WTF is Multi-Touch Attribution?!

Generative AI has quickly gone from a curiosity to a daily utility for millions of consumers, and ecommerce is starting to feel the impact. Shoppers are no longer limited to traditional search engines or marketplace listings. Instead, they’re turning to conversational tools like ChatGPT to ask for product recommendations in plain language: “best gifts for new moms,” “top-rated noise-canceling headphones under $200,” or “eco-friendly kitchen essentials.” Until now, these AI-powered shopping experiences have largely stopped at discovery.

If you’ve watched customers line up overnight for a limited-edition product drop, you’ve seen brand equity in action. Stanley’s viral 40-oz tumbler, for example, fueled a 751% year-over-year increase in sales thanks to the loyalty and excitement the brand built through cultural relevance and community engagement, not because the product was functionally superior. This is the power of consumer brand equity: the intangible value that makes buyers choose you over the competition, even when cheaper or similar alternatives exist.

Reddit isn’t just another paid channel to plug into your media mix. It’s a massive, community-led platform where users don’t just scroll, they research. They ask questions. They compare brands. And they trust each other most. But that doesn’t mean brands can’t earn their attention, it just means you have to do it on their terms. That makes it one of the most overlooked opportunities for reaching high-intent shoppers: people deep in the buying process, looking for real answers and trusted recommendations.