Recent data from a PartnerCentric poll of 1,000 U.S. consumers reveals a substantial shift in shopper behavior: social media channels are increasingly outpacing Google for product discovery and reviews. While two-thirds of adults still rely on Google for research, only 50% of Gen Z users do the same, with a growing preference towards platforms like Reddit and TikTok.
Reddit remains a key source for informed opinions, especially among Millennials and Gen Z. Around 60% of surveyed users conduct product reviews on Reddit, and 17% of Boomers even prioritize it over Google. Discord is also playing an unexpected role in retail, with 40% of participants purchasing through community chats and 18% paying for access to exclusive servers.
PartnerCentric’s findings highlight TikTok as a growing shopping hub. Approximately 37% of TikTok users have made purchases via TikTok Shop in the past six months, spending an average of $59 per transaction and up to $708 annually. Gen-Z and Millennials, in particular, rely on TikTok and Instagram for discovery more than Google. For instance, about 30% of young consumers credit Instagram and 23% TikTok as their first product discovery source, outweighing Google at 18.8%.
Pinterest also plays a pivotal role, with over 50% of Gen Z users on the platform turning to it for ideas and purchases ahead of traditional search engines. Social media platforms are clearly reshaping the way that users approach their internet usage and online shopping as a whole, and this new audience may require more focus on optimizing – mainly, optimizing their presence across top platforms to align with these new discovery habits and innate preferences.
