You’ve got traffic. You’ve got products. But do you really know what your customers are thinking as they move from “maybe” to “add to cart”? 

For any marketer, understanding their journey is the key to doing the thing we all want to do – turning browsers into buyers and buyers into loyal fans. 

And it’s a must! Why? Because people aren’t just hopping on your site and making a purchase. 81% of shoppers research online before making a purchase. If you’re not tuned into what they’re doing during that research phase, you’re leaving money on the table.

Path to purchase research gives you the insights you need to meet customers where they are, at every stage of their journey. 

To get you started on your own research, we’re diving into exactly how to uncover those insights, use them to level up your marketing, and keep your customers coming back for more. 

Let’s get into it.

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What Is Path to Purchase Research?

Path to purchase research is all about understanding what makes your customers tick – every step, click, and decision they take on their way to making a purchase. 

It’s more than just tracking data points or following a trail of website visits. It’s about digging into why they do what they do and uncovering the motivations, obstacles, and triggers behind their actions.

Unlike general customer journey mapping, which focuses on high-level stages, path to purchase research gets into the nitty-gritty details. It identifies the moments that make or break a purchase decision (think a glowing review, a tempting discount, or a clunky checkout process).

For ecommerce brands, this kind of research gives you true insights into how to improve your messaging, refine your marketing, and create a smoother, more personalized shopping experience that converts.

Path to Purchase: What the Research Says

To truly understand the path to purchase, it helps to look at the numbers. 

Recent studies and reports highlight just how complex and dynamic the buying journey has become, especially in ecommerce.

Digital-First Behavior: According to Think with Google, 53% of shoppers research online before making any purchase decision. Whether it’s comparing products, reading reviews, or searching for deals, the majority of the buying journey starts long before customers hit “buy now.”

Omnichannel Influence: Shopping isn’t confined to one channel. A study found that 73% of consumers use multiple touchpoints during their path to purchase—browsing online, visiting a store, scrolling social media, or even clicking an email. This blending of online and offline experiences means brands need to create seamless connections across platforms.

Trust and Reviews: Social proof is everything. A whopping 93% of buyers read reviews before making a purchase. Positive reviews build trust and confidence, while a lack of them can be a dealbreaker.

For ecommerce brands, these findings underscore the importance of path to purchase research. 

Understanding how your customers interact with digital and physical touchpoints, what influences their decisions, and how trust factors in can help you tailor your strategies for maximum impact.

Let’s break down the key stages in the path to purchase so you can start applying these insights.

Key Stages in the Path to Purchase

We all know the path to purchase isn’t just a straight line. It’s a series of critical moments where customers decide whether or not to move closer to hitting “buy.” 

Image: Salespanel

For ecommerce brands, understanding these stages is the key to meeting your customers where they are and nudging them forward. Let’s break it down.

1. Awareness: How Customers Discover Your Brand

The journey starts with discovery. Customers are figuring out what they need or realizing they want something they didn’t know they needed.

Where It Happens: Social media ads, organic search results, influencer recommendations, or even a well-timed email.

Ecommerce Example: A DTC skincare brand runs Instagram ads showing before-and-after results of their best-selling moisturizer. Customers who click are taken to a landing page showcasing similar success stories.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Customers.ai to identify anonymous visitors from these discovery channels and follow up with tailored content that keeps your brand top of mind.

2. Consideration: The Research Phase

Here, customers start narrowing down their options. They’re comparing products, reading reviews, and hunting for the best deal.

Where It Happens: Product pages, review sites, YouTube unboxing videos, and price comparison tools.

Ecommerce Example: A fashion retailer notices customers spending extra time on product pages featuring video reviews and detailed size guides. They optimize all product pages with similar content to keep shoppers engaged.

Pro Tip: Make sure your product pages are loaded with trust signals (reviews, ratings, and answers to common questions). This is where social proof can help close that sale.

3. Decision: Closing the Sale

This is the make-or-break moment. Customers are ready to buy or they’re ready to walk away. Your job is to make saying “yes” as easy as possible.

Where It Happens: The checkout page, cart reminders, or even a last-minute exit-intent popup.

Ecommerce Example: A fitness gear brand adds a “Buy now, pay later” option at checkout, reducing cart abandonment by 20%.

Pro Tip: Streamline your checkout process. Keep it short, remove unnecessary steps, and offer multiple payment methods. Don’t let a clunky UX cost you the sale.

