0:00 Feel free to continue to say hi and engage in the chat, but maybe we'll dive in. Sure. Alright. Let's do this. So hello. 0:08 I'm Alex Kirk, and I lead our analytics measurement team at Bazaarvoice. And I'm so thrilled to be copresenting with Kerry She's fabulous. 0:16 I'll let Kerry intro herself. Thank you, Alex. So I am Carrie Meehan. I lead our value management team here at Bazaarvoice. Thank you all for joining. 0:26 Just to give you a quick overview of our, group. So we consist of data analysts, ROI value engineers, and consumer research experts. 0:36 And, ultimately, we strive to keep a pulse on what consumers care about and how their sentiment and behavior can impact purchase and, ultimately, your ROI. 0:46 And over the next thirty minutes or so, we will be covering how to decode the shifting shopper mindset we're all experiencing today and the practical actions you can take to stay relevant. 0:58 Alright. So let's dive right in. And this is actually our twentieth edition of what we call the shopper experience index. And for those who might not be familiar, the shopper experience index is one of our many annual thought leadership projects where we strive to better understand the latest behavior and trends of shoppers. 1:18 And for this particular project, we surveyed over fifteen hundred shoppers across North America, EMEA, and APAC. And through this quantitative approach, we identified sixteen different shopper archetypes based on varying mindsets across various purchase moments. 1:35 We then took this segmentation one step further to better understand how within these mindsets where certain generations over indexed. 1:45 And for this particular research, we did focus on boomers, Gen xers, millennials, and Gen z. Few of you might be wondering why no gen alpha. 1:55 And while we'd love to have their insights too, we did have to keep this work to eighteen and up. Alright. So you may have heard this acronym, GEO, and you may have also been hearing how traditional keyword search giving way to generative engine optimization, GEO. 2:12 Though shoppers are no longer just typing broad queries, the GEO, AEO space is one that our team is monitoring very closely. We are looking at it from a lens of consumer research and how consumers are adopting to the shift, but also, you know, monitoring those behavioral trends that a lot of the GEO, AEO platforms are sharing as well as academia. 2:35 And we continue to learn each week, and we have massive empathy for for all of us as it's a growing space. It's a space that is continuously evolving, and we wanna make sure that we're doing our due diligence to stay on the pulse of that. 2:49 And we are observing shifts in LLM prioritization and understanding more about shopper adoption of GEO product recommendations. 2:58 And what these product recommendations are allowing us all as shoppers to do is to ultimately be more intentional with our research and tie that product research to our specific need states. 3:10 And we now have the means to be able to compare and contrast in more depth and within seconds. And as you can see as visualized on this slide, we're seeing that even after the initial GEO recommendation, the consumers are still using more than two sources to research further. 3:29 And what we found is that your PDPs are where they're validating before they buy. Regardless of the industry, on average, we're saying that nine in ten consumers will go to your product page to read fellow shopper reviews before they purchase. 3:45 And, you know, Carrie and I were chatting yesterday about how we've been using AI with a variety of different purchases, and I was sharing with her, it was recently the World Cup a few weeks ago, and I was using Gemini to this is such an interesting purchase for me. 4:02 Research projectors and screens. We wanted to have, you know, World Cup matches, watch parties outside, and I didn't know anything about projectors or the screens that you needed to get. 4:13 So I was able to use Gemini to ask about a variety of factors to evaluate everything from what the right projector is for a daytime game versus evenings. 4:23 You have to consider ambient light. But I also wanted to be mindful of price. I didn't wanna spend a fortune on this projector. And, you know, it's it's through these recommendations and then reviews that I was able to find both a projector and screen. 4:38 We were able to use it for the World Cup matches, and now my kids are thrilled that we have what they're calling their own movie theater. So that was just, like, an interesting way that I was able to really lean into Gemini to do, product research that I probably would have felt really overwhelmed by. 4:54 And, Carrie, do you wanna share some of how recent experience of how you've been using AI assistance for shopping? Yeah. There's so many examples. 5:03 I think probably the one that I fall into the most is being inundated with TikTok and Instagram ads for new skincare products of which I could really impulsively buy, but I'm trying to really figure out which is suitable for sensitive skin. 5:20 And so, right, I used to spend so much time looking at the ingredients of a product and then checking the retailer sites, googling the ingredients. 