Customers (44%) say shopping is more enjoyable than three to four years ago, and 75% think about shopping multiple times each week, often without intending to buy. According to Amazon Ads’ Beyond the Buy (2025).
This shift means shopping is no longer transactional but becomes experiential. People don’t just want to buy, they want to feel. They browse to be inspired, entertained, and connected.
A Bazaarvoice Shopper Experience Index 2024 report found that 88% of shoppers want an omnichannel experience, and 86% engage with creator content before buying. In short, discovery is no longer a step in the funnel, it’s the new heart of shopping. [learn more about the report here]
Learn more here: Take 1: Entertainment Turned the PLAY Into A BUY Button
The Constant-Customer Mindset
Shoppers today are “always on.” They browse while streaming, save screenshots to revisit later, or send links to friends in group chats.
Amazon’s Beyond the Buy calls this the Constant Customer Mindset, where curiosity, conversation, and inspiration blend seamlessly into commerce.
Micro-moments dominate this new reality. Whether someone taps a “save” button or pauses on a creator video, each small action builds intent. The funnel has flattened and the journey is continuous.
An analysis shows that 78% of retail leaders believe micro-moments now define modern shopping, making the traditional funnel far less relevant. [learn more here].
When Discovery Feels Like Entertainment
Discovery is no longer about advertising, but becomes enjoyment. In Beyond the Buy, Amazon Ads reports that 59% of shoppers discover new products while consuming entertainment content, such as livestreams, influencer videos, or creator posts.
This is why platforms like TikTok Shop and Amazon Live thrive. Shopping moments feel organic, part of people’s entertainment, not interruptions.
A Bazaarvoice Shopper Preference Report 2024 revealed that 66% of U.S. consumers consider video-based user-generated content essential to product discovery. In other words, storytelling sells. [learn about the report here] To make discovery delightful:
- Blend physical + digital: in-store QR displays or AR try-ons linked to online offers.
- Leverage creators: authenticity builds trust faster than promotion.
- Encourage interaction: polls, drops, and shoppable videos keep discovery fun.
When exploration feels effortless, the journey becomes emotional and memorable.
When Funnel has Faded and Experience Drives Conversion
The old funnel assumes predictable steps, from awareness to consideration and end with purchase. But today’s shopper jumps between moments, influenced by creators, social proof, and conversation.
Amazon’s guidebook notes that brands need to design for discovery at every touchpoint, not only at checkout. Similarly, the 1WorldSync Consumer Product Content Report 2024 shows that 73% of consumers are shifting more of their shopping online, and 54% use smartphones for over half of their shopping journeys. [learn more about the report here]
That means shopping can start anywhere, during a commute, on social media, or while watching TV. The winning brands merge entertainment, education, and commerce into one seamless moment that feels natural, not forced.
Turning Browsing Into Brand Love
Shopping today is belonging, not only buying. Customers want to explore, connect, and share. When brands make discovery enjoyable and effortless, they earn loyalty long after the first purchase.
As Beyond the Buy concludes, “Every interaction is a potential shopping moment.” So design for curiosity, not just conversion.
If you’re ready to transform how your customers discover, connect, and buy, Contact us today! We offer free consultations to help brands create shopping experiences that engage hearts as much as carts.
