The path from “I saw an ad” to “I bought the product” stopped running in a straight line. Consumers discover brands here and research them there while flipping between mobile devices, social platforms and storefronts - often to purchase somewhere else entirely.
Thanks to new digital channels and the age of infinite scrolling - the product discovery-sphere has exploded. TikTok, Instagram, marketplaces, search, influencers, review sites all are random stops on the discovery bus. Even delivery apps are now part of early discovery. When consumers are in a retail store, they research products on their phones while standing in the store aisle. Best yet, there’s a good chance they will leave without a purchase. Later they see an ad and buy the product online. It’s an unpredictable, fluid path - a loopy journey.
For brands and retailers the classic top-down funnel view of marketing is dead. A new infinitely “loopy” journey from discovery to purchase encompasses all digital and physical touch points in no particular order.
While 80%+ of 2025 sales are projected to be taking place in stores, discovery often comes from the loopy discovery-sphere. If you’re still employing top-down funnel thinking, you’re missing the mark on measuring digital attribution.
Symptoms include:
Inaccurate ROAS
Unrealized top-performing channels
Misaligned messaging
Disconnected customer experiences
Missed opportunities to retarget real store visitors
Retailers must unify loopy touch points to see the true ROI of their digital ad spend.
Cybba helps retailers connect store visits and sales back to the discovery-sphere of digital impressions, clicks, and engagements directly to in-store actions - including verified store visits, POS transactions, loyalty app purchases.
Unifying unique visitors with ad impressions, clicks, in-store visits, and sales
Connecting digital events to in-store sales
Delivering a single view of ad traffic
For retailers trying to navigate the discovery-sphere’s new loopy journey, this is a game-changer.
Here’s how retail brands can adapt to — and thrive within — the new customer journey:
Unify your attribution. Customers don’t distinguish between channels and your measurement shouldn’t either.
Use onsite popups and email collection tools to build long-term customer relationships.
Your retargeting campaigns become more effective when you know who visited a store, who browsed online, and who saw your ads.
Whether someone buys in-store or online, that data should be used in their next experience.
Retailers who align their media investment to actual sales (online and in-store) will outperform competitors still using legacy metrics.
Consumer brands and retailers can no longer rely on outdated funnel views or channel-specific KPIs. They must understand the complete customer journey and measure it from the discovery-sphere to sale. Cybba connects digital to real store visits and sales. Retailers who embrace this full-funnel, cross-channel view will be the ones who stay ahead of shifting consumer behavior — and turn every touchpoint into measurable growth.