4. Post-Purchase: Turning Buyers into Repeat Customers

Every good marketer knows the path doesn’t end at the sale. Heck, it’s just the beginning of building loyalty. Customers who feel valued are more likely to come back and buy again. It’s time to build that beautiful relationship!

Where It Happens: Thank-you emails, post-purchase surveys, loyalty programs, and even SMS updates.

Ecommerce Example: An online coffee subscription brand sends a follow-up email with tips on how to brew the perfect cup, along with a 10% discount for their next purchase.

Pro Tip: Use post-purchase emails to upsell or cross-sell related products. For example, “Loved your new sneakers? Check out these running socks!”

When you understand the key stages in the path to purchase, you can create strategies that resonate with your customers at every step. 

Next up, let’s talk about how to dig deeper into your customers’ journey with effective research techniques.

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How to Conduct Effective Path to Purchase Research

Understanding the path to purchase means getting into the weeds of customer behavior. 

This means you can’t just skim surface-level data, you need to dive deep into the moments that shape decisions. Here’s how to do it right.

1. Collect Data Across Multiple Touchpoints

Your customers interact with your brand across dozens of channels and each one holds a clue about their journey. The trick is to connect the dots.

Tools to Use: Start with platforms like Google Analytics to track site behavior, heatmaps from tools like Crazy Egg to see where visitors engage most, and Customers.ai to identify and follow up with anonymous visitors.

Why It Matters: If you’re only looking at one channel, say, your website, you’re missing the bigger picture. Integrate data from social media, email campaigns, and paid ads to create a comprehensive view of your customers’ path to purchase.

Pro Tip: Use UTMs on every campaign link to track which sources drive the most conversions and where customers drop off.

2. Use Customer Surveys and Feedback

Your customers are your best source of insight…if you ask the right questions. Surveys can reveal motivations, pain points, and the factors that pushed them to make (or abandon) a purchase.

How to Craft Effective Surveys: Keep them short and focused. Example questions include:

“What made you choose our product over others?”

“What almost stopped you from completing your purchase?”

“How did you hear about us?”

Use Cases: Run post-purchase surveys to identify what worked well, or send exit-intent popups to collect feedback from shoppers who didn’t buy.

Pro Tip: Incentivize survey participation with a small discount or entry into a giveaway to boost response rates.

3. Analyze Patterns in Buyer Behavior

Once you have the data, it’s time to make sense of it. Look for trends that reveal how different segments of your audience move through the path to purchase.

Methods to Use:

Cohort Analysis: Group customers by behavior, such as purchase date or frequency, to see how they evolve over time.

Segmentation: Break down your audience by spend, product category, or time to purchase to uncover actionable insights.

Spotting Drop-Off Points: Identify where customers tend to bounce, whether it’s on product pages, the checkout process, or during a specific stage of your email flow.

Pro Tip: Use Customers.ai to track and analyze visitor behavior in real-time, helping you identify bottlenecks and optimize in the moment.

When you combine data from touchpoints, direct feedback, and behavioral analysis, you’ll have everything you need to create a customer journey that drives conversions. 

Next, let’s look at the tools and strategies that make decoding the path to purchase even easier.

Tools and Strategies for Decoding the Path to Purchase

Decoding your customers’ path to purchase requires the right tools and strategies to turn raw data into actionable insights. Here’s how to make it happen.

1. Behavioral Analytics Tools

Understanding how customers interact with your site is the first step to optimizing their journey. Behavioral analytics tools give you a front-row seat to see what’s working—and what’s not.

Tools to Try:

Hotjar: Use heatmaps to see where visitors are clicking, scrolling, or hesitating.

Crazy Egg: Dive into session recordings to watch how customers navigate your site.

Customers.ai: Track visitor behavior in real time, even identifying previously anonymous users for follow-up targeting.

Why It Matters: Heatmaps and session replays reveal friction points in your customer journey. If visitors are clicking everything except “Add to Cart,” it’s time to rethink your layout or messaging.

Example: An online furniture store used heatmaps to discover that customers were struggling to find their shipping policy. After moving it to a prominent spot on the product page, cart abandonments dropped by 15%.

2. Retargeting Strategies

Not every customer will convert on their first visit and that’s okay. Retargeting lets you re-engage those who’ve shown interest and guide them back into the purchase funnel.

Tactics to Use:

Dynamic Product Ads: Showcase the exact items customers viewed, complete with pricing and discounts.

Email Retargeting: Send personalized emails to browsers and cart abandoners with incentives like free shipping or limited-time discounts.

