Retailers are experiencing massive shifts in consumer behavior and expectations this year, with many being driven by exciting new technology like visual search.Retailers are experiencing massive shifts in consumer behavior and expectations this year, with many being driven by exciting new technology like visual search. Consumers are also showing renewed concerns over privacy as a result of policies like the CCPA taking effect.

Read below for all of the major stories where Bizrate Insights data was featured this January:

• Shopify, the Ottawa-based eCommerce platform, grew rapidly in 2019. With nearly two-thirds of consumers agreeing that shipping is one of the most important factors in selecting a retailer, the company plans to take on Amazon more directly in 2020 by launching the Shopify Fulfillment Network.
  • Cantech Letter, “Why you should know the Shopify Fulfillment Network: National Bank explains.” January 3, 2020.

• As we covered in our holiday series, 2019 was the year where mobile devices overtook desktops as shoppers’ preferred platform. However, a Digital Commerce 360/Bizrate Insights study found that there’s significant room for improvement in mobile shopping, with desktop users having the better experience overall.
  • Digital Commerce 360, “The Shopper Speaks: site satisfaction amid heightened shopper expectations should inform platform selection.” January 6, 2020.

• Retailers continue to ask themselves how they can offer free shipping and stay profitable. Total Retail details a few strategies in their new series and features Bizrate Insights data that demonstrates just how important free shipping truly is to consumers.
  • Total Retail, “How to Make Free Shipping Profitable, Part 1.” January 8, 2020.

• Which new retail technology are consumers most interested in? Visual search generates the most excitement, according to a recent report by eMarketer, but the service has yet to truly hit the mainstream. A Bizrate Insights survey found that only 12% of consumers have used it thus far, but many more are interested – especially older shoppers.
  • eMarketer, “Visual Search Sparks Excitement Among Consumers.” January 9, 2020.

• Effective targeting is the key to any successful digital marketing initiative – but in an era when privacy and security are constant concerns, retailers must be careful. Digital Commerce 360 released a survey, conducted with Bizrate Insights, that shows that customers are demanding less web tracking and targeted ads (membership required to read).
  • Digital Commerce 360, “Shoppers say less targeted ads will make them shop more in 2020.” January 15, 2020.

Shoppers in 2020 care deeply about how a brand treats them after they’ve already placed their order. They want to know how quickly (and cheaply) their purchase will arrive and how businesses will handle their personal data. As new retail tech makes finding products and completing transactions increasingly seamless and instantaneous, brands will have the greatest opportunity to earn loyalty from customers during the post-purchase experience.