effectively addressing the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s consumers.

Digital: The Essential Starting Point for Purchases

One of the study’s most striking findings is clear: pure impulse buying is becoming increasingly rare. Digital has become the prerequisite for nearly all purchases, with a figure that demands attention: 70% of in-store sales are now preceded by online research.

This trend is even more pronounced for major purchases. For example, nearly all consumers (94%) seek information before buying an electronic product. This information-gathering process happens predominantly online: research is digital for 71% of electronic purchases, 54% for DIY, and 47% for groceries. The takeaway is simple: the more considered the purchase, the more digital becomes the primary arena.

The Leading Trio Orchestrating the Decision

Today’s consumer is a skilled navigator, structuring their journey around an ecosystem of touchpoints dominated by a leading trio, each fulfilling a specific role:

• Google: The universal gateway. Used by 67% to 82% of consumers, it serves as the starting point for all inquiries.

• Retailer Sites & Apps: The relationship hub. A practical go-to for over 50% of buyers seeking promotions, availability, and essential information.

• Amazon: The product benchmark. Consulted by 32% to 65% of consumers, it is the ultimate comparator for prices, features, and—most importantly—reviews.

In addition, platforms like YouTube have emerged as visual experts, indispensable for tutorials (DIY) and product tests (electronics). Ensuring visibility and consistency across these platforms is a strategic necessity, enabling brands to evolve from mere “products” to trusted experts.

The Quest for Reassurance: Price, Features, and Reviews

What do consumers seek most? Reassurance. The study identifies a “Reassurance Trilogy” that transforms consumer interest into genuine trust:

• Price: The universal criterion, checked by over 80% of buyers.

• Product Features: A critical need for understanding, especially for technical purchases (77% in electronics).

• Consumer Reviews: The digital third-party trust, whose importance skyrockets with purchase involvement (45% in electronics).

Interestingly, retailers often serve as the consumer’s primary compass, even more so than brands. For groceries, 66% of buyers know which retailer they will visit, compared to only 52% who have a specific brand in mind. This loyalty, built on habit and preference, represents a significant “trust capital.” Loyalty programs reinforce this connection: 80% of grocery buyers with a preferred retailer possess its loyalty card. The retailer is no longer just a sales channel—it is a strategic partner of influence.

The purchase channel itself has become a media platform with significant coverage and frequency potential. In the grocery sector, 44% of consumers conduct multiple searches per month on retailer sites or apps.

Social Networks, Live Shopping, Generative AI: The New Faces of Commerce

While social networks remain secondary inspiration channels, new, more immersive formats are gaining traction.

Live Shopping is emerging as a promising opportunity. Though still relatively niche, a strong signal is evident: 30% of consumers express moderate to high confidence in this format. The key challenge is building trust. For pioneering brands, investing in this rapidly growing channel today is the fastest route to becoming tomorrow’s reference.

Another format continues its rise: AI Assistants. Far from being a futuristic novelty, 25% of French consumers have already used them to prepare for a purchase. The perceived benefits are clear: time savings (45%), better deals (41%), and enriched information (36%).

Young adults aged 18-24 are leading this movement: 41% already use AI, and 52% fully trust it. Their niche applications today are set to become tomorrow’s market standards.

Your Next Strategic Steps

In response to these shifts, a dual strategy is essential:

1. Master the Current Journey: Cartograph your touchpoints, optimize content for each platform (e.g., promotions on retailer sites, reviews on marketplaces, tutorials on YouTube), and ensure absolute reliability of your data (stock, price). Incorrect information disrupts the journey and erodes trust.

2. Prepare for the AI Era:

• Become a “Source of Truth”: Structure product data (features, reviews, compatibility) in an accessible and reliable format to feed AI agents.

• Think Content for Conversation: AI is a response engine, not just a search engine. Create content that directly answers user questions (“What is the best…?”, “How to use…?”).

• Launch Pilots & Develop Skills: Build an internal AI culture through controlled projects (e.g., chatbots, A/B content generation, predictive analysis).

In conclusion, the “Commerce 2026” study delivers a powerful message: the era when the product alone dictated value is over. Passive or fragmented digital presence is no longer sufficient. The brands that will thrive tomorrow are those that, starting today, adopt a precise omnichannel content strategy, actively shaping the customer journey. Success now lies in guiding, reassuring, and converting consumers at every stage of a journey that has become, more than ever, the true product.