Physical retail stores have emerged as the primary channel for product discovery among younger consumers, challenging assumptions about digital-first shopping behavior and creating new opportunities for location-based creator marketing, according to research from martech platform Hummingbirds released in November 2025.
The findings show 51.9% of Gen Z consumers discover new products in physical stores first, according to eMarketer data cited in the report, while 64% of Gen Z prefer shopping in-store rather than online, according to LEK Consulting research. For Millennials, 74% report discovering new products while shopping in-store.
Nano Creators Deliver Higher Engagement for Retail Content
Nano creators with fewer than 10,000 followers achieve a 34.1% impression rate and 6.2% engagement rate, compared to 15.5% and 1.8% respectively for mega creators with more than 1 million followers, according to Later and eMarketer data cited in the report.
“Shelf-to-selfie” storytelling showing products in real bathrooms, vanities, and gym bags outperforms polished influencer content by 2.4 times on engagement metrics, according to the research. User-generated content featuring everyday retail moments is associated with up to 35% higher purchase intent than branded studio content, according to internal Meta benchmark data cited in the report.
Shoppers are 79% more likely to purchase when user-generated content appears alongside a product, according to Stackla research included in the findings. User-generated content from everyday creators drives 6.9 times higher engagement than brand-produced content, according to Stackla data.
Retailer-Specific Campaigns
An OLIPOP campaign activating 68 creators in 26 cities to promote a new variety pack at Sam’s Club generated 140-plus user-generated content assets and 48,000-plus reel views. A MUSH campaign featuring 28 creators promoting overnight oats at Costco produced 56 new user-generated content pieces and more than 2,000 engagements.
A Provence Beauty campaign activating 50 creators across nine cities for a Ulta launch generated over 100 user-generated content assets and more than 30,000 reel views.
Platform and Format Performance
Short-form video remains the highest-performing format, with HubSpot’s 2025 Social Trends Report identifying it as the number-one return on investment driver for marketers, according to data cited in the research. Carousel posts lead in save rate and comment depth, according to SocialInsider report data.
Category-Specific Growth Patterns
The beauty and wellness category shows the global market grew 10% year-over-year with clean, clinical and community-driven segments leading expansion, according to NielsenIQ State of Beauty 2025 data. Sixty percent of Gen Z consumers discover new beauty products through creators and peers rather than traditional influencers, according to SPINS Consumer Insights research cited in the report.
In food and beverage, the better-for-you category grew 14% year-over-year, according to SPINS Natural Channel Data. Gen Z and Millennials rank taste and authenticity over aspirational wellness claims when choosing products, according to SPINS Wellness Consumer Study data.
Creator Demographics
Women account for 90% of creators on the Hummingbirds platform; 75% are between the ages of 24-45, and 50% identify as parents, according to the research. Women influence or control up to 85% of consumer spending, according to NielsenIQ data cited in the report.
“I love being able to try new products and give a genuine review/feedback on them,” said Abbey, a Des Moines creator quoted in the report. “Being able to show my creativity in a way that makes me most comfortable.”
Seasonal Opportunities
In January 2025, wellness spending increased by 15%, according to NielsenIQ data. Back-to-school represents a $100 billion-plus season, according to National Retail Federation research. The pumpkin-spice flavor category is valued at approximately $1.1 billion, according to Coherent Market Insights data. Holiday and winter gifting spending is forecast to increase 8% year-over-year, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Holiday Retail Survey.
The research projects that hyperlocal, city-based creator activations will become standard practice in 2026. Retail data integration, tying creator impact to shelf velocity, is expected to expand, providing more direct attribution between creator content and in-store sales performance.
Image credits: Hummingbirds Get the full report here
Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.
Physical retail stores have emerged as the primary channel for product discovery among younger consumers, challenging assumptions about digital-first shopping behavior and creating new opportunities for location-based creator marketing, according to research from martech platform Hummingbirds released in November 2025.
The findings show 51.9% of Gen Z consumers discover new products in physical stores first, according to eMarketer data cited in the report, while 64% of Gen Z prefer shopping in-store rather than online, according to LEK Consulting research. For Millennials, 74% report discovering new products while shopping in-store.
Nano Creators Deliver Higher Engagement for Retail Content
Nano creators with fewer than 10,000 followers achieve a 34.1% impression rate and 6.2% engagement rate, compared to 15.5% and 1.8% respectively for mega creators with more than 1 million followers, according to Later and eMarketer data cited in the report.
“Shelf-to-selfie” storytelling showing products in real bathrooms, vanities, and gym bags outperforms polished influencer content by 2.4 times on engagement metrics, according to the research. User-generated content featuring everyday retail moments is associated with up to 35% higher purchase intent than branded studio content, according to internal Meta benchmark data cited in the report.
Shoppers are 79% more likely to purchase when user-generated content appears alongside a product, according to Stackla research included in the findings. User-generated content from everyday creators drives 6.9 times higher engagement than brand-produced content, according to Stackla data.
Retailer-Specific Campaigns
An OLIPOP campaign activating 68 creators in 26 cities to promote a new variety pack at Sam’s Club generated 140-plus user-generated content assets and 48,000-plus reel views. A MUSH campaign featuring 28 creators promoting overnight oats at Costco produced 56 new user-generated content pieces and more than 2,000 engagements.
A Provence Beauty campaign activating 50 creators across nine cities for a Ulta launch generated over 100 user-generated content assets and more than 30,000 reel views.
Platform and Format Performance
Short-form video remains the highest-performing format, with HubSpot’s 2025 Social Trends Report identifying it as the number-one return on investment driver for marketers, according to data cited in the research. Carousel posts lead in save rate and comment depth, according to SocialInsider report data.
Category-Specific Growth Patterns
The beauty and wellness category shows the global market grew 10% year-over-year with clean, clinical and community-driven segments leading expansion, according to NielsenIQ State of Beauty 2025 data. Sixty percent of Gen Z consumers discover new beauty products through creators and peers rather than traditional influencers, according to SPINS Consumer Insights research cited in the report.
In food and beverage, the better-for-you category grew 14% year-over-year, according to SPINS Natural Channel Data. Gen Z and Millennials rank taste and authenticity over aspirational wellness claims when choosing products, according to SPINS Wellness Consumer Study data.
Creator Demographics
Women account for 90% of creators on the Hummingbirds platform; 75% are between the ages of 24-45, and 50% identify as parents, according to the research. Women influence or control up to 85% of consumer spending, according to NielsenIQ data cited in the report.
“I love being able to try new products and give a genuine review/feedback on them,” said Abbey, a Des Moines creator quoted in the report. “Being able to show my creativity in a way that makes me most comfortable.”
Seasonal Opportunities
In January 2025, wellness spending increased by 15%, according to NielsenIQ data. Back-to-school represents a $100 billion-plus season, according to National Retail Federation research. The pumpkin-spice flavor category is valued at approximately $1.1 billion, according to Coherent Market Insights data. Holiday and winter gifting spending is forecast to increase 8% year-over-year, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Holiday Retail Survey.
The research projects that hyperlocal, city-based creator activations will become standard practice in 2026. Retail data integration, tying creator impact to shelf velocity, is expected to expand, providing more direct attribution between creator content and in-store sales performance.
Image credits: Hummingbirds
Get the full report here