47% Prefer Story Over Discount, New Data Shows

Dizplai, the strategic growth partner for audience engagement, has released The Impulse Lab, a new research report revealing what really drives purchases in live commerce.

The headline finding is striking: 47% of live shopping viewers are more likely to purchase a product with a good story than one advertised with a discount. To this audience, narrative beats price every time, yet many brands continue to lead with discounts, competing on short-term conversions while eroding margin and long-term loyalty.

Ed Abis, CEO of Dizplai, says the industry’s reliance on price incentives is limiting growth: “Leading with an offer buys you a customer for a day, but leading with a story buys you a customer for life. Brands are competing on price because it’s easy to measure. Still, they are leaving nearly half their potential revenue on the table by failing to engineer the moments that actually convert.”

The Regret Gap: Why Story Protects Margin

The findings also reveal a measurable “Regret Gap” in live commerce. 74% of consumers who purchased after hearing a compelling product story still felt positive about their decision 48 hours later. Among those who bought primarily because of a discount, that figure dropped to 55%.

This has clear implications for returns, churn, and long-term customer value. Narrative-led selling not only increases intent but also drives action. It increases satisfaction.

Countdowns Fail: Authentic Engagement Beats Manufactured Urgency

Contrary to common practice, countdown timers and “limited stock” alerts are no longer as persuasive. Consumers report growing immunity to flashing urgency cues. Instead, 63% of viewers say real-time interaction from other viewers increases their likelihood to purchase. Authentic engagement, not artificial pressure, drives action.

The Persuadable Majority: Untapped Revenue Potential

Perhaps most significant for brands is the identification of a “persuadable majority”. 60% of viewers join live streams without an active intent to shop. However, they remain open to purchasing if something resonates with them.

This represents substantial untapped revenue potential for brands that design live moments around engagement rather than interruption.

“This isn’t about interrupting people and hoping a discount works,” adds Abis. “It’s about meeting them in moments where they are already emotionally invested. If content makes the product matter, the transaction stops being about cost and becomes about capture.”

About The Impulse Lab

The Impulse Lab is a benchmark study from Dizplai designed to help brands, agencies, and creators understand the behavioural drivers behind live commerce performance.

The report explores:

• The five core levers of live shopping: Emotion, Scarcity, Narrative, Social Proof, and Ease of Action
• The difference between Context Responders and Discount Hunters
• The Regret Gap and post-purchase satisfaction
• The decline of artificial urgency tactics
• A new Impulse Moment Scoring Model for brands

Learn more and download Dizplai’s The Impulse Lab report HERE.

About Dizplai

Dizplai is the strategic growth partner that makes every fan count, helping organisations unlock new revenue streams, build loyal communities, and maximise audience value. Through consultancy, creativity, and flexible commercial models, Dizplai delivers strategies across content, monetisation, ecommerce, sponsorship, and CRM to drive sustainable business results. Its proprietary technology platform powers interactive content experiences for leading broadcasters, publishers, rights holders, creators, and brands, engaging over 100 million people every month. With partners including I’m A Celebrity, Sky, The Hundred, and NASCAR, Dizplai is shaping the future of fan engagement and participatory media.

Learn more about Dizplai here:
Website, LinkedIn, Media enquiries: media@dizplai.com