Why Your Customers Aren’t Converting – And What To Do About It.

How to meet shifting consumer behaviour head-on.

Something changed a couple of years ago. It wasn’t a new shiny platform or tech update, it was something deeper – consumers started behaving differently.

According to the Deloitte UK Consumer Tracker people scrolled slower, bought less and asked more questions before making a purchase. They found that 46% of UK consumers reported reducing non-essential spending and ‘actively researching purchases more before committing’ after 2023.

This was supported by PwC Global Consumer Insights Pulse which found that 96% of consumers adopted new shopping behaviors post-pandemic, including more price comparisons and longer decision times.

If you’re experiencing lower ROAS, longer decision cycles and more price resistance, you’re no doubt feeling the effects of this – and wondering what you can do about it. In this article, I’ll walk you through some of the key shifts in buyer behaviour, show you how some brands are evolving their strategy and how you can do the same.

Intent > Impulse

We all enjoyed the early days of: “see ad, click ad, buy” – a slight over simplification, but you get the point.

Thanks to economic pressure – rising inflation, the potential for higher US tariffs and an overall challenging global outlook – that journey is now much longer. It has made shoppers more cautious and impulse buying is on the decline. Shoppers now research more, compare more and delay decisions.

The move smart brands are taking is to build journeys, not just offers.

Instead of just focusing on product pages and discount codes, they are investing in mid-funnel content such as comparison pages, buyer’s guides, review roundups that move users from intent into action.

One interiors brand we work with uses their industry and design knowledge to create style guides, helping them become the trusted source for inspirational interior ideas and products.

Other things that work include: “Why choose us” pages that speak directly to comparison shoppers.

A great tip is to create content that answers pre-purchase questions to meet the emotional need of the user head-on. e.g. “Is this product worth it?” / “How will it benefit me?”

Tapping into how users feel about buying your products is key, and leans heavily into brand and product values.

Showing > Shouting

The current financial climate in the UK means that people care more than ever about where their money goes. Whether it’s sustainability, ethical sourcing or community, strong brand values increasingly shape buying decisions.

According to Edelman Trust Barometer 64% of consumers now buy (or boycott) based on a brand’s stance on social issues. Whilst, eco-conscious purchasing continues to rise.

The smart brand response is to stop shouting it and start showing it.

We encourage clients to show behind the scenes and tell their stories. Invite people into their factories, supply chains and team culture. Demonstrate transparency, consistency and back their claims with proof.

What you can do:

• Don’t just say you’re values-led, show it through real content and stories
• Use social media to give a behind-the-scenes look at your people and processes
• Build your product pages around what customers care about most (e.g. materials, origin, impact)

Social Proof > Brand Promise

Depending on whose opinion you take, the world of brand promise is either commercially under or overvalued.

Whichever side of the debate you fall on, there is no substitute for evidence that you live that promise.

According to Trustpilot Consumer Behavior Report (2024), 62% of online shoppers are more influenced by real customer testimonials than by branded advertising. And BrightLocal says 87% of people read online reviews for local businesses.

So it’s ok to lead with big claims, bold headlines, and brand-centric USPs, but only if your customers will back you up.

It’s unsurprising that we trust each other more than we trust a brand we’ve – in some cases – never encountered or bought from before. We read reviews, watch haul videos, scroll through testimonials, all before we make a decision.

The smart brand response is to turn social proof into a sales channel.

We’ve been encouraging clients to redesign product pages around real reviews, video testimonials and UGC. It’s about incorporating that social validation into every step of the funnel – and not just using your Trustpilot widget.

What you can do:

• Add customer photos and video reviews to your PDPs (product detail pages)
• Create highlight reels of top testimonials for email and paid ads
• Use influencer-style UGC even if you’re not running a full creator campaign

Social = Discovery

Search behavior is always shifting – now more so than ever. Younger audiences now treat social platforms like TikTok and Pinterest as search engines.

We all know that Google’s algorithm prioritises real, helpful, human content over SEO trickery, but even Google knows they aren’t the only show in town. VP Prabhakar Raghavan stated last year that “nearly 40% of Gen Z now use TikTok or Instagram as their primary search tool instead of Google.”

Of course search engine usage remains high but, in a recent survey by Statista, over 60% of Gen Z said they begin product research on social.

Most smart brands are blending SEO with social discovery and adjusting content formats to meet customers where they’re looking.

Brands are investing more in video because that’s how most consumers now prefer to discover products.

What you can do:

• Treat TikTok and Instagram Reels as discovery platforms,
• Remix blog content into short, bitesize videos
• Optimise your written content to reflect real language and search queries – again think about addressing those mid funnel questions and emotions.

Value > Cheap

The damage done by inflation over the past few years has had a big effect. Shoppers are thinking twice before buying and expecting more for their money. But rather than go looking for the cheapest option, they want the best value.

According to Statista (2024), UK consumers now cite “value for money” as the number 1 purchase factor in most product categories, overtaking brand loyalty.

Smart brands are reframing how they present price, emphasising long-term use over short-term cost, bundling to increase perceived value and offer BNPL flexibility (like Klarna or PayPal Pay in 3) as a sales driver.

What you can do:

• Highlight the cost-per-use benefit of your product
• Offer bundles or limited-time value packs
• A/B test different price presentations (monthly vs total, £X per day, etc.)

What This Means for You

If you’ve seen your metrics slip over the past year or so, a combination of the shifting landscape outlined above might be why.

The customer you’re speaking to now doesn’t have the same mindset they did 18 months ago. They’re more cautious, more curious, and more tuned in to meaning and value.

The brands who understand this are shifting their messaging, content and funnel accordingly – and are thriving.

Final Thought: Listen, Learn, Adapt

Consumer behavior isn’t static and never has been. But post-2023, the shift has been seismic and the gap between brands who adapt and brands who don’t is growing fast.

So ask yourself:

• Are we helping our customers make informed decisions?
• Are we showing who we are, not just what we sell?
• Are we adapting our funnel to match their new journey?

If not, now’s the time, because how you sell matters as much as what you sell.