Why the Discount Cycle Is Broken (and What Replaces It)
Digital scrolling has precipitated a constant stream of "unmissable" rewards and endless discounts that can turn every random Tuesday into a shopping event.
By the time the Big Sale arrives, consumers feel like they have already seen it all.
The mechanics of selling are shifting. This is not good or bad. It is simply the new reality. To understand it, brands must look beyond products and discounts and focus on the human behavior that drives buying decisions.
Recent research from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals a clear truth: 77% of consumers now purposefully delay a purchase they already want, so they can take advantage of a future sales event.
This shift indicates that the primary driver of a transaction is no longer the discount itself, but an existing desire for a brand the consumer has already vetted. The sale does not create the want — it provides the permission to finally buy.
In this model, desire builds the demand while the discount simply dictates the timing of the buy.
We are moving from timing the stock to timing the consumer. According to the PwC 2025 Consumer Trends Report, predictive AI is now a key tool for leading retailers. Instead of fixed seasonal sales driven by warehouse needs, new opportunities are created through predictive models that identify when a person is ready to buy.
Brands that act at the right moment have seen profit increases of 10 to 15%. But it wasn't just from smart timing alone. Those brands had already created desire to buy among consumers.
Data vs. Desire
Data can predict when to engage, but it cannot create desire. To convert a ready consumer into a loyal one, brands must deliver real experiences that drive emotional connection and resonance with consumers in all of the moments that they interact with them, whether that is physical or digital. This is where experiential commerce plays a critical role in the omnichannel execution strategies of brands.
One of the most powerful conversion tools continues to remain the lived experience at shelf. Strategy shifts from explaining value to letting people feel, try and experience the product right in the moment that they could buy.
Experiential commerce bridges the gap between discovering and buying. It turns a product into a sensory moment and transforms interest into belief.
As retailers become media owners, the purchase environment matters more than ever. To drive real conversion, brands must create spaces where consumers can reduce uncertainty by allowing them to touch and engage their senses, cut through digital fatigue and create a memory that confirms an existing desire.
We do not live in a perfectly timed world, but by focusing on human desire and the power of physical experience, brands can finally break the Groundhog Day-style cycle of endless discounting.
The future of commerce is not just about showing up. It is about making the moment worth it. The brands that win are the ones consumers can live — not just buy. People might forget the message, but they will always remember how a brand made them feel.
About the Author
Adriano Lombardi is the SVP, executive creative director of commerce across North America for Momentum Worldwide. Lombardi is an award-winning leader with a wealth of experience in the sector. He has led commerce initiatives for Coca-Cola across Mexico and Latin America.
