The best teams don’t guess what customers want — they ask. Five major 2025 whitepapers point to the same conclusion: customer research must evolve fast. AI, data expectations, and buying habits are shifting, and your research approach has to keep up.
Here’s a simple way to use those insights — plus how e-commerce stores can apply them today.
1. AI-Driven Journeys Are the New Normal
The Engage Hub Customer Experience & Technology: Predictions 2025 report shows a clear trend: customers expect tech to help, not annoy. They want personalization that feels thoughtful, not creepy.
What to ask in your research
- “Where did our experience feel helpful?”
- “Where did it feel automated in a bad way?”
E-commerce example
If shoppers say your product recommendations feel “random,” that’s a sign your AI logic doesn’t match their real goals. Fixing that can lift AOV fast.
2. Trust in Data Use Matters More Than Data Volume
Tealium’s 2025 Future of Customer Data whitepaper makes one thing obvious: customers care how you use their data, not just how much you collect.
What to ask
- “Do you trust how we use your browsing and purchase data?”
- “What would make you more comfortable sharing preferences?”
E-commerce example
If shoppers hesitate to create an account, you can test clearer explanations like: “We only use your data to recommend better products — never to spam you.”
3. Consumer Expectations Are Changing Fast
Euromonitor’s Top Global Consumer Trends 2025 highlights rising expectations around transparency, speed, and relevance.
What to ask
- “What did you expect from us that we didn’t deliver?”
- “Where did you need more clarity?”
E-commerce example
If customers expect faster delivery updates, add real-time tracking prompts or clearer shipping timelines on PDP pages.
4. Tech Buyers (and Shoppers) Compare More Than Ever
The Informa TechTarget 2025 Media Consumption Study reports that buyers check more sources, read more reviews, and expect more proof.
What to ask
- “Which sites did you compare us with?”
- “What helped you trust us — or hesitate?”
E-commerce example
If customers say they compared your store to a competitor because “they had more real photos,” add UGC or unfiltered product shots to your pages.
5. Customer Research Itself Is Changing
The Market Research Society’s 5 Market Research Trends Shaping Industries in 2025 shows the shift toward real-time listening, continuous research loops, and ethical considerations.
What to ask
- “What else influenced your decision?”
- “Did sustainability, packaging, or brand values matter here?”
E-commerce example
If shoppers care about packaging waste, test recyclable packaging badges or sustainability filters — then measure click-through and conversion shifts.
A Simple 7-Step Research Framework
Use this to run lean, high-impact customer research in tech or e-commerce.
1. Start with one question
Example: “Why do shoppers abandon at checkout?”
2. Recruit the right mix
Recent buyers, lapsed buyers, and cart abandoners.
3. Run 10–12 short interviews
Ask them to walk you through their actual experience.
4. Dig for emotion
Look for lines like “I wasn’t sure,” “I hesitated,” or “I felt rushed.”
5. Map their journey
Highlight moments where they paused, struggled, or backtracked.
6. Turn insights into micro-fixes
Example:
- Add a shipping-cost preview earlier in the checkout.
- Add trust badges on high-bounce PDPs.
- Update product filters based on language customers use.
7. Repeat every 90 days
Your customers change. Your research should too.
