Zebra Technologies Corporation unveiled the findings of its 18th Annual Global Shopper Study. The research shows Gen AI and automation solutions emerging as critical tools, with 87% of retail leaders citing their importance in loss prevention efforts. The data indicates shopper satisfaction levels have dipped for the second consecutive year, declining to 79% for in-store and 73% for online experiences compared to 81% and 79% respectively last year, and 85% for both in 2023.
The research also highlights a shift in shopper priorities. While increasingly drawn to convenience, speed, and value, nearly eight-in-ten shoppers prioritize discounts and promotions as inflation pressures persist. At the same time, consumers demand operational excellence, expressing frustration with out-of-stocks, locked-up products or a lack of self-checkout lanes.
Inventory challenges continue to impact shopper satisfaction and retailer profitability. While improvement is evident year-over-year (52% in 2025 vs 57% in 2024), more than half of shoppers reported leaving stores without all the items they intended to purchase, often due to out-of-stocks or difficulties locating products. Retailers acknowledge these gaps, with 84% of decision-makers citing real-time inventory synchronization as a top priority for their organizations.
In fact, many of them plan to implement advanced technologies such as computer vision (57%), RFID (54%) and Gen AI (51%) over the next five years as they are viewed as essential tools for improving inventory visibility and reducing shrinkage. According to the Global Shopper Study, retail decision-makers recognize the importance of making these improvements to drive online and in-store sales. Optimizing inventory processes jumped nine percentage points (38% in 2025 vs 29% in 2024) as the leading way retailers believe they can boost profits from online orders.
Inventory optimization also ranked in the top three for in-store profitability drivers at 38%, topped by automation for more real-time inventory visibility (39%) and in-store digital ads and retail media networks which rose to 43% from 37% last year. Zebra recently acquired Elo which provides solutions that retailers use to build their own retail media networks and enhance the customer experience. Some of the latest solutions from Zebra improve inventory visibility, associate productivity and loss prevention while those from Elo expand in-store engagement and digital media capabilities: ET401 Tablet is equipped with the Qualcomm®?
Dragonwing Q-6690 processor supporting Wi-Fi 7, the latest in embedded AI, and multimedia plus the world's first enterprise mobile processor with fully integrated RFID capabilities, enabling retail associates to locate items quickly, update stock levels in real time, and minimize out-of-stock scenarios. WS301 Wearable Mobile Computer, the industry's smallest wrist and clip Android touch computer, empowers the frontline with hands-free communication and task execution and enhances retail collaboration with Zebra's Workcloud Workcloud.
