The future of U.K. shopping
and how retailers can adapt.
The tumult of the last few years has created 3 fundamental shifts in consumer behaviour.
Find out what they are and how retailers can adapt, according to marketing thought leader Seth Godin and Cate Trotter, founder and head of trends at Insider Trends.
Find out what they are and how retailers can adapt, according to marketing thought leader Seth Godin and Cate Trotter, founder and head of trends at Insider Trends.
Trend #1
Browse, discover, buy
Consumers are window shopping online more and more.
They’re not only searching for specific items by a particular brand, but also seeing what’s available more widely.
Generic queries like
are growing faster than branded queries.1
There’s been a 40% increase in searches for clothes in specific colours.2
Noted marketer, Seth Godin, believes that online window shopping is both a risk and an opportunity for retailers.
Images, videos, and shopping ads displayed on Google Search, all help build a 360° degree view of products.
Just like in a bricks-and-mortar store, consumers want to inspect what they buy.
There’s been a more than 40% increase in search interest on YouTube for terms containing “review”.3
88% of shoppers agree YouTube makes it easier to decide what to buy.4
62% of consumers who use the Google Search shopping tab use it to compare similar products from different retailers.5
Trend #2
More choice, more fickle shoppers
The number of fashion shoppers who tried a new brand jumped from 24% in 2020, to 34% in 2021, and is now at 51%.6
With consumers spending more time window shopping online, they’re tempted by new brands more often.
Fashion shoppers
who try new brands
The online environment is also facilitating more brand trials than in store.7
New retailers
New brands
Godin believes that retailers are approaching this challenge in two different ways.

Some are trying to be everything to everyone. However, the ones that will be most successful take a different approach.
Trend #3
Omnichannel is the new standard.
Consumers are now more likely to turn to the internet than a few years ago to do their shopping research.8
More shopping was done online during the pandemic and that shift changed how people behave today.
Consumers increasingly believe that online shopping beats in-store visits.9
Over the last few years, retailers have been striving to improve their online experiences, and it’s working.
As a result, omnichannel shopping is more widespread than ever.
Even when visiting the high street, consumers are searching online ahead of visits.
of retail consumers say they browse online most or every time they purchase in store.10
Did you know?
30%
of retail consumers say they go into a store most or every time they purchase online.10
24%
Once they’ve narrowed down their options with online research, consumers are using the internet again to find out where to go.11
+950%
According to retail expert Cate Trotter, omnichannel success is the result of designing online and offline channels that work together.
Creating worthy (online) windows
According to retail expert Cate Trotter, omnichannel success is the result of designing online and offline channels that work together.
Explore the latest retail trends and insights to keep up with changing consumer behaviours.
Project Lead: Robert Rushing

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