Why It Works: Retargeting aligns perfectly with the path to purchase by picking up where customers left off, whether that’s browsing a product or hesitating at checkout.

Example: A fashion retailer used dynamic product ads on Instagram to retarget customers who browsed their spring collection. The result? A 28% lift in conversions from ad clicks.

3. Predictive Analytics

Want to know what your customers are likely to do next? Predictive analytics uses past behavior to forecast future actions, helping you stay one step ahead.

How It Works: Tools like Klaviyo analyze browsing and purchase patterns to predict what customers are likely to buy or when they’re ready to purchase.

Why It Matters: Instead of reacting to customer actions, you can proactively send tailored messages or offers that match their next likely move.

Example: “Customers who browse the fitness gear category are 2x more likely to buy within 3 days.” Knowing this, an ecommerce store can trigger a follow-up email with a personalized discount, driving faster conversions.

These tools and strategies take the guesswork out of understanding your customers’ journey. By combining behavioral analytics, retargeting, and predictive models, you’ll have everything you need to optimize every step of the path to purchase.

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Turning Path to Purchase Research into Action

Understanding your customers’ path to purchase is one thing. Acting on it is another. 

Here’s how to take those insights and transform them into strategies that actually actually drive sales.

Step 1: Break Down What You’ve Learned

Take a step back and look at the data you’ve gathered. Ask yourself:

What’s driving customers to your site?

Where are they dropping off?

What’s stopping them from converting?

Example: If you’ve learned that most customers bounce on your product pages, it’s a sign those pages might not be answering their questions or building enough trust.

Step 2: Prioritize Quick Wins

Not every change has to be a full overhaul. Focus first on the areas where small tweaks can deliver big results.

Awareness Stage: If Instagram ads are your top driver of traffic, double down by creating more video content tailored to your audience’s interests.

Decision Stage: If your checkout process feels clunky, streamline it by eliminating unnecessary steps or offering guest checkout.

Step 3: Build Experiments Around Your Insights

Path to purchase research gives you the “what.” Now it’s time to test the “how.”

A/B test new product page layouts. Does a larger “Add to Cart” button improve conversions?

Experiment with retargeting ads. Does highlighting reviews increase click-through rates?

Try personalized email flows. Does including a discount in post-purchase emails boost repeat purchases?

Example: A DTC apparel brand noticed a high bounce rate on their cart page. After testing a free shipping banner above the checkout button, their conversion rate jumped by 12%.

Step 4: Scale What Works

Once you’ve identified what moves the needle, it’s time to double down. Expand winning strategies across other stages of the path to purchase.

Example: If personalized product recommendations work well in emails, bring them to your product pages and retargeting ads for a consistent, seamless experience.

Step 5: Keep Evolving

The path to purchase isn’t static. Customer behavior shifts, platforms evolve, and competitors adapt. Make ongoing research and optimization part of your process to stay ahead of the game.

Pro Tip: Tools like Customers.ai can help you track and analyze shifts in real-time, so you’re always ready to pivot when needed.

By breaking down your findings, prioritizing quick wins, and iterating based on data, you’ll be ready to act at every stage of the path to purchase.

Master the Path, Win the Purchase

Understanding your customers’ path to purchase isn’t just about data. It’s about knowing what makes them tick. 

When you nail their journey, you’re creating an experience that makes them want to come back again (and again).

And here’s the deal – you don’t have to fix everything overnight. Start with one stage. Maybe it’s dialing in your retargeting ads or fixing that clunky checkout process. Focus on one thing, nail it, and watch the results roll in.

Need a hand? 

Customers.ai has everything you need to crack the code on your customers’ buying journey. 

Start your free trial today and let’s make it happen.

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Path to Purchase Research FAQs

What is path to purchase research?

Path to purchase research involves analyzing the steps a customer takes from discovering a product to completing a purchase. It focuses on understanding behaviors, motivations, and decision-making processes throughout the customer journey. This research identifies critical touchpoints, such as when customers browse, compare, and make a purchase decision. It’s especially important for ecommerce brands looking to optimize conversions and customer loyalty. By identifying what drives or deters purchases, businesses can refine their strategies to meet customer needs more effectively.

Why is path to purchase research important for ecommerce?

Path to purchase research helps ecommerce brands understand customer behavior at every stage of the buying journey. This insight allows businesses to optimize marketing, streamline user experiences, and eliminate friction points that may deter customers. For example, knowing where customers drop off can lead to better product pages or simpler checkout processes. It also helps brands personalize their communication, resulting in higher engagement and conversions. In a competitive market, understanding the customer journey is essential to staying ahead.

