America’s phone-carrying shopper is becoming less of a bargain hunter and more of an in-aisle decision maker.
That shift stands out in PYMNTS Intelligence’s 2026 Global Digital Shopping Index: U.S. Playbook, “The New American Shopper.” The report finds that consumers now record 51 digital shopping days a month, up from 46 in January 2024. Much of the growth comes from frequent mobile browsers, AI users and higher-income consumers. Its second key finding shows how shopping behavior is changing inside physical stores: Consumers increasingly use phones to make faster, more confident choices instead of simply chasing discounts.
Key Points:
- In-store phone use has moved firmly into the mainstream. Forty-two percent of shoppers used a phone while shopping in a physical store in March 2026, up from 30% in January 2024. Product research on phones reached 39% of shoppers, a 14% increase over the same period. The phone has become a pocket-sized sales associate, helping people answer practical questions before they put an item in the cart.
- Reviews and price comparisons are gaining ground. Twenty-six percent of consumers used their phones to read product reviews in-store, up from 20% in 2024, a 30% increase. The share comparing prices at other merchants rose to 26% from 22%, an 18% gain. These activities suggest shoppers want reassurance that they’re choosing the right product at a fair price. Retailers can support that behavior with clear product information, easy-to-find reviews and consistent pricing across channels.
- Payment choice now enters the shopping journey before checkout. Sixteen percent of consumers checked which payment methods a merchant accepted while they were still in the store, up from 11%, a 45% increase and the largest gain among the activities measured. Coupon and discount searches slipped to 35% from 37%. That contrast gives merchants a useful signal: Shoppers still value savings, but convenience and certainty are playing a larger role in whether a purchase moves forward.
The broader report points in the same direction. Sixty-five percent of shoppers now say payment acceptance influences where they shop, up from 58% in 2023. It also finds that 62% expect to use an AI shopping agent within two years, although only 15% of merchants maintain data that an agent can read. Retailers don’t need a futuristic overhaul to respond. Better mobile product details, visible payment options and reliable checkout can turn the shopper’s phone into a bridge between the aisle and the sale.
