Dive Brief:
- Shoppers rate price as the main factor influencing their AI-assisted shopping decisions, followed by other customers’ ratings and the AI’s top recommendation, according to a survey of more than 4,200 consumers in the U.S., UK, France and Germany.
- That’s not to say that consumers don’t consider other factors. About 9 in 10 consumers say it’s important to recognize the seller or merchant, and more than 9 in 10 check customer reviews before purchasing.
- "What the research shows clearly is that consumers are using agents to find the best online deals,” Chris Jones, managing director at PSE Consulting, said in a prepared statement. “But once the shortlist is in front of the consumer, the same signals that have always driven purchasing decisions take over: does the consumer recognise the seller’s brand, and what do other customers say about it?”
Dive Insight:
In an AI-powered shopping journey, price ultimately trumps everything. But brands can't ignore the importance of trust — whether from brand recognition or customer reviews.
When AI presents consumers with a new brand, more than two-thirds say they would consider the option, but that they would need to check the seller’s ratings and reviews.
This shows how AI is enhancing, not replacing, consumer decision-making, according to Jones.
“Consumers are happy to delegate discovery and shortlisting to an AI assistant,” Jones said. “But trust remains critical when it comes to the final purchase. If the brand is not recognised and there are no reviews to validate it, the AI recommendation does not close the sale."
Customers also have higher expectations for AI search than traditional discovery options. Customers who use AI-powered discovery are two times more likely to abandon their cart if they experience friction, and 4 in 5 consumers say they won’t return to a brand they discovered through AI if they have an issue with the experience.
While consumers become more comfortable with AI discovery, few are ready to allow AI assistants to make purchases for them. A Riskified survey from last year found that 36% of consumers say they trust AI to influence their purchases, but only 13% have trusted it to actually make a purchase.