5:29 Are they good for sensitive skin? Of which I have. And so now I'm able to just see the product being advertised to me. I see it from a, usually, a creator. 5:40 I can then go to AI, ask it a couple of questions, really a contextual question, I guess, and it enables me to compare results really, really quickly. 5:53 And like you said, Alex, you see this you see this data represented here, and so I think I'm, like, very, very highly resonating with this. 6:03 And I also just wanted to call on something else just as we were preparing for the session today. And as Alex and I spend a lot of time with our clients working on generative engine optimization. 6:15 It's led me to reflect not only on my own purchase experiences, but also my background, which was in traditional SEO a long time ago. 6:25 And just really thinking about the similarities and differences of geo and SEO. And so there are some similarities, but there are real operational differences. 6:35 And so we think traditional search or on-site search really relies on those short tail queries that if you're in Google or another search engine would push you to, typically, to, like, a blog or review site, a listicle site, a retailer site would be advertised. 6:56 But with GEO, just sort of like my example just now, and probably Alex very much like yours, we're really using detailed contextual prompts to the to the engine and letting them handle all of that discovery, all of that synthesis. 7:10 And so it's really interesting in how that's shifting. And also that the core difference isn't just in the search. 7:18 It is really on how we're expecting something else to do that heavy lifting for us before we get to that consideration phase. 7:27 Yeah. It it's so interesting to follow. And, honestly, as as you're touching on, it does feel like the purchase journey is getting overwhelming and messy right now. 7:37 But if you ultimately break it down, as as you were saying, Carrie, like, it's still very much the journey we're all accustomed to. The consideration phase is just evolving, and it's expanded. 7:48 And now we have the means to do thorough and intentional product research catered to our specific needs and purchase priorities through GEO. 7:58 And then this really tees up nicely what we did for this, latest version of the shopper experience index. And what we did is we asked shoppers to identify their own behavior at four distinct moments. 8:12 And these four moments help to build our framework, which we're sharing as part of our shopper experience index report. And what we ultimately did is we looked at these four moments. 8:23 So we have our first being open to influence, then they're searching for proof. So and then weighing value and ready to influence other others. 8:34 And these moments are sequential by nature. Discovery is likely followed by research, which then can move to purchase. And then, of course, there's the post purchase and then this moment of advocacy. 8:45 And we did this persona based research to really help inform the archetypes that you can see on the screen right now. And we really wanted to ultimately personify the purchase journey. 8:56 When you are thinking about your audience targeting, your communication strategies, and media planning, you're having some faces tied to each of these moments and thinking through these different mindsets. 9:08 And just to give you some insights into the outcome and the end of the session, we'll end with a decision framework, which is hopefully really gonna help you understand your starting point and then some actionable takeaways from that. 9:24 So think of this as the map that will help today's session flow. And while we'll be focusing on all sixteen in the in the cheat sheet and the tool kit, we will just be focusing on some of the really really relevant mindsets to each moment. 9:46 And so do look out for the cheat sheet that should be popping up now and then also in the full shopper experience index, which you'll receive afterwards. 9:55 Alright. So shall we break this down starting with this first moment? So the first moment is open to influence. And as you can see here, close to fifty percent of shoppers are identifying as this creator devotee. 10:09 So this group is not necessarily looking for your product, but perhaps a creator or a peer put it in front of them in terms of the content that they're creating on behalf of the product, and this person is then persuaded. 10:23 And what we see is that among millennials and Gen z, this persona really over indexes. It's also worth noting that, both of these groups can be reached by the same type of content, so authentic user generated content from both whether it's an official creator or an everyday shopper. 10:45 And what's really great is once this UGC is created and whether it's social living in feed or ratings and reviews living on your product page, If assuming that data is structured in a way that can be picked up by crawlers, this is then also utilized by the LLMs that are providing those product recommendations that we're referring to with GEO, which is great because we see that twenty six percent are identifying with this AI adopter cohort. 