The endless aisle can lead consumers to feel overwhelmed

The finding: Roughly 3 in 4 (74%) shoppers have abandoned an online shopping cart in the last three months because they felt overwhelmed by excessive content, too many choices, and the effort required to decide what to buy, per an Accenture consumer survey.

The frustration ticks up to 79% among consumers shopping for both clothes and beauty products, and to 78% among those shopping for consumer electronics.

What it means: The findings suggest the endless aisle leads to a worse customer experience compared with a more curated selection.

• Shoppers need help. Retailers offering too many selections, reviews, and ads make it hard for consumers to find a product that will fulfill their needs.
• Technology can play a role. For example, over half of consumers (51%) say they would consider using generative AI (genAI) advisors to sort through the array of options. That share goes up to 64% among consumers shopping for flights and 53% among those looking for beauty products.

Our take: Simpler is better.

• Retailers should look for opportunities to make their online presences more user-friendly. That may involve simplifying their site design, personalizing home pages and search results based on consumers’ actions or past purchases, or integrating a genAI advisor into their sites.
• There are also some low-tech options as well. For example, curated collections can help shoppers cut through the noise, as can buying guides that explain how to navigate challenging purchases, such as selecting TVs.

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