THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY IS DEAD: HOW TO SELL IN 2026 — Quick Facts
THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY IS DEAD HOW TO SELL IN 2026. AI search engines now dominate customer research, bypassing traditional brand touchpoints. Google identifies f.
Key Data Points
- AI search engines now dominate customer research, bypassing traditional brand touchpoints
- Google identifies four fluid behaviors that define modern customer activity: streaming, scrolling, shopping, searching
- Leading brands like Amazon map life activities rather than purchase journeys to embed into daily routines
Frequently Asked
- What is replacing the traditional customer journey model in 2025?
- The traditional customer journey funnel is being replaced by a fluid, overlapping model based on four ambient behaviors: streaming, scrolling, shopping, and searching. Rather than following a linear path, modern consumers move fluidly between these behaviors often within minutes or simultaneously, creating what experts call a 'swarm' rather than a funnel.
- How much did shopping searches on generative AI platforms grow?
- Shopping-related searches on generative AI platforms grew 4,700 percent between 2024 and 2025, indicating a massive shift in where customers conduct primary research before discovering brands.
- Why is AI search changing how customers discover products?
- AI answer engines like ChatGPT are now the primary research tool for many customers, bypassing traditional brand touchpoints entirely. Customers are receiving product recommendations from AI platforms before they even know a brand exists, making these platforms critical to the early discovery phase.
- What does Amazon's approach to customer mapping teach us?
- Amazon maps life activities such as shopping, watching, reading, listening, eating, hosting, and gaming rather than just purchase journeys. This approach allows brands to embed themselves into customers' daily routines across multiple contexts rather than waiting for them at predetermined touchpoints.
- Where should customer research now start instead of on websites?
- Customer research now starts within AI answer engines and search platforms rather than on brand websites or social media. CX leaders must acknowledge that a large percentage of people conduct primary research through generative AI platforms, requiring brands to redesign their approach to be discoverable in these spaces.