How AI is transforming shopping behavior, according to our research

The AI revolution is reshaping how consumers shop. That’s especially true in retail, as illustrated by a new study conducted by Acosta Group. The research, which surveyed 1,074 shoppers, illustrates that AI has quickly moved from novelty to routine. Acosta Group found that 70% of shoppers have used at least one AI tool or feature to assist with shopping, with ChatGPT leading in usage. Consumers are using the technology to save money and time, and to learn about products. “Generative AI tools are becoming the new gatekeepers of the shopper journey,” said John Carroll, President of connected commerce at Acosta Group. “Retailers and brands have to rethink and evolve how they show up in AI-powered environments, build trust with consumers, and prepare for a future where voice assistants and autonomous agents drive purchase decisions.” https://lnkd.in/gfjv3DRC

Acosta Group’s new study shows AI is reshaping shopping, with grocery leading adoption and brands racing to adapt or risk losing trust and sales. Read the Latest Full News - https://lnkd.in/g6wH762W #AIShopping #RetailTech #GenerativeAI #DigitalCommerce #ShopperBehavior #Martech #MartechEdge

According to a new study form Acosta Group, 70% of shoppers have used at least one #AItool or #AIfeature to assist with #shopping, with #ChatGPT leading in usage. Consumers are using the technology to save money and time, and to learn about products. “#GenerativeAI tools are becoming the new gatekeepers of the shopper journey,” said John Carroll, president of connected commerce at Acosta Group. “#Retailers and #brands have to rethink and evolve how they show up in AI-powered environments, build trust with consumers, and prepare for a future where voice assistants and autonomous agents drive purchase decisions.” #AI #AgenticAI #AIshopperjourney #AIpurchasedecisions https://lnkd.in/edK9-Bnq .

70% of shoppers are using AI tools to guide purchases, and Gen Z trusts AI more than traditional sources. If AI becomes the new gatekeeper of shopping, how can retailers and brands ensure they’re the ones showing up? https://lnkd.in/gfjv3DRC #foodindustry #foodandbeverage #ai #genz #grocery

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗞 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗦 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: The Fed can cut rates, but it cannot fix an economy where retail is splitting into winners and laggards both on the consumer side and the company side. Retail sales look “healthy.” But peel back the data: almost all of the growth is in dollars, not in units. Most categories are flat or declining. What growth remains is uneven, reflecting both the consumers who spend and the companies they spend with. This is a K shaped economy: 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗨𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞):  • E-commerce and Digital-First Retailers: Online platforms, marketplaces, and digital-native brands capture growth as shopping shifts online.  • Luxury and High-End Segments: Wealthier consumers continue spending on fashion, accessories, and premium experiences.  • Tech-Enabled Retail: Retailers that invested early in AI, automation, personalization, and frictionless checkout pull ahead.  • Discounters and Value Retailers: At the other end, dollar stores and discounters thrive as households trade down during economic stress. 𝗟𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 (𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞):  • Mid-Market Retailers: Department stores and mid-tier apparel squeezed between luxury and discounters.  • Brick-and-Mortar Heavy Models: Chains overly reliant on physical foot traffic without digital integration.  • Small and Independent Stores: Many lack the capital to invest in digital infrastructure and lose share to larger players. Even with this divergence, e-commerce is still only about 16 percent of retail after more than 20 years. The real driver is online research, which is not captured in those statistics but quietly influences most purchases. Social and digital channels are the fastest growing, but still the smallest slice. Leaders must therefore keep focus on all channels. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: 1. Optimize visibility in both AI powered and social commerce ecosystems, while maintaining strength in core stores and omnichannel. 2. Build for the research to purchase journey with content, reviews, and experiences that shape considered decisions. 3. Rethink attribution as AI summaries and social feeds increasingly drive intent before checkout. 4. Differentiate on trust, quality, and authenticity, not just promotions. Use AI and automation internally to lift productivity and create investment runway for the next channel shift. Shopping is no longer just retail. It is becoming a behavioral loop. Businesses must harness this responsibly while staying omnichannel, or risk being overtaken by those who do. As we look to the week ahead, data on personal income and spending, trade, and the University of Michigan’s consumer confidence survey will show whether households still have the appetite or the ability to keep driving demand. Jill (Puleri) Standish, Oliver Wright, Tom White, Ajoy Menon, AUDREY DEPRAETER-MONTACEL, Suzanne Randall, Cory Porter Watch: https://lnkd.in/e77HRKtS

The grocery industry is undergoing a profound transformation with the rapid adoption of new technologies like AI, generative AI, and advanced data analytics. Retailers are leveraging these technologies to optimize everything from supply chains and inventory management to customer engagement and personalized marketing. https://lnkd.in/g4i_bNuC #ProductInnovation #RetailTech #DataAnalytics #AIinRetail #GroceryTech

Artificial intelligence is changing how people shop — and how retailers survive. A study from global management consulting firm Kearney finds that AI-powered “shopping agents” are beginning to take over purchasing decisions once made by humans. The result, Kearney warns, will bring about big changes in how online retailers do business with consumers. In its new report, Kearney says that “agentic commerce” — where AI systems anticipate needs, compare prices and execute purchases automatically — is moving rapidly from concept to reality. Six in 10 U.S. consumers expect to use AI shopping agents within the next year. And nearly three-quarters are already familiar with AI tools. The findings are based on two surveys of 750 consumers each, conducted in July and September. https://lnkd.in/drrCncD6 #AIAgents #RedefineShopping #ForcingRetailers2Compete4AlgorithmicAttention

AI isn’t the future of shopping—it’s the now of shopping. 🤖 From price comparisons to review analysis, AI is reshaping how consumers buy, especially during the holidays. And brands that get ahead of AI’s influence will win. Read more here. 👇 #bazaarvoice

REATIL LEADERS: https://lnkd.in/gz69wD5j One-third of shoppers plan to use AI for holiday shopping this year, from finding gift ideas to comparing prices. While Gen Z and Millennials are leading the charge, many consumers are still wary of privacy risks and missing the “human touch.” It’s a reminder that for Australian retailers, the winning formula this season isn’t just AI-powered recommendations. It’s trust + transparency + experience. Curious to know how are teams are balancing innovation with authenticity as AI becomes part of the shopping journey... 💭 #retail #ecommerce #AI #holidayseason #customerexperience

Artificial intelligence is reshaping global retail, with new research showing that AI tools now influence how shoppers discover, compare and purchase products—particularly in grocery, where adoption is highest.