Shopfully has published research showing Australian shoppers are spreading their spending across multiple retailers to find better deals, pointing to weaker customer loyalty as household budgets remain under pressure.
Its State of Shopping 2026 report found 67% of respondents were intentionally splitting their purchases between retailers in search of value. Other cost-cutting measures included reducing non-essential purchases (45%), prioritising discounted products or the biggest savings (44%), and switching to cheaper brands or private labels (35%).
The figures suggest price is playing a bigger role in purchase decisions as consumer confidence remains subdued. Six in 10 Australians surveyed said their purchasing power would not improve, up from 54% a year earlier, while only 4% said they planned to spend more this year.
Brendan Straw, Shopfully's Country Manager for Australia, said the research showed households were becoming more deliberate in how they spent. "With consumer confidence low and only 4% of shoppers planning to spend more this year, Aussies are becoming far more strategic with their spending and taking extra steps to secure the best possible value," said Straw.
That caution does not appear to be leading to a broad pullback in shopping activity. Instead, consumers are adjusting when, where and how they buy, with promotions and online research playing a larger role in decision-making.
Store and screen
Preference for physical stores rose sharply in the survey, with 68% of respondents saying they favoured brick-and-mortar shopping, up from 41% the previous year. This was especially pronounced in high-footfall categories, including food and beverages, where 87% preferred to buy in-store, health and personal care (82%), and home improvement (74%).
Even so, digital channels remain central to the path to purchase. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers, or 63%, said they always or often researched products online before buying. The most common sources of inspiration were a brand or retailer's own website or app, cited by 53% of respondents, and platforms or apps that aggregate promotions and deals, used by 33%.
That mix of digital planning and in-store buying points to a shopping journey in which consumers move between channels while seeking better prices. For retailers, the findings underline the need to influence customers before they reach the shop floor, particularly as shoppers compare alternatives across several outlets.
Promotion effect
Promotions are directly affecting purchasing behaviour. Almost half of Australians surveyed, or 48%, said promotions and deals strongly influenced their buying decisions, while 39% said they were deliberately delaying purchases until annual sales periods.
Advertising also appears to play a practical role when tied to savings. More than a third of respondents, 35%, said advertisements were useful for discovering promotions they might not otherwise have seen. A further 23% said advertising was useful when it supported shopping planning.
The report suggests this sensitivity to pricing is reshaping how brands and retailers compete for attention. Loyalty appears more conditional, with consumers prepared to switch retailer or brand if another option offers a better deal at the right moment.
Straw said the shift was changing what retailers needed to do to remain visible to shoppers. "Today's shoppers are savvier than ever and far less likely to stick with a single retailer or brand if their expectations around value aren't being met," said Straw.
AI use
The survey also examined the role of artificial intelligence in shopping decisions. Most Australians, 87%, said they had not yet used AI tools such as ChatGPT or chatbot assistants to help with purchases. Among those who had, the main benefits were comparing prices across retailers (71%) and tracking price drops on wanted items (43%).
Use of these tools was highest among consumers aged 25 to 34, indicating younger digital users may be more willing to add AI to established habits such as online research and deal comparison.
The research was based on an online survey conducted in February among more than 500 Australian Shopfully app users aged 18 and over. Results were weighted by age, gender and region to align with Australian Bureau of Statistics population estimates.
Straw said that meant retailers needed to be visible at every stage of the shopping journey. "Brands that can deliver timely promotions and relevant messaging across both digital and physical touchpoints will be best placed to capture attention, drive footfall and convert value-focused shoppers," said Straw.