What are the main stages of the path to purchase?

The path to purchase typically includes four stages: Awareness, Consideration, Decision, and Post-Purchase. Awareness is when customers first learn about your brand or product. Consideration involves research and comparison, as they evaluate their options. The decision stage is when they make the purchase, influenced by factors like pricing, trust, and convenience. Post-purchase focuses on building loyalty and encouraging repeat purchases. Each stage offers opportunities to engage and guide customers effectively.

How does path to purchase research differ from customer journey mapping?

While both focus on understanding customer behavior, path to purchase research is more detailed and action-oriented. It zeroes in on the specific steps and motivations that lead to a purchase, often with a focus on ecommerce. Customer journey mapping provides a broader overview of the entire customer experience, including non-purchase-related interactions. Path to purchase research aims to uncover actionable insights to optimize sales funnels and marketing strategies. It’s particularly useful for driving conversions and revenue growth.

What tools are best for conducting path to purchase research?

Tools like Google Analytics, heatmaps from Hotjar or Crazy Egg, and customer survey platforms like Typeform are excellent for gathering data. Behavioral analytics tools such as Customers.ai help track visitor behavior and identify patterns in real time. Retargeting platforms like Facebook Ads Manager and email marketing tools like Klaviyo are also valuable for engaging customers during their journey. For a holistic view, integrate data across platforms to connect the dots between touchpoints. Choosing the right tools depends on your specific business goals and customer journey complexity.

What types of data are most important in path to purchase research?

Key data includes website analytics, customer demographics, and behavioral patterns like time spent on pages or cart abandonment rates. Social media engagement and ad performance metrics are also critical for understanding the awareness and consideration stages. Feedback from customer surveys and reviews provides qualitative insights into motivations and barriers. Heatmaps and session recordings reveal friction points in navigation or checkout flows. Combining these data types offers a comprehensive view of the customer journey.

How do ecommerce brands use path to purchase research?

Ecommerce brands use path to purchase research to optimize marketing campaigns, refine product pages, and enhance the overall shopping experience. For example, if research shows customers abandoning carts due to high shipping costs, brands can offer free shipping thresholds or discounts. Insights can also inform ad targeting, ensuring customers receive relevant messages at the right time. Post-purchase research helps create loyalty programs or personalized email campaigns to drive repeat business. Ultimately, it helps brands increase conversions and lifetime value.

What role do reviews play in the path to purchase?

Reviews are crucial, especially in the consideration stage, as they build trust and credibility. Studies show that 93% of customers read reviews before making a purchase. Positive reviews can be the deciding factor in converting a hesitant customer, while negative reviews may deter them. Including reviews on product pages or showcasing testimonials in ads can significantly impact conversions. Encouraging happy customers to leave reviews also boosts your social proof and strengthens your brand’s reputation.

How can social media influence the path to purchase?

Social media plays a vital role in the awareness and consideration stages of the buying journey. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok allow brands to showcase products, share reviews, and engage directly with potential customers. Influencer collaborations can introduce your brand to new audiences, while targeted ads can retarget users based on browsing behavior. Social proof, like user-generated content, helps build trust. When done right, social media can seamlessly guide customers from discovery to decision.

What is the impact of mobile shopping on the path to purchase?

Mobile shopping has made the path to purchase more immediate and accessible. Customers can research, compare, and buy products directly from their smartphones. However, mobile-first optimization is critical—slow-loading pages or clunky navigation can lead to drop-offs. Features like mobile-friendly checkout, one-click payment options, and clear CTAs improve the mobile shopping experience. Path to purchase research helps identify pain points in mobile shopping journeys, enabling brands to optimize for conversions.

How can heatmaps improve the customer journey?

Heatmaps visualize where customers click, scroll, or linger on your website, offering insights into their behavior. They can reveal friction points, such as unclear navigation or ineffective CTAs, that lead to drop-offs. For example, if customers aren’t scrolling far enough to see key product details, repositioning that content can boost engagement. Heatmaps also help identify high-performing areas to replicate across other pages. These insights are invaluable for refining the decision stage of the path to purchase.

How does omnichannel behavior affect the path to purchase?

Omnichannel behavior means customers interact with multiple touchpoints—like browsing online, visiting a store, and clicking on email promotions—before purchasing. This complexity makes it essential for brands to provide a consistent and connected experience across channels. Path to purchase research helps identify which channels drive the most engagement and where customers drop off. Integrating data from online and offline interactions is crucial to creating a seamless journey that guides customers to conversion.

