Ryder发布2026年美国电商消费者行为研究，披露AI购物、配送和退货偏好变化

AI-powered shopping tools
transform product discovery, decision-making
Price influence declines
among apparel and beauty shoppers while
other factors gain ground
Fast shipping expectations nearly double
; free shipping influence declines
Seamless omnichannel
fulfillment options influence future purchases
; free returns drive loyalty
MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) today published its
12
th
annual benchmark study
of U.S. consumer online shopping behaviors, preferences, and expectations,
“Beyond Price: What’s Driving Consumer Shopping Behavior.” The study
examines how consumers balance convenience, cost, and experience
, providing brands and retailers with actionable insights to refine their e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment strategies in an increasingly complex retail landscape.
Ryder publishes its 12th annual benchmark study on U.S. shopping behaviors, preferences, and expectations, offering actionable insights to help brands and retailers optimize omnichannel sales and supply chain strategies.
Download the full Ryder 2026 e-commerce consumer study
Based on a consumer survey of
1,160 U.S. online shoppers conducted in March 2026
, the findings highlight that consumers are not choosing between retail channels or buying motives — they are balancing them.
AI-powered shopping influences discovery and decision-making
Beyond product discovery, artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how consumers evaluate and select products, with
64% now using AI-assisted shopping tools
. Among these consumers, search and shopping assistants lead adoption (45%), followed by customer review summaries or key takeaways (37%), visual or image-based search (33%), voice assistants (31%), and virtual try-on or visualization tools (31%).
“Industry-wide data echoes our findings, reinforcing that
AI is fundamentally changing online shopping behaviors
; another study found that nearly three in five consumers have begun replacing traditional search engines with generative AI search,”
says Jeff Wolpov, Ryder Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Ryder Last Mile.
“What it all amounts to is, if products are not optimized for AI-powered search results, brands may lose consideration in the consumer buying journey.”
Price influence declines in certain retail categories as consumer values evolve
While price continues to play a significant role in brand consideration and purchase decisions, its influence softened in two retail categories as respondents evaluated additional factors. Among apparel and beauty shoppers,
price’s role in purchase decisions decreased 12% and 13%,
respectively year-over-year,
marking
a
three-year low
for beauty
.
At the same time,
product materials
and
ingredients, environmental impact,
and
ethical practices
proved to be purchase drivers, cumulatively
gaining 13%
for each group
.
Omnichannel retail drives in-store sales as shoppers embrace fulfillment options
Consumers embrace a mix of omnichannel fulfillment options, reinforcing that no single model meets all expectations, creating opportunities for retailers.
A
new e-commerce trend emerged
this year, as survey respondents’ use of
remote locker/location pickup jumped 14%
, surpassing Buy Online Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup as the leading alternative fulfillment option compared to ship-to-home.
At the same time,
86%
of consumers have
picked up or returned online purchases in-store
(+3% YOY), with
52% of that group (+17% YOY) now reporting they often make additional purchases
while there, demonstrating the revenue opportunity of integrated omnichannel strategies.
Faster shipping expectations rebound while free shipping influence slips
While
free shipping
remains the leading factor in purchase decisions (62%), its
influence dropped 14% year over year
, while
fast delivery expectations nearly doubled
.
Thirty-nine percent
of consumers surveyed
now
expect delivery within one to two days – a four-year high.
Still,
71%
of consumers surveyed
abandoned
items in their
carts due to unanticipated shipping fees
.
Forty-eight percent
of consumers
research
which brands offer
free/cheaper shipping
, and
73% added items
to their carts
to qualify for free shipping –
the
highest since 2023.
Returns experience directly impacts customer loyalty and retention
Consumers are nearly split on
return method preferences
for online orders
: among all shoppers surveyed,
52% prefer in-store
while
48% prefer to return via mail/drop box
. And, among the
79%
of respondents
who had returns experiences that prevented them from shopping with a brand again
, the
absence of options
to return online orders in-store and via mail were
cited equally
, highlighting the importance of returns management as part of a seamless omnichannel strategy.
Additionally, among those consumers whose returns experience negatively impacted customer loyalty, the
most common complaint
was
return shipping fees (55%).
And, of all consumers surveyed,
52%
are
unwilling to purchase
from
a retailer
without
a
free-return policy.
“The retail landscape is becoming increasingly complex, but also more opportunity-rich,” adds Wolpov.
“Brands that succeed will balance price with customer experience, deliver seamless omnichannel fulfillment, and leverage AI and data-driven insights
to meet rising expectations for personalization, visibility, and ease.”
For more information about Ryder e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment solutions, visit
https://www.ryder.com/en-us/e-commerce/e-commerce-fulfillment
.
About Ryder System, Inc.
Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) is a nearly $13 billion leading provider of outsourced logistics and transportation services throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ryder offers
supply chain
,
dedicated transportation
, and
fleet management
solutions that integrate every step of the supply chain port‑to‑door, including
cross-border
logistics, fleet and transportation management,
warehousing and distribution
, and final delivery to customers’ doorsteps. Ryder’s broad portfolio of services encompasses
managed transportation
,
freight brokerage
, dedicated contract carriage with
professional drivers
, full‑service
fleet leasing
and
maintenance
, commercial
truck rental
,
automation
and
robotics
,
digital technologies
,
contract manufacturing
and
packaging
,
omnichannel retail fulfillment
including
e-commerce
and
last-mile delivery
, and
used vehicle sales
. Serving more than 20
industries
, Ryder manages approximately 240,000 commercial vehicles, operates nearly 800 maintenance locations, and runs approximately 320 warehouses totaling more than 100 million square feet. Ryder is consistently recognized for technology‑driven innovation and industry‑leading practices in safety, health, security, talent acquisition, and environmental management, and was most recently named to Fortune’s “America’s Most Innovative Companies” list.
www.ryder.com
Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and information included in this news release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including statements regarding consumer trends, market opportunities, evolving e-commerce and omnichannel strategies, AI-enabled shopping behaviors, and the potential benefits of Ryder’s solutions, are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
ryder-scs
Media Contact
: Lee Groeger, 3E Public Relations,
lgroeger@3epr.com
.
Source: Ryder System, Inc.