Understanding the mental journey of a Shopping Ads buyer

In 2025, buying on the internet has never been easier... and paradoxically so complex. Consumers navigate in a world ofautomated ads, of highly personalized recommendations And ofMore and more intelligent algorithms. For brands and specialists in Paid Media, understand the Mental journey of a Shopping Ads buyer is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity.

In this article, we decipher the main psychological steps and the mechanisms to activate to help your campaigns transform, without adding unnecessary complexity. Of the quality of Product flow To the smooth post-click navigation, every detail counts.

1. A non-linear buying journey: the “messy middle”

You would like to believe that people see an ad, click, buy. In reality, their journey is more like a maze. Google talks about “messy middle”“: a chaotic in-between where the user oscillates between exploring and valuation.

What triggers a buying decision?

• Rarity bias : “Only 3 left in stock”
• Social proofs : “+1,200 positive reviews”
• Frictionless experience : fast, clear, reassuring

The challenge: to be present at each stage, with the right signals and the right formats, without losing the user along the way.

2. AI and the buying journey: towards increased shopping

Today, theartificial intelligence in e-commerce no longer just optimizing budgets. It is actively influencing What the user sees, searches for, and chooses through:

• Les dynamic ads generated by Performance Max
  
  
• Les personalized recommendations based on the detected intent
  
  
• La predictive navigation On the Landing pages post-click
  
  

Examples:

• I click on an ad for a sofa. I come across a page that offers me a matching coffee table And a Carpets in the same tones.
  
  
• Is the product no longer available? I see three relevant alternatives without restarting a new search.
  
  

🧠 All of this is based on a well-structured product flow, categorized and enriched with the right Google Merchant Center attributes. Otherwise, even the best algorithm will remain blind.

To find out more read this article.

3. What happens after the click makes all the difference

The click is a tipping point, not an end in itself. THEpost-click experience Becomes a strategic conversion lever. If the landing page doesn't live up to the ad's promise, the buyer leaves... often in under 3 seconds.

a. Dynamic cross-sell: selling without forcing

A good Cross-selling e-commerce is subtle. It should help without distracting:

• Complementary products shown at first sight
  
  
• Logical recos: “Complete look”, “Great for winter”, “Compatible accessories”
  
  
• Adaptation to the price range Or at intent profile
  
  

👉 The aim: to guide, not to overload. The algorithm can help to adjust these modules according to contexts.

b. Contextual navigation: simple, direct, efficient

The user must find what he is looking for... before he even realized he was looking for it.

• Pre-filled filters according to the campaign (size, active promo, local availability)
  
  
• Ranking the results by relevance, novelty, price or stock
  
  
• Highlighting the most popular products aligned with research intent
  
  

🎯 A good example? A campaign on trail sneakers can land on a pre-filtered “trail” page, sorted by best sellers, with reviews that are immediately visible.

4. An enriched product flow: the foundation of performance

The Product flow is not just a tech file sent to Google. It is your visibility base, performance, product understanding.

One incomplete or poorly structured flow results in:

• Fewer impressions
  
  
• One Higher CPC
  
  
• Lower conversions
  
  

To be enriched as a priority:

• Optimized product titles : format, use, material, color, typology
  
  
• Product Descriptions : clear, SEO-friendly, profit-oriented
  
  
• Product type : aligned with the Google taxonomy
  
  
• Highlights : concrete and differentiating benefits (recyclable, lightweight, waterproof...)
  
  

🔍 A well-qualified flow allows the algorithm to activate more relevant automatic recommendations, and to adjust your bids to the right level.

A well-qualified flow is better only 10 poorly targeted campaigns.

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Think like a buyer, not like an advertiser

The journey of a buyer on Google Shopping in 2025 is made up of doubts, impulses, comparisons, sometimes not rational... but always influenced.

👉 To turn these signals into conversions:

• Offer a seamless end-to-end experience
  
  
• Anticipate implicit needs
  
  
• Rely on reliable, machine-readable product data
  
  
• Activate the right automated ad formats at the right time
  
  

It is no longer the promise that makes the sale. It's how you support the choice.

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