Vibenomics conducted a comprehensive survey in collaboration with Suzy Market Research to better understand what motivates consumers along their shopping journeys. The survey gathered insights from 539 shoppers aged 18 to 99, all serving as primary or shared shoppers in their household.

There are various factors impacting where consumers fall on the product adoption curve. These participants provided valuable perspectives on their evolving behaviors and the role in-store advertising plays in their product adoption. The findings offer a detailed look into what drives consumer action and how in-store advertising influences their purchase decisions—insights brands can use to optimize their strategies for product adoption

What is Product Adoption?

Product adoption refers to how consumers integrate a new product into their lives. Rather than being a fixed process, it can be better understood as a framework represented by the Product Adoption Curve. This curve illustrates how different segments of consumers adopt a product over time—ranging from innovators and early adopters to the early majority, late majority, and laggards. Each group is motivated by different factors and adopts at varying stages of the product’s lifecycle.

Understanding where consumers fall on this curve helps brands shape strategies that meet users where they are in their adoption journey. A brand’s ability to engage consumers across the segments mentioned above plays a significant role in determining whether a product succeeds or fails in the market.

Consumer Behavior: Early Adoptors vs. Late Majority

When it comes to adopting new products, consumers vary widely in how quickly they’re willing to try something new:

• 18% are always the first to try new products.
• 37% of respondents enjoy trying new products early but only after reading reviews.
• 26% wait until others have tried the product and it works.
• 10% prefer to stick with what they already know.

How Brands Can Leverage In-Store Advertising to Drive Earlier Product Adoption:

Brands can target the 37% of consumers who like to try products after reading reviews by creating a sense of urgency and trust through in-store audio and display. For instance, a brand could advertise a product via digital displays  and audio ads at the same time, highlighting positive testimonials on the advertised product’s quality or taste,effectively persuading shoppers in-store.

A great example of this would be a beauty brand promoting a new mascara product. A lit-up end cap display can showcase the mascara. At the same time, an in-store audio ad highlights the product’s technology—emphasizing how it lasts all day and encouraging consumers to test it out themselves, which helps move the consumer through the trial phase of product adoption.

What Motivates Consumers to Try New Products

Several key factors drive consumer interest in trying unfamiliar products or brands:

• 66% are motivated by recommendations.
• 59% are swayed by positive reviews.
• 56% are drawn in by price reductions.
• 45% are excited about the product itself.
• 24% are driven by necessity.

How Brands Can Leverage In-Store Advertising to Motivate Consumers:

For the 66% motivated by recommendations and 59% by positive reviews, brands can capitalize on in-store audio and displays to amplify word-of-mouth marketing, thus supporting the interest and evaluation stages of adoption. A brand can use audio messages featuring influencer endorsements or highlight product features like quality or taste.

For example, a leading French multinational food company used Vibenomics to promote its vanilla almond milk product. The in-store audio campaign strategically compared vanilla almond milk to traditional dairy options by highlighting a national taste test where 7 out of 10 dairy drinkers preferred almond milk. The audio campaign also encouraged shoppers to visit the dairy aisle and try the product for themselves, boosting both the trial and evaluation stages of adoption.

How Much Research Consumers Conduct Before Purchasing

Consumers differ in how much effort they put into researching a product before making a purchase decision:

• 58% conduct moderate research, checking reviews and ratings.
• 20% do minimal research, just enough to understand the basics.
• 9% prefer to experience the product firsthand.
• 13% do extensive research, thoroughly investigating all aspects of a product.

How Brands Can Leverage In-Store Advertising to Educate Shoppers

For the 58% who conduct moderate research, brands can enhance the in-store experience by providing real-time access to reviews, ratings, and product information through in-store displays and audio. Imagine a store where a shopper can hear about a product’s unique features through an in-store audio campaign while viewing ratings on an interactive display simultaneously—helping them quickly move from consideration to trial and adoption.

Likelihood to Deviate from Favorite Brands Across Categories

Brand loyalty can shift depending on the product category, with consumers more likely to try new brands in some areas than others:

• 64% are likely or very likely to switch brands in Food & Snacks.
• 59% in Household Essentials.
• 54% in Beverages.
• 51% in Health, Wellness, and Personal Care.

How Brands Can Leverage In-Store Advertising to Encourage Brand Adoption:

The fact that so many consumers are open to switching brands presents an opportunity for in-store advertising to drive trial and increase adoption. Consider this example:

During flu season, a shopper browsing the health and wellness aisle hears an audio ad highlighting a new immunity-boosting supplement. At the same time, a nearby display showcases the product’s unique health benefits and limited-time offers. This multi-sensory experience captures attention, builds trust, and nudges trial—especially effective in high-switch categories like food, beverages, and personal care.

Influence of Advertising on Purchase Decisions

Different forms of advertising play varying roles in shaping consumer behaviors in-store:

• 59% say in-store advertisements (displays, audio, coupons) influence their purchasing decisions.
• Influencer advertisements influence 32%.
• Seasonal promotions or sales sway 61%.

How Brands Can Leverage In-Store Advertising to Influence Purchase Decisions:

With 59% of shoppers influenced by in-store ads, using audio and display advertising is a direct way to engage customers at the point of purchase. For instance, a CPG brand could run an in-store audio campaign to promote a limited-time discount on specific cleaning products for spring cleaning. In contrast, an in-store digital display could showcase the promoted product’s look and special pricing. This combination of advertising elements supports product adoption’s evaluation and purchase stages.

Conclusion

The Vibenomics survey highlights that in-store advertising—especially audio and display—remains a powerful tool for influencing consumer behavior and fostering product adoption. Whether through influencer reviews, limited-time promotions, or seasonal sales, brands can harness the power of these in-store channels to engage potential customers at critical moments in their decision-making process. 

By understanding what drives consumers to try new products and move through the adoption cycle, brands can strategically deploy in-store advertising to increase product adoption and loyalty.

Getting Started With Vibenomics

Vibenomics is a leading in-store advertising provider, reaching over 170 million unique shoppers and 1 billion shopping visits monthly. Our platform enables brands to deliver impactful audio, display, and experiential ads to engage consumers in real time.

Ready to elevate your retail media strategy with in-store audio? Click here to engage with Vibenomics today!

Source: Vibenomics Product Adoption Suzy Survey, March 2025 n=480