11:14 And while they have an idea of their need and or want, they are leaning on AI assistance to help them decide based on their unique set of needs and criteria. 11:23 We then see this third cohort. This falls at less than twenty percent, but twenty percent did identify most with this media muse persona. 11:33 And this is a persona that is very much still influenced by traditional and digital ads. And lastly, we do save the smaller group, around eleven percent, and they're identifying as what we're naming an ambient absorber. 11:48 So they're really consuming what they want to purchase by being exposed to it in real life. So they're likely your in store shoppers, and they probably like tactile experiences. 11:56 So that is what this cohort represents. And so let's look into moment two, searching for proof. 12:05 And so, really, at this point, the shopper is looking for active verification that the product that they're looking for is is the right one. 12:13 And so let's take a look at some of the data here. Thirty eight percent of shoppers fall into the archivist mindset. 12:21 And so these consumers are researching a ton. They might have a dozen tabs open on the desktop or the phone like it's a full time job. 12:31 And the interesting thing about this group is the first thing that they are looking for is your one star reviews. And so they're really looking to filter out products. 12:40 They're looking for the worst case before taking another step. And then let's go to the Vibes auditors who are nearly a quarter of the audience of the shoppers. 12:50 They are, again, bypassing five star reviews entirely, but they are heading to the three star. And that's where we learned that they are really looking for the nuanced reviews that they believe are the most authentic, and that's where the authentic truth lives for them. 13:07 The finding that really surprised me in this research involved Gen z. And so I think typically when we speak about this this group, impulse is something that comes to mind. 13:18 But, actually, we found that they are the most thorough researchers, and a quarter of Gen z said that they need five or more human sources before they'll trust an AI recommendation. 13:28 So it's nice to know I'm in that group even though I'm not that age. I have the traits. And so that's more than double the rate of boomers. 13:36 So what we're thinking here is that creative curated, polished, perfect star ratings don't reassure these mindsets. 13:46 It just makes them more skeptical. And so from a strategic perspective, whether a consumer starts their journey in a traditional engine or a generative one, the PDP and authentic peer feedback are the ultimate ground truth. 14:03 And so to support these mindsets, we've we've designed some actionable toolkits, which we'll look at now around how to optimize your content. 14:11 Alright. And just to give you a snapshot of these toolkits, and, again, you'll you'll have access to the more in-depth ones. For Open to Influenster, we ask that you consider to invest in sampling and creator campaigns that help you generate content. 14:26 We will speak to abundant, accessible, and authentic content as what the LLMs are prioritizing. So this is certainly something to be mindful of in your future strategies, And that will ensure that those that are the creator devotee or that AI adopter are thinking of you in your top of mind as they're con starting that purchase journey. 14:50 And a side of well matched nano, micro, and macro creators consistently can outperform, like, one mega influencer. Yeah. Absolutely. 15:00 I love that kind of way of thinking for that for that group. And for the searching for proof, as we as we just learned about the behaviors, the real the real goal here is to think about the depth of content and also a balance in your in your review content. 15:21 So just really ensuring that the reviews list pros and cons, they include real customer language, and that given that there are just so many touch points now, ensuring that that content is syndicated as broadly as possible so that your consumers can find find this content wherever they're looking. 15:44 I think the critical point there is just to summarize that balanced reviews build more trust with these mindsets than that perfect five star average. 15:53 And I think a lot of our other data, if you look at if you look at our website and our reports, also shows that as well. Some thanks, Carrie. 16:03 So what we're hearing is the shopper's no longer just comparing options. They're worrying whether the purchase is also worth the money, the risk, and the trade off. 16:11 As you can see on this slide, the, cohort with the highest composition at forty one percent is what we've named Thrifty Shopper. The Thrifty Shopper is spending the time doing the research to ensure that they're paying a price that suits them. 16:25 And while we just heard from Carrie that Gen z is utilizing the most sources for research prepurchase, we do see that sixty percent of boomers fall into this thrifty shopper mindset, which makes it clear that this is not just a, quote, unquote, young shopper only behavior. 