The State of Product Experience 2026

The Research Defining Commerce in 2026

Discovery is no longer enough. Product data needs to be optimized for the moment of choice.

Based on responses from 8,736 consumers across six countries, The State of Product Experience 2026 reveals how reviews, product content, trust signals, and AI are changing the way products get chosen.

Inside the Report

Reviews have overtaken discounts as a leading purchase driver
Product content determines trust, loyalty, and conversion
AI is reshaping product discovery and recommendation
Year-over-year shifts in consumer behavior across six global markets
Expert commentary and industry perspectives on the future of commerce
Strategies for brands preparing for the next era of product experience

What the Data Reveals

Reviews are the new price tag

53%

Consumers prioritize ratings and reviews when making purchase decisions-more than discounts and deals.

Information gaps cost sales

83%

Consumers are likely to abandon a product page when they can’t find the information they need.

Your PDP is your brand

80%

Consumers say inaccurate product information negatively impacts brand perception.

AI is influencing decisions

26%

Consumers report being more likely to purchase products recommended by AI.

Russ Dieringer

Founder & President

Stratably

The data here shows real progress: fewer gaps, conflicts, and abandoned carts versus years past. The challenge is that the bar keeps rising. When 83% of shoppers will leave for another site because the information isn’t there, that standard applies to every item in the catalog, not just the flagship SKUs.

Rohan Ganeson

Chief Growth Officer

Acosta Group Connected Commerce

AI is fundamentally reshaping the digital shelf, acting as a highly analytical intermediary between brands and the end consumer. To protect brand trust in this new landscape, especially during critical seasonal events and limited-time offerings, brands must prioritize feeding the machine more perfectly accurate, structured, and consistent data, more often. Preparing for this shift requires a strategic, holistic approach, ensuring that every product touchpoint is optimized for both machine precision and human connection.

Peter V.S. Bond

Co-Founder and Co-Host

The CPG Guys

This is required reading for every CPG and retail leader: only 8% of consumers currently trust an AI recommendation over their own research, yet the brands winning agentic recommendations are the ones with the cleanest, most structured data, not the biggest budgets. That’s the next battleground, and this report lays out exactly why.