key takeaways
- Canadian commerce is entering a new chapter.
- AI, loyalty and digital discovery took centre stage.
- Missed the conversation? There’s more to explore.
From evolving shopper expectations to AI-powered discovery, NIQ’s Toronto event explored the shifts putting new demands on brands and retailers.
Where will your next customer discover your brand? What will make them choose it? And how will that decision change when AI helps guide the purchase?
These questions framed NIQ’s Digital Summit in Toronto, where experts from NIQ, GOcxm and TikTok explored the forces reshaping Canadian commerce. Through research, brand examples and conversations connecting consumer behaviour with digital execution, the event examined what it takes to compete as shopping habits evolve.
For those who couldn’t join, the themes below offer a glimpse of the conversation. The deeper opportunity lies in understanding what they mean for your category and your business.
The omnichannel conversation is moving from adoption to growth
Being present online is only the starting point. The summit explored how brands and retailers can build stronger relationships with shoppers who move between physical stores and digital touchpoints.
Understanding those shoppers requires looking beyond where a transaction happens. Shopping missions, category needs and everyday routines all influence how people engage. The sessions examined how those differences shape the opportunity to turn occasional purchases into lasting habits.
For businesses planning their next stage of growth, this raises a valuable question: Does your strategy reflect how your customers actually shop across channels?
Digital natives are raising expectations for loyalty
Reaching digitally fluent consumers and earning their loyalty are different challenges.
GOcxm’s session explored the motivations behind engagement, including what makes an experience feel relevant, rewarding and worth the effort. It also examined how brands can build direct consumer relationships alongside retailer loyalty programs.
The discussion invited attendees to reconsider familiar approaches to personalization and rewards. As consumers become more selective about where they invest their attention, understanding why they engage matters as much as knowing what they buy.
AI is changing the competition for discovery
AI was a recurring theme throughout the summit, particularly its emerging role in how consumers research products and make choices.
As shopping becomes more conversational, brands face new questions about how their products are understood and recommended. What does visibility look like when a shopper asks an AI assistant for help? How should brands prepare as these experiences develop?
NIQ’s digital shelf sessions connected that future with the work brands face today. Product information and the experience shoppers encounter across retailer websites remain central to the conversation. Attendees explored how digital shelf readiness can support both current performance and the next evolution of discovery.
The moments before purchase deserve more attention
TikTok’s “Heart of the Funnel” session brought the consideration stage into focus: the moments when people explore an idea, seek reassurance and decide whether a product feels right for them.
The discussion explored the role of creators, community and content in shaping those decisions. For marketers, it raised questions about how brands show up while preferences are still forming, and how they help consumers move from interest to confidence.
Amazon demands its own approach to growth
Amazon featured prominently in discussions about performance and innovation. Sessions explored the distinct dynamics of launching and competing on the platform, and why brands need to understand the factors behind their results.
Attendees were also introduced to NIQ’s Amazon Sales & Share offering in Canada, adding another dimension to the conversation about understanding competitive performance.
For brands assessing their Amazon opportunity, the summit offered a closer look at the questions worth asking before making their next investment.
Continue the conversation
A fireside chat featuring NIQ, TikTok and Colgate-Palmolive brought these themes together around the relationship between digital commerce and the broader customer experience.
Across the summit, one idea connected the sessions: decisions about channels, content and technology become more valuable when grounded in a fuller understanding of the consumer.
The themes are relevant across the industry. Their implications will differ by brand, category and growth ambition.
Missed the summit? Contact us to explore the insights behind these conversations and what they could mean for your business.