16:43 It's cross generational behavior that's driven by budget pressure likely due to the the current cultural climate. And there's there's really the census to not regret the decision later. 16:56 We also see that a third of shoppers identified as a believe it believe it when you see it persona. And then there's this commitment sprinter cohort, which falls at less than twenty percent. 17:07 And this is a cohort that likely has their tab open for weeks, but then they'll purchase in seconds when they're ready. 17:15 And then at seven percent, we see this returner, and this is someone who is purchasing several options knowing that they might potentially return a couple. 17:25 I'm curious too. How many of you have added something to your cart and just left it there? You might have been tempted or convinced or wanted to do that impulse purchase, but then maybe didn't actually hit checkout and actually purchase that. 17:40 We do see that nearly a third of shoppers might keep some items in cart for up to a few months, while they continue to contemplate and maybe, you know, do additional research. 17:49 And these were the go shoppers that we heard about previously. And while geo recommendations allow for a quick pulse check, the issue is the confidence in whether the value feels justified. 18:02 And that's where brand equity really comes to play, that emotional connection and trust to really drive that purchase. I am totally guilty of leaving things in my cart just like a wish list, but I guess I'm I'm trying to sleep on it and not impulse purchase all the time. 18:18 But let's look at how price can really impact, you know, what happens between the add to cart and things sitting in your in there and then getting to the buy now. 18:30 So we conducted some some questions just really looking into price and and kind of that final stage of the funnel or the typical funnel. 18:40 And we found that as price point increase increases, brand loyalty drops down. So that that's essentially meaning shoppers are looking for reasons to reassess once the financial stakes go up. 18:56 If you look at the breakdown on this slide, you've got a fifteen dollar item. Quality is the primary driver with price trailing behind. 19:05 But then when you scale up to the higher price point, quality is still essential, but research is is where we see a surge. 19:14 And so shoppers aren't just hunting for the cheapest option anymore. They're really looking for validation that the price tag is justified. 19:23 But where price can come into it is really probably after where we stop thinking sometimes, and that's in the cart where where you can see the shipping costs. 19:33 And we're still seeing a really high abandonment rate there of almost fifty percent. We've also got some stats there on the right hand side around the in real life implications. 19:42 I think what was interesting for me is just the shift from text based searches if you're in store trying to price compare. People, nearly seventy percent, are now taking images of that product and using image search instead. 19:55 Alright. And toolkit three certainly closes the gap here. And the problem here is not really the the value stage is that the shopper is simply just value conscious. 20:07 It's that they are looking for confidence that the price they are paying is still the right decision. And what we saw is the the thrifty shopper does not want a lower price. 20:16 They wanna feel smart about the purchase. They believe it when they see it buyer, meanwhile, needs proof that's visible, concrete, and easy to trust without leaving the page to go hunting elsewhere. 20:26 This is why real customer photos and videos matter so much here. They make the product feel lived in, not staged. And because a lot of these checks do happen on our cell phones, the same content needs to be discovered through visual search as well as the page itself. 20:42 So the key point is simple. If the shopper is already hesitating, the job is to make the value feel obvious before they do drop off. So oh, sorry, Alex. Final moment. 20:53 Final moment. I drum roll. So this is the ready to influence others. And while most post purchase strategies are too shallow because, you know, you might treat advocacy as a transactional review request rather than perhaps an organic existing behavior, We do see that the data shows that forty three percent of consumers can identify as this unsolicited evangelist. 21:20 So they are your biggest brand advocates, and they are sharing their product experiences and the wins without even being asked. And then we see around forty two percent of what we're calling our everyday influencers who are tagging your brands regularly on social and wanting that platform to again speak up, which means that over eighty percent of your customer base is already generating post purchase content organically for you. 21:47 I really think the strategic unlock here is the quiet middle. So look at the lukewarm endorser who is only fifteen percent, but it's across every generation. 21:59 And these are satisfied customers, so happy with their products, but they rarely volunteer feedback unless you make the process completely frictionless. 