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MORE INTELLIGENCE: NET CONVERSION’S 2026 CONSUMER PULSE
Decoding the Modern
Consumer Mindset in 2026
Overview
This third wave of the MORE Intelligence Consumer Pulse series offers key insights into how consumer decision-making is changing over time. Since our last survey, we have seen some important shifts: more people feel pessimistic about the economy (62% now, up from 47% in January), brand loyalty has steadied (only 16% say their loyalty is dropping, compared to 34% in January and 40% last July), and there has been a maturation of AI research habits (54% use AI tools for purchase research, shifting from the early adoption peak of 64% in January).
In this report, we explore the “why” behind these evolving behaviors to help marketers gain clear, practical insights. Below are our five key takeaways.
Empowered consumers use budget discipline to reclaim agency, not just reduce spend.
Strict budgeting gives 61% of consumers a sense of personal control, letting them trim transactional spending to protect purchases that deliver emotional well-being.
Strict budgeting gives 61% of consumers a sense of personal control, letting them trim transactional spending to protect purchases that deliver emotional well-being.
Brand loyalty has stabilized into a conditional baseline that demands frictionless value.
While 64% report stable loyalty year over year, 70% remain conditional shoppers who churn over lost value but reward brands that save them time, hassle, and effort.
While 64% report stable loyalty year over year, 70% remain conditional shoppers who churn over lost value but reward brands that save them time, hassle, and effort.
AI expands brand consideration, but consumers maintain a mandatory verification loop.
AI-generated recommendations serve as a means of building initial trust—improving brand credibility for 45% of shoppers—but the final decision to purchase is still based on human-led cross-verification.
AI-generated recommendations serve as a means of building initial trust—improving brand credibility for 45% of shoppers—but the final decision to purchase is still based on human-led cross-verification.
Digital fatigue elevates the need for creative authenticity.
With 52% actively tuning out ads and 54% changing how they engage with brands due to AI-generated content, consumers are fiercely defending their mental bandwidth and demanding human-led effort.
With 52% actively tuning out ads and 54% changing how they engage with brands due to AI-generated content, consumers are fiercely defending their mental bandwidth and demanding human-led effort.
Economic sentiment acts as a psychological gateway to high-value behavior.
Financial security creates the psychological openness needed for deep brand affinity, making optimists 3x more likely to be highly loyal to brands and eager to adopt AI curation.
Financial security creates the psychological openness needed for deep brand affinity, making optimists 3x more likely to be highly loyal to brands and eager to adopt AI curation.
Explore Issues
Our MORE intelligence archive captures the evolving dynamics of consumer behavior over time. Built on continuous research and localized pulses, it’s our deep dive into the cultural shifts, decision-making trends, and underlying motivations shaping what comes next.
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