Retailers Turn to Visual Media for Personalized Experiences

Retailers are increasingly leveraging visual media to create seamless, personalized online and in-store experiences that resonate with modern consumers, according to global research conducted by Cloudinary. Notably, 93% of retailers estimated that personalization alone drives a 50-400% improvement in business outcomes. The findings also indicate that technology adoption has reached a level where retailers can now address multiple consumer preferences, including accessibility, sustainability, and immersive digital experiences like virtual try-on and 3D visualization.

Personalization Driving 4X Improvements

A significant 88% of retailers recognize personalization as a cornerstone of their digital strategy. This is largely due to the varied ways consumers shop today—across multiple devices, languages, currencies, and network conditions.

The study reveals that many retailers have automated their personalization strategies: 67% dynamically tailor content based on language, currency, browser, and device; 65% based on geographic location; and 50% optimize content quality for available bandwidth.

Accessibility is also front and center. Retailers are taking steps such as optimizing for screen readers (62%), including alt text for images and videos (57%), and providing closed captions (56%). Two-thirds report feeling ready for compliance with the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

By enhancing performance and accessibility, retailers are delivering seamless experiences to a broader audience, which likely contributes to the 93% reporting business improvements of up to 4X due to personalization.

Next-Gen Digital Experiences Have Arrived

With personalization technologies firmly in place, retailers are now focusing on immersive and visually rich experiences. The survey shows that in 2025, priorities include video content (62%), virtual try-on (53%), augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) (46%), and 3D experiences (36%).

These advanced visual experiences not only improve customer decision-making but also help reduce product returns, yielding both financial and environmental benefits.

Sustainability Matters

While consumers seek fast and smooth shopping experiences, they also demand sustainable practices. Retailers are listening, with 62% actively tracking energy usage and adopting eco-conscious digital strategies. These include:

  • Optimizing media delivery to reduce energy consumption (50%)
  • Recycling or repurposing digital content (47%)
  • Reducing redundant asset storage (46%)
  • Tracking and reporting the carbon footprint of digital tools (41%)

Digitizing the In-Store Experience

A standout trend is the application of e-commerce tactics in physical retail environments to streamline in-store experiences. The survey found:

  • 66% use QR codes for product details and promotions
  • 64% utilize mobile apps for in-store navigation and support
  • 32% deploy AR to replicate in-store experiences online

As Wanda Cadigan, SVP of Marketing at Cloudinary, notes, “Today’s global survey paints a refreshingly optimistic picture, showing retailers of all sizes not only rising to the technical challenges of personalization but also prioritizing next-gen experiences like virtual try-on and 3D.”

Methodology

The Cloudinary Global Retail Survey 2025 was executed by Researchscape International. It involved 448 retail professionals across 14 countries and was conducted online from February 20 to March 17. Participants came from organizations managing over 1,000 images and more than 100 videos on their websites or mobile apps.

For more updates, follow us on TechMediaGlobal.