22:10 And so this is your primary source for new content generation organically. And, honestly, most brands ignore these entirely. 22:23 So it's a real opportunity just trying to activate that massive massive pool who can speak up if you make it easy enough. So true. 22:31 Alright. And this is the loop that brings this whole story together. This post purchase advocacy is not the end of the journey. It is the start of the next shoppers open to influence moment. 22:42 A tag post, a four star review, a product photo, each becomes part of the discovery layer for a different shopper. User generated content compounds. 22:53 It doesn't expire after the transaction. It keeps working because it feeds the exact environments shoppers now trust most, social feeds, AI recommendations, and peer networks. 23:05 Try and stop thinking about reviews and advocacy as an isolated conversion asset. They are part of the discoverability engine, and they need to be treated that way. 23:14 The loop only works when you've built the infrastructure to activate it, and here's how. So toolkit four, this is optimizing that post purchase prompt. 23:25 And like I said, it's really an untapped opportunity. And I think one of the mistakes that we see is treating every customer as if they need the same experience. 23:37 And so think about different ways to get products and product reviews into the hands of your your consumers through things like targeted sampling or through the everyday influencer who who really, you know, wants to to share that content. 23:57 And then think about how you can optimize review requests at the right moment post purchase to get that fifteen percent, that lukewarm endorser to speak up. 24:09 And so tailoring the ask to each specific archetype means that every piece of that content created reenters the discovery engine upstream, like Alex just said. 24:20 And just to kind of add on to that, you know, point and to really, you know, hit it that post purchase isn't just the operational administrative task. 24:30 It is really that scalable strategy for fueling future demand. But Alex would love to understand how we turn that into a road map. 24:39 Yeah. Of course. And let's keep it straightforward just for now, but we identified that the sixteen mindsets are valuable, but execution is where ROI happens. 24:51 So the primary trap that brands can fall into is maybe applying the wrong or the right toolkit to the wrong moment. So the framework acts as a strategic routing tool. 25:02 So think about your brand. Are you launching a new product or expanding into a new category? Then we'd recommend starting with toolkit one, which helps to build immediate visibility and social proof. 25:14 If you fall within the group of you're an established brand in a high consideration space, we'd recommend our toolkit too. So this will help supply the depth balance ratings and PDP detail that consumers are demanding as they are in this research phase. 25:30 And if you're losing market share to private label alternatives or challenger brands, focus on toolkit three to ensure your product's value proposition is visible and defensible right at the point of intent. 25:42 And regardless of where you begin, toolkit four should run-in parallel because continuous advocacy is what feeds the entire engine. 25:50 And so to leave with what I hope is a core strategic takeaway and what we've spoken to throughout this webinar is that brand trust is no longer dictated top down as I think we've all been learning that over the last few years, but it it is really synthesized bottom up through authentic proof, peer validation, and external signals. 26:13 And that is really, you know, as important as ever in the world of of GEO and AI. And so our goals as as marketeers isn't to manufacture the trust, but to operationalize it by thinking about the shopper mindsets, matching the proof to the moment, removing that conversion friction, and turning every buyer into an advocate. 26:37 And the single data point I can't keep coming back to from this research is from this slide earlier on at the beginning that ninety seven percent of consumers validate across multiple sources before buying, and so that is really the playbook. 26:53 If you align your content strategy across the entire discovery loop, you don't just increase conversion rates. You build a sustainable engine for long term growth. 27:04 Well, thank you so much, Carrie. It's been such an honor to present with you today, and thank you all for attending this session. Before we do wrap up, I did wanna share a quick invitation to our upcoming event series, Inspire. 27:17 It's coming live to seven major cities. We'll have full day sessions in London and New York and half day events in many other cities. And for these events, we'll be focusing on mastering the art and science of product discovery and breaking down how modern digital teams can use authentic content to solve the two biggest challenges marketers are facing today being chosen by AI and by shoppers. 27:40 You can register at the link on the screen. Thank you all so much, and I hope you all have lovely days and afternoons and evenings, depending where you're coming from today. 27:49 Thank you. Thank you.
