Customer trend index 2026/27
In Dotdigital’s Customer trend index, you’ll get the full picture on what role AI plays in brand discovery, how peer recommendations and social media shape purchase decisions, and what it takes to drive customer loyalty and retention. We worked with Censuswide to survey 4,000 consumers across Australia, Singapore, the UK, and the USA to find out what’s really shaping consumer behavior.
Friends and family are 45% more likely to influence a customer’s loyalty to your brand than they were last year.
93% of customers say daily messages are too much. Most prefer hearing from brands just once a week.
Friends and family are 45% more likely to influence a customer’s loyalty to your brand than they were last year.
93% of customers say daily messages are too much. Most prefer hearing from brands just once a week.
Only 15% of consumers say marketing messages feel very relevant to them in the moment; down from 23% last year.
Know what drives your customers so every campaign converts
We’ve segmented survey participants by generation, location, and employment status so you can see exactly what’s happening with your audience. For example, Baby Boomers think brands have personalization just right, but Gen Z disagrees. Every trend comes with practical takeaways so you know what to test and what to change.
What you'll find inside
Every insight comes with clear guidance, that’s useful for your day-to-day marketing, such as:
How the marketing preferences of Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers differ
What actually influences purchase decisions, from social proof to AI
How customer loyalty and retention are built, or lost, at every stage of the journey
Statistics and practical advice for making smarter marketing decisions
