Two-thirds of shoppers—67%—said they would not buy an item they can afford if it doesn't offer "strong value," according to a new survey from BCG's Center for Customer Insight.

The finding raises a sharp question for retailers and marketers: consumers change their minds quickly, and per the research, retailers aren't always keeping up.

Quality remains the single biggest driver of perceived value, accounting for 35% of value satisfaction overall. Price and promotions follow at 27%. Priorities shift by category: brand connection drives 22% of value satisfaction in skin care and mobile, while volume accounts for 16% in prepared foods.

Longevity goes mainstream

The survey also identified a distinct consumer segment: 37% of respondents classify as "longevity seekers." Among them, 81% regularly eat home-cooked meals, 44% enrolled in a gym or fitness class in the past year, and 39% use antiaging creams and beauty nutrition products.

That behavior pattern gives marketers a concrete target for health, wellness and beauty positioning tied to long-term wellbeing rather than short-term trends.

Information overload shifts trust

Many shoppers reported experiencing "information overload," and 43% said they felt mentally overwhelmed. To cut through the noise, these consumers turned to experts, family and friends—and AI—rather than brands and advertisements.

The AI numbers stand out. Nearly a third of consumers already use AI while shopping, and 19% rely on it regularly. Among those frequent users, 70% ultimately purchase products that AI recommends.

Those figures align with previous research cited by Retail Brew. A 2025 State of E-Commerce report by Shopify and Constructor found that roughly 1 in 5 shoppers trusted AI over their partners when choosing gifts. Another 26% agreed that "an algorithm that's seen their browsing and purchase history is likely to get their taste right."

Earlier this year, a survey by the Small Business Expo found that more than 53% of consumers viewed quality and personal service as their primary purchasing factor.

For brands, the implication is direct: shoppers increasingly trust recommendation engines and personal networks over ads, and they define value through quality first—leaving marketers to earn consideration through product substance and AI-visible presence rather than promotion alone.