Beyond the Last Click: Reddit’s True Impact on Purchase Decisions

Discussions regarding Reddit have always been a part of the media planning journey throughout my time in the advertising space. Reddit has been, and continues to be, a great source for authentic discussions and reviews from real people. And, with the recent (and still growing) demand to incorporate AI into every aspect of the buying journey, the need for genuine reviews and conversations have grown in value for communities… and all advertisers alike.

This observation was recently proven to be true by ‘Social Media Today’ as they reported Reddit as the unspoken hero when it came to the overall influence on purchase activity, according to Fospha’s State of Retail Commerce 2026 report. This report compared engagement data from retailers in 2025 vs. 2024 showing that Reddit now “drives more purchase activity” for this very reason: real human insights on potential purchases.

Fospha’s team was able to map retail conversions to their original source, providing insight into the modern shopper and their behavior when discovering new products. In short, Reddit showed the largest hidden impact, with ROAS increasing by 82% YoY, after including Amazon sales.

Why do some discredit Reddit? Reliance on last-click attribution. Brands love being able to connect conversions to specific UTMs, oftentimes forgetting that ‘word of mouth’ and real reviews really move the needle… and drive sales. With this in mind, it may be worth incorporating this channel to future planning brainstorming sessions. Conversations drive sales, and by capitalizing on this trend, we could see a sustained future of filled seats across every venue in the city.