impact.com has become an active participant in shaping retail and marketing coverage as we head further into 2026.
The company’s newly-released 2025 Industry Benchmark Report analyzes performance across 2,300+ US retail brands, and reveals a clear shift in consumer behavior: shoppers are researching more than ever, but converting less often – and when they do buy, they’re spending more per order. A few headline findings that may be of interest:
- Clicks up 2% YoY, transactions down 5%, conversions down 6% – signalling longer, more comparison-led paths to purchase
- Bigger baskets, fewer checkouts: average order value increased 4% (from $118 to $123), driven by shoppers adding 8% more items per order, even as total transactions declined 5%
- November became a browsing surge: clicks rose 45% YoY, but transactions were nearly flat (-1%) and conversion rates hit yearly lows
- Brands are paying more to stay visible: spend rose 1% YoY even as consumer spend dipped 1%, with non-commission costs such as placements and bonuses up 3%, reflecting heavier competition during high-research periods
Taken together, the data shows a structural shift: consumers are using partners – from publishers to creators – to research deals, compare options, and build confidence before purchasing. The result is a longer discovery phase followed by compressed, high-intent buying windows like Black Friday/Cyber Monday.
For brands, this has major implications:
- Marketing budgets need to flex around research-heavy moments, not just conversion peaks
- Performance models should value influence across the funnel, not just last-click conversions
- Success metrics may need to evolve from transaction volume to order value and partner impact
Cristy Garcia, CMO at impact.com, commented:
“We’re not seeing consumers pull back – we’re seeing them slow down and get smarter and more intentional. Shoppers are spending more time researching across creators, publishers, and deal partners, then moving quickly once they’re confident in the value. The brands performing best are the ones showing up earlier in that journey and recognizing the partners that influence decisions, not just the moment of conversion.”