At the Path to Purchase Institute’s P2PI LIVE & Expo, new research highlighted how deeply emotion shapes today’s shopping experience—and what that means for brands and retailers. The findings show that retailers perform very differently when it comes to both emotional impact and ease of shopping, pointing to opportunities to borrow best practices across channels, from online personalization to in-store experiences.
The research also shows that shopper emotions vary widely by category, emphasizing the need for strategies that amplify category strengths while addressing inherent weaknesses. Many brands may also be unknowingly breaking emotional “promises” to consumers; closing these gaps can substantially strengthen the brand experience.
Importantly, complexity and emotion aren’t static—they shift throughout the shopping journey, influencing decisions long before and long after a marketing touchpoint. The clear takeaway: shopping and emotion are inseparable, and brands that understand and leverage these emotional drivers are better equipped to craft meaningful, effective strategies.
These insights were shared by Soche Picard of Arc Worldwide and Larry DeGaris of Northwestern University’s Medill Spiegel Research Center.
