Ecommerce: How the decision-making and purchasing process is changing among new generations in the American market

4 behaviors redefining marketing in the USA and the purchasing journey of American consumers

The traditional marketing funnel has become obsolete. Today, American consumers interact with brands through multiple touchpoints, often simultaneously and non-linearly. A study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals that our purchasing habits are being redefined by four behaviors:

• streaming,
• scrolling,
• searching, and
• shopping.

Let's discover what they are and how to leverage them in marketing.

Understanding and mastering the 4S to succeed in the American market

The 4S of BCG offer a novel way to understand the purchasing journey of American consumers.

• 1. Streaming: personalized and engaging content
  Streaming is no longer limited to movies and music because it now includes YouTube, smart TVs, and podcasts. This type of consumption encourages immediate interactions that quickly turn interest into purchase.
  Companies that want to stand out in the USA should focus on personalized content through artificial intelligence and interactive storytelling to engage the audience.
• 2. Scrolling: paying attention to the digital showcase
  Scrolling on social media is akin to window shopping a brand’s digital storefront. Just a few seconds with the right creative content, product placement, or influencer recommendation can capture the potential customer's interest and stimulate action.
• 3. Searching: intuitive search Today's consumer no longer limits themselves to typing in Google Search for information: they use Gemini to obtain information through conversation; they use Google Lens for immediate identification of what they see; they perform multimodal searches that combine text, images, and voice for accurate results. Many use YouTube to better inform themselves before making a purchase. To adapt, companies should optimize their content with this in mind and leverage AI-driven advertising.
• 4. Shopping: seamless and non-linear purchases
  Americans want a seamless, immediate, and obstacle-free shopping experience, whether through social commerce or shoppable ads on YouTube and in-app checkout. It is clear that the traditional purchasing path has blurred and that this mode has become the norm. Tackling this challenge involves integrating the purchasing process at every relevant touchpoint of corporate communication. Personalized recommendations, targeted offers, and well-placed calls-to-action can stimulate conversions at any stage of the journey.
   

The benefits of marketing in the United States by leveraging the 4S

Integrating the 4S behaviors into your marketing strategy is a challenge, but it is above all a unique opportunity to stand out and gain a competitive advantage in the American market. On one hand, the consumer journey is more fragmented than ever, making it difficult to predict and measure the strategy's effectiveness. On the other hand, these behaviors open new opportunities to engage, influence, and convert the target audience.

Managing this scenario requires a structure capable of transcending the rigid and linear model of the traditional funnel: by doing so, it will be possible to better align strategies with the reality of today's consumer journeys.