Retail is being reshaped by digital acceleration, economic pressure, and rising customer expectations. Physical stores are evolving. Digital channels are multiplying. Loyalty is becoming more fluid. And AI agents are emerging as the next major force in retail transformation.
The 6th Edition Connected Shoppers Report brings together insights from 8,350 consumers and 1,700 retail decision-makers across 21 countries. It explores how retailers are modernizing stores, unifying commerce, deploying AI agents, and reinventing loyalty strategies to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.
You Will Learn:
• How the role of physical stores is shifting toward experience hubs and fulfillment centers
• Why unified commerce is essential for seamless cross-channel engagement
• How AI agents are transforming customer service, marketing, and operations
• What percentage of retailers are increasing AI and data investments
• How social commerce and mobile behavior are reshaping buying journeys
• Why loyalty is declining and what brands must do to rebuild it
• Which loyalty benefits resonate most with younger generations
• How retailers are diversifying revenue beyond traditional product sales
• What operational challenges are slowing AI and unified commerce adoption
• How generational trends influence AI usage and shopping behavior
Strategic Insight: Retail’s Future Belongs to Unified, AI-Driven Experiences
Retailers are navigating a delicate balance between cost control and innovation. Rising operational costs, customer acquisition expenses, and margin pressure are forcing leaders to rethink their strategies. At the same time, digital transformation is no longer optional.
The Evolving Role of Physical Stores
Although digital commerce continues to expand, physical stores remain critical. Customers still value the ability to see, touch, and immediately take home products. However, stores are no longer just points of sale. They are becoming fulfillment hubs, experience centers, and service environments that bridge online and offline journeys.
Retailers are investing in services such as in-store returns, buy online pick up in store, same-day delivery, and augmented reality experiences. These capabilities strengthen flexibility and reduce friction across the shopping journey.
Unified Commerce as the Foundation
Disconnected systems are slowing innovation. Store associates often juggle multiple tools without a unified customer view. Unified commerce initiatives aim to integrate front-end and back-end systems, from e-commerce and POS to order management and marketing.
Nearly nine out of ten retailers report active progress toward unified commerce, yet only a small percentage have fully realized its value. The impact is significant. Most retailers believe unified commerce will be critical to achieving business objectives over the next two years.
The primary benefits include higher employee productivity, better operational efficiency, improved inventory management, and stronger AI enablement. However, integration complexity, legacy systems, and implementation costs remain key challenges.
AI and the Rise of Autonomous Agents
AI adoption is widespread across retail. The majority of retailers already use AI or are experimenting with it, and most plan to increase investment in both AI and data management.
The next frontier is autonomous AI agents. These systems can independently handle customer inquiries, manage returns, optimize marketing campaigns, and even support inventory management with minimal human intervention.
Retailers are optimistic. Many believe AI agents will be essential for maintaining competitive advantage within the next two years. Customers also show interest, particularly in practical use cases such as faster service, loyalty optimization, and automated returns. However, trust depends on privacy protections, transparency, and the ability to escalate to human support when needed.
Generational differences are clear. Younger shoppers are significantly more likely to use AI for product discovery and engagement, signaling that AI-enabled shopping will become mainstream as these segments gain purchasing power.
Loyalty in a Competitive Landscape
Customer loyalty is increasingly fragile. A large majority of consumers report switching brands within the past year, often driven by high prices, poor service experiences, or inconsistent quality.
Retailers are responding by refining loyalty programs. Most offer structured programs, and many are enhancing them with personalized benefits, tiered rewards, cashback options, and experiential perks.
While traditional benefits such as points and free shipping remain popular, younger customers are drawn to exclusive events, limited releases, and gamified experiences. When executed effectively, loyalty programs increase repeat purchases and create deeper customer relationships.
Beyond Traditional Retail Revenue
As margins tighten, retailers are exploring new revenue streams. Retail media networks, data services, financial products, logistics capabilities, and paid loyalty programs are becoming meaningful extensions of the retail ecosystem.
By leveraging technology infrastructure and customer relationships, retailers are transforming into multi-service platforms rather than pure merchandise sellers.
Who Should Read This Connected Shoppers Report?
This report is designed for retail executives, Chief Digital Officers, ecommerce leaders, store operations teams, customer experience strategists, IT leaders, marketing executives, and AI transformation stakeholders. It is especially valuable for organizations seeking to modernize infrastructure, improve loyalty outcomes, and prepare for an AI-driven future.
Download the 6th Edition Connected Shoppers Report from Salesforce to explore how unified commerce, AI agents, and modern loyalty strategies are redefining the retail landscape.
