VML's 2025 “Future Shopper” report, based on a survey of over 25,563 shoppers in 16 countries, including South Africa, reveals that despite years of digital acceleration, many brands are still failing to meet fundamental consumer expectations. The report reveals a significant disconnect between what customers want — value, speed and trust — and what brands are delivering.
Half of South African shoppers and 45% of global shoppers asked admit that they abandon purchases due to a frustrating digital experience. The report's 10 key headlines indicate a new era of commerce that is defined by a more deliberate and risk-averse consumer, the stabilisation of online shopping and the rising influence of AI.
The report says economic and political uncertainty is reshaping consumer behaviour. With 66% of global consumers feeling more anxious about their financial future due to political events, and 60% nervous about making major purchases, brands must provide additional reassurance before a customer commits to a purchase.
This shift signals a more deliberate, risk-averse shopper who prioritises value and trusts a brand to deliver on its promises. The top financial concern for 32% of global consumers is the increasing cost of living, making it the No 1 factor affecting their spending.
While online shopping's rapid growth has stabilised, the report reveals a decisive move towards true omnichannel retail. Consumers are increasingly blending their digital and physical shopping journeys. In South Africa, 76% of respondents prefer to shop with a brand that has both a physical and an online store while 66% desire seamless communication across channels.
Marketplaces, while still a benchmark for customer service, have seen their share of wallet decline for a second consecutive year, dropping to 22% from 29% last year. This suggests that while they offer convenience and selection, consumers are looking for a more integrated, brand-specific experience.
Physical retail continues to hold its own, primarily for the “immediate gratification” of taking products home (33% of global shoppers). However, consumers have high expectations of the in-store experience, with a lack of good product availability and overcrowding cited as major deterrents.
AI is no longer a futuristic concept; it's actively influencing the customer journey. The report reveals that 68% of global consumers have used AI tools like ChatGPT. While its current use is focused on practicality, the influence is set to grow. Notably, search engines, possibly due to their superior integration of AI, are now the joint first channel in the information gathering and search phases of the customer journey, indicating a powerful resurgence.
South African consumers, in particular, are enthusiastic about AI's potential. The majority (81%) have used ChatGPT or a similar tool and 59% are excited by the prospect of having a personal AI shopping agent. This signals a future where AI will not just be a back-end tool for brands but a front-end experience that fundamentally changes how consumers discover and purchase products.
Patience has evaporated for many consumers, leading to unprecedented expectations for immediacy
Despite the rise of new technologies, the report shows that brands are still struggling with the fundamentals of customer experience. Consumers believe businesses are more focused on their own agendas than on making customers’ lives easier. This is evident in 46% of global shoppers being “often amazed at how poor the online shopping experience is with major retailers”.
This gap extends to personalisation. While 75% of South African consumers say personalised recommendations help them discover new products (significantly higher than the global average of 63%), 46% globally believe most brands do a poor job of it. The path forward requires a shift from generic upselling to personalisation that delivers tangible, genuine benefits.
Patience has evaporated for many consumers, leading to unprecedented expectations for immediacy. VML has coined the term “compressed commerce” to describe the consumer's desire to move from inspiration to purchase as quickly as possible. This is particularly true for South African shoppers, with 71% expressing this need. Globally, 32% of shoppers expect delivery within two hours, and 40% will not order if same-day or scheduled delivery isn't an option.
Jade dos Santos, strategy director at VML South Africa, says: "South Africans have always had incredibly high expectations and very high adoption rates, despite economic constraints ... We demand compressed commerce, moving seamlessly between online and offline, expecting true omnichannel experiences while wanting them made specifically for us through intelligent use of our data. And we need it almost instantly ..."
The report also highlights a “say-do” gap when it comes to sustainability. While consumers express a desire for a better world, they are often unwilling to pay a premium for it, and price and convenience take precedence over environmental impact. The challenge for brands is to create sustainable options that don’t require consumers to compromise their principles or their wallets.
The report makes it clear that commerce success now depends on delivering tangible value at every stage of the customer journey. Brands that can bridge the gap between expectation and experience, leverage AI to simplify the process and provide a seamless, mobile-first and lightning-fast omnichannel journey will be the ones that win in this new, demanding retail landscape.
Download the full report here, on VML’s website.
The big take-out: Despite the rapid adoption of digital technologies by both consumers and brands, there's a significant and growing gap between what customers expect and what brands are actually delivering.
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