How can predictive analytics help with path to purchase research?

Predictive analytics uses historical data to forecast customer behavior and anticipate their next actions. For example, it can predict which customers are likely to abandon their carts or which products will be most appealing based on browsing history. This allows brands to proactively send targeted emails or ads that align with the customer’s stage in the journey. By acting on these predictions, brands can reduce drop-offs and increase conversions.

What are common pain points in the path to purchase?

Common pain points include unclear product information, slow-loading pages, complicated checkout processes, and unexpected shipping costs. Customers also drop off when trust factors, like reviews or return policies, are missing. Researching these barriers helps brands make strategic fixes, such as adding FAQs to product pages or streamlining checkout steps. Addressing these pain points ensures a smoother and more satisfying customer experience.

How do abandoned cart emails fit into the path to purchase?

Abandoned cart emails target customers who leave items in their cart without completing the purchase. These emails often include reminders, product images, and incentives like discounts or free shipping to encourage completion. They are an effective way to re-engage customers in the decision stage. Path to purchase research can identify the best timing and messaging for these emails, maximizing their impact on conversions.

How can path to purchase research improve post-purchase engagement?

Post-purchase engagement includes actions like sending thank-you emails, requesting reviews, or suggesting complementary products. Research helps identify what customers value after their purchase, allowing brands to tailor their communication. For example, insights might show that follow-up emails with usage tips or exclusive discounts drive repeat purchases. This stage is critical for building loyalty and increasing customer lifetime value.

What metrics should you track for path to purchase research?

Key metrics include bounce rates, time on page, cart abandonment rates, and conversion rates for each stage of the journey. Retargeting click-through rates and email open rates can provide insights into engagement during the consideration and decision stages. Post-purchase metrics, like repeat purchase rates and customer lifetime value, reveal the effectiveness of loyalty efforts. Tracking these metrics helps brands optimize every touchpoint.

How does personalization impact the path to purchase?

Personalization enhances the customer experience by delivering relevant content, products, and offers at the right time. For example, personalized product recommendations based on browsing history can move customers from consideration to decision. Path to purchase research helps identify where personalization will have the most impact. Customers who feel understood are more likely to engage, convert, and stay loyal.

How do loyalty programs fit into the path to purchase?

Loyalty programs focus on the post-purchase stage, encouraging repeat business and long-term customer relationships. Path to purchase research can identify incentives that resonate most with your audience, such as exclusive discounts or points-based rewards. Effective loyalty programs not only increase customer retention but also boost lifetime value, completing the purchase cycle.

What role do trust signals play in the path to purchase?

Trust signals like secure payment icons, customer reviews, and return policies reassure customers during the decision stage. Path to purchase research can reveal which trust signals are most important to your audience. For example, if customers hesitate at checkout, adding security badges or testimonials can improve confidence and reduce drop-offs.

How can businesses measure the success of path to purchase strategies?

Success can be measured through increased conversion rates, reduced cart abandonment, and improved customer retention. Metrics like ROAS (return on ad spend) and customer lifetime value are also indicators of effective strategies. Comparing pre- and post-optimization data offers a clear view of what’s working. Path to purchase research ensures strategies are backed by actionable insights, increasing their effectiveness.

What industries benefit most from path to purchase research?

While every industry can benefit, ecommerce, retail, travel, and financial services see particularly high ROI from path to purchase research. These industries often involve complex buying decisions, making it critical to understand customer motivations and barriers. For ecommerce, optimizing the path to purchase directly impacts sales, engagement, and loyalty.

How often should you revisit path to purchase research?

Path to purchase research should be an ongoing process. Customer behavior, technology, and market trends evolve constantly, requiring regular updates to your strategies. Conducting quarterly or semi-annual reviews ensures you stay aligned with customer needs and competitive in the market.

How does social proof impact the consideration stage?

Social proof, such as reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content, heavily influences decision-making during the consideration stage. Customers trust the experiences of others more than marketing messages. Including social proof on product pages, in ads, or within emails can help build trust and move customers closer to purchase.

What’s the ultimate goal of path to purchase research?

The ultimate goal is to create a seamless, optimized customer journey that drives conversions and loyalty. By understanding every step your customers take, you can eliminate friction, personalize experiences, and deliver value at every stage. Effective path to purchase research not only boosts sales but also strengthens customer relationships, turning one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
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