Online shopping seems to have lost its magic and has become a mechanical and predictable process. The new report from Criteo, a global commerce media company, titled “The Spark of Discovery – Reigniting The Emotion of E-commerce“, revealed that 76% of consumers believe online shopping lacks emotion, with nearly a third of respondents (29%) describing it as laborious. As online retailers prioritize efficiency, brands risk losing the moments of discovery that drive consumer loyalty and engagement, eroding opportunities for emotional connection.
E-commerce is efficient but lacks emotion
The excitement of searching, finding something unexpected, and making an impulse purchase is quickly fading. Today, 61% of consumers turn to online shopping solely for convenience, while a third (36%) lament the loss of “unexpected finds”—a key factor in retail joy. Consumers crave more than just speed and efficiency. They want surprise, spontaneity, and emotional connection in their digital shopping experiences. When it comes to celebrating life’s big milestones, only 18% of consumers choose to do so through online shopping. Instead, they prefer to mark memorable occasions with in-person experiences that online shopping has yet to replicate.
Are brands making a lasting impact?
Some brands struggle to build genuine connections with consumers. More than a third (39%) of consumers say engaging ads make them feel better about a brand, but when it comes to deeper relationships with the company, some digital marketing strategies could be revisited. When engaging directly with a brand, 41% feel excited reading a positive review or discussion on forums, proving that third-party endorsement is a powerful driver of brand trust. Customers also want brands to understand the context of their purchases, as 43% of online shoppers expect brands to use their data to create personalized experiences.
Online retail must compete for consumer attention
Companies are struggling to stand out in a fragmented consumer journey. Nearly 4 in 5 (79%) consumers feel that online shopping is lonely, and 78% say they’re overwhelmed by too many product options. Yet, only 50% find online shopping relaxing and enjoyable.
55% of brand leaders believe influencers drive traffic, but only 29% of consumers say influencer content makes them feel positive about a brand. Instead, 73% of consumers say visiting a brand’s website contributes to their excitement, highlighting the role of digital experiences in boosting engagement and brand trust, and underscoring a vital opportunity for brands to connect with shoppers.
Discovery is the key to brand growth
Despite clear consumer demand for more engaging shopping experiences, nearly all brand leaders (98%) believe their discovery strategies are effective, and 80% claim their approach contributes to brand growth.
While 79% of businesses acknowledge that data privacy concerns hinder their ability to refine discovery strategies, this also presents a clear opportunity. Nearly half (43%) of online shoppers are open to brands using data when it leads to better, more personalized experiences—as long as it’s done transparently and with trust.
Over four in five (83%) brands are prepared to rely on AI tools to enhance user experience. Additionally, the use of vital commerce data can create accurate snapshots of customer behavior for personalized experiences. With this, the e-commerce industry is at a turning point.
“Brands that don’t transform the shopping journey into a joyful, memorable, and engaging experience risk fading from shoppers’ memories and becoming nothing more than a transactional experience,” says Tiago Cardoso, Criteo’s CEO for Latin America. “But there’s a clear opportunity: with the right mix of emotional storytelling and real-time data, brands can create unexpected moments that feel personal and intuitive, delivering the magic of the ‘perfect find,’ even when consumers aren’t actively looking for it.”
According to the executive, AI and data-driven strategies can elevate discovery beyond merely targeting the right audience at the right time; they should create moments of inspiration. “Consumers are telling us they want brands to understand them beyond their purchase history. Those that create experiences that feel exciting and immersive—rather than just efficient—will be the ones to capture attention, foster loyalty, and ultimately drive long-term growth,” he concludes.
Study methodology
Criteo partnered with Vitreous World, a public relations and market research expert from Harvard, to conduct a representative global online survey with a sample of 6,000 consumers and 600 brand leaders across six markets—the UK, US, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea.
The research explored the theme of discovery and joy in shopping. All data points referenced are global figures. The consumer survey was conducted from February 7 to 17, 2025, and the B2B study from February 10 to 27, 2025.
