CI&T (NYSE: CINT), a global technology transformation specialist, has released its annual Connected Retail Report, highlighting consumer distrust in retailer apps and websites, along with heightened price sensitivity. As economic concerns including tariffs and inflation dominate headlines, price remains the primary factor influencing shopping decisions in 2025, with consumers bracing for continued price increases.

Now in its fifth year of analyzing the evolving attitudes and behaviors toward omnichannel shopping, the report shows “potential privacy concerns” as consumers' top frustration with retailer apps and websites. Many also feel that retailers often overpromise and underdeliver on app features. Amid these concerns, price remains the dominant factor in shopping decisions with 54% of consumers expecting prices to rise in the year ahead. 43% of respondents say they are likely to download a retailer’s app specifically to access better prices, deals, and discounts, while 38% cite it as the main reason they use retailer apps regularly. Additionally, approximately 30% of consumers say that having better prices compared to competitors determines both the retailers they choose and the channels they continue to shop through.

“Between the themes of extreme price sensitivity and distrust, there is a clear throughline across the data that maps to a strategic, scarcity shopper mindset. Consumers are carefully prioritizing price, and making very calculated shopping decisions,” said Melissa Minkow, Global Director of Retail Strategy at CI&T. “Retailers can win over shoppers by building omnichannel experiences that support their desire to safely and efficiently discover, research, and snag the best prices simultaneously.”

Key themes from the report include:

• Privacy: Data security and trust in retailers’ digital channels remain key frustrations for consumers. “Potential security concerns” rank as the top issue, cited by 43% of consumers for websites and 37% for apps. Additionally, many consumers feel that retailer apps often fail to deliver on their promises, leading to disappointment and distrust.
• App Usage & Expectations: Consumers expect retailer apps to provide ongoing value before committing to a download. Most consumers have 2 or 3 retailer apps downloaded to their phones; 2 of which they are using regularly. 24% of consumers say they wouldn’t download a retailer’s app because they don’t shop there often enough. Additionally, 19% cite infrequent use as the second most common reason for deleting retailer apps. Despite this, apps were ranked as the easiest checkout channel, and consumers estimated an average of 53% of their online shopping happening via smartphone.
• Social Commerce Skepticism: While social media plays a growing role in shopping, many consumers don’t perceive it as a major source of product discovery. 71% say they “never” discover new products on Twitter, 52% say the same about TikTok, and 47% about Instagram—suggesting that shoppers may be unaware of how much social platforms influence their purchasing decisions.
• GenAI’s Potential: The vast majority of consumers (80%) have yet to see retailers do anything exciting with Generative AI. However, their recognition of AI’s potential for practical use cases has grown significantly, with 80% of consumers—up from 50% in 2024—saying they would like retailers to use Generative AI to elevate the shopping experience by improving customer service, enhancing product descriptions, creating more accurate imagery and more.

In January 2025, CI&T surveyed over 1,000 US consumers (purchasing items online at least once per month) across all ages 18+, genders, and races to determine how and why they’re shopping the way that they are.

CI&T’s 2025 Connect Retail Report can be found here.

About CI&T

CI&T (NYSE: CINT) is a global technology transformation specialist for 100+ large enterprises and fast growth clients. CI&T brings a 30-year track record of helping clients navigate change to deliver accelerated business impact, with deep expertise across AI, strategy, customer experience, software development, cloud services, data and more. CI&T’s proprietary AI platform, CI&T FLOW boosts team productivity, ensuring fast, efficient, and scalable delivery of world-class solutions. Operating globally with over 6,500 professionals across 10 countries, CI&T delivers cutting-edge solutions to drive success for its clients.

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