Customer expectations in 2026: Understanding online consumer behaviour
As customer expectations and demands continue to evolve at pace in 2026, the questions retailers are consistently asking are: What do customers want in 2026, and how can we meet those changing consumer expectations?
It’s a topic covered by Oscar Strachen, Ecommerce Strategist at Columbus, on the latest episode of Retail Gazette’s Retail Unpacked podcast – the perfect platform to take a deeper dive into what today’s consumers are really thinking, and how retailers can strategically meet these shifting needs.
‘Customer experience needs to move from one-size-fits-all, to data-driven and human-centric’
– Oscar Strachen, Ecommerce Strategist, Columbus Global
Retail Gazette’s Retail Unpacked podcast: Understanding online customer behaviour
Each episode of Retail Unpacked features experts and industry leaders, digging into news, topics and personalities that are shaping and changing retail in the UK today.
In conversation with host Kieran Howells, Oscar reveals how online customer behaviour is evolving, covering key topics such as personalisation versus privacy, the value of social commerce, and how CRO drives continuous improvement – and shares key strategies for creating exceptional customer experiences and long-lasting loyalty in an increasingly demanding marketplace.
What do customers expect in 2026?
In the episode, Oscar shares some great insights about what’s happening in the ecommerce world today, how online shopping behaviour is shifting, and what retailers can do to meet their customers in the right places. Here’s what you’ll take away from the podcast:
- Customer behaviours and expectations in 2026: Today’s consumers want personalised, consistent, and seamless experiences cross-channel – online, instore, and in-app, making unified commerce a must for meeting customers wherever they are.
‘Customers see themselves as co-creators of the retail experience rather than passive buyers. They expect more than good products for their price – they want relevant, transparency, and immediacy.’ - How to build customer loyalty through effective personalisation: Points and perks are no longer enough – customers want brands to reflect their values, respect their time, and recognise them as individuals, not just order numbers.
‘When brands show they genuinely care, for example, by addressing social and environmental issues, alongside tailored offers and content, customers are far more likely to stay loyal because they feel aligned and not just incentivised.’ - Balancing privacy with personal experiences: Data sharing should be something the customer opts into in exchange for clear, tangible benefits – better sizing, quicker service, smarter recommendations. Today’s consumers are generally happy to share data when it’s used responsibly to surprise, delight, and genuinely improve their experience.
- Removing friction from the shopping journey: Retailers needs to make it as simple and fast as possible for customers to discover, decide, receive and return your products. Convenience isn’t about being everywhere – it’s about meeting your customers where they are, and offering options that meet their needs.
‘Retailers should invest in the channels that matter most to their audience – whether that’s TikTok, Instagram, live streams, messaging, or the traditional web – and make those experiences as streamlined as possible, rather than spreading too thin across every platform.’ - How to align ethics and affordability: Go one step further than adopting an ethical brand purpose by embedding sustainability into daily operations. Building leaner, greener and more circular systems benefits the planet and your business – and transparency around sustainability is key to building emotional connections with today’s buyers.
- Gen Z and the rise of social commerce: Gen Z and the emerging Gen Alpha are blurring the lines between online entertainment and shopping. Social commerce is becoming the new ‘front door’, and retailers need to design their channels as a coherent extension of their core ecommerce, not a disconnected marketing tool – turning entertainment into instant shopping.
- The importance of great customer experiences: When CX stands still, customers drift fast. Conversion rate optimisation (CRO) is the clearest proof that better customer experiences equal more revenue – so when CRO work becomes habit, it drives continuous improvement.
‘Any brand that remains generic effectively trains shoppers to ignore it. Loyalty becomes fragile, churn increases, and competitors that deliver tailored, useful experiences will capture the attention and share the wallet – while one-size-fits-all retailers fade away into the background.’
Final thoughts: How to meet customer experience expectations online in 2026
Here are Oscar’s final thoughts for creating great online customer experiences that meet consumer expectations in 2026:
‘If I had to give one piece of actionable advice, it would be this: make experimentation and CRO a weekly habit and not an occasional project. The retailers that stay healthy and grow this year aren’t the ones with the biggest tech stack. They’re the ones who move fastest, test boldly, and keep aligning technology with real business value.’
Listen to the full episode Retail Gazette’s Retail Unpacked podcast here.
Read our report in collaboration with Retail Gazette
To read more about how the world of retail is shaping up in 2026 and how retailers can develop customer experience strategies that perform, download our report in collaboration with Retail Gazette here.
