Survey: AI and the Modern Shopper Journey - AI is Moving from Product Search to Purchase Influence

AI is also introducing consumers to unfamiliar products. 83.6% have used AI to discover a product, brand or service they weren't previously aware of, including more than one-quarter who say this happens frequently.

For brands, this creates a new dynamic. Consumers can increasingly ask AI to identify products that meet specific needs rather than beginning with a familiar brand or retailer.

AI Has Moved from Research to Purchase Influence

AI's influence doesn't stop at product discovery.

Nearly two-thirds (61.8%) have purchased a product after receiving an AI recommendation. One in five have done so several times, while another 41.4% have done so once or twice. An additional 25.9% haven't yet made an AI-influenced purchase but say they would consider doing so.

Comparison shopping is one of the most common ways consumers are using AI. 58.1% use it to compare products, while nearly half use it to compare prices or find the best value. Consumers are also turning to AI for product recommendations, researching features and specifications, discovering new brands and deciding what to buy.

Instead of visiting multiple websites, reading reviews and manually comparing prices and specifications, shoppers can increasingly ask AI to synthesize that information for them.

AI is Becoming a Deal-Seeking Engine

One of the strongest themes in the research is the role AI is beginning to play in finding savings.

More than seven in ten (71.3%) have asked AI to find a promotion, discount, coupon or deal for something they were considering buying. Another 24.5% haven't done so yet but say they would.

Consumers also say those efforts are producing results. 63.2% report that AI has saved them money on a purchase. The most common ways include finding a lower price, identifying a sale or promotion, finding a coupon or promo code, and comparing prices across retailers.

This emphasis on value is likely to continue. Looking ahead, 58.6% expect to use AI to find better prices and promotions, making it the most-selected future shopping use in the survey. That ranks ahead of researching and comparing products, discovering new products and brands, finding where to buy and receiving personalized recommendations.

For marketers, this could bring product recommendations and promotional strategy much closer together. A shopper may no longer search separately for a product and then look for a deal. Increasingly, they may simply ask AI to help them find the best option and the best value.

AI Could Make Brand Loyalty More Fluid

AI's ability to identify and compare alternatives could also have implications for brand loyalty.

If AI consistently helped them find the best products, prices and promotions, 39.4% say they would be more likely to try new brands, while 32.1% would switch from a brand they normally buy if AI found a better price or promotion on another brand. Another 30.6% would switch brands more easily if another offered better value.

That doesn't necessarily mean loyalty disappears. Nearly one-quarter say they could become more loyal to brands AI recommends. Instead, AI may change how loyalty is earned by making alternative brands much easier to discover and evaluate.

Consumers Want AI Assistance, But Still Want Control

Despite their growing reliance on AI, shoppers aren't necessarily ready to turn over the entire purchase decision.

When asked how they would like AI to handle promotions, 42.2% want AI to show them several offers and let them choose, compared with just 17.8% who want AI to automatically find and apply the best available offer.

Similarly, only 9.8% currently prefer to complete an AI-influenced purchase directly within an AI assistant. Most would rather move to a retailer website or app, physical store, marketplace or brand website to complete the transaction.

The emerging behavior appears to favor AI assistance rather than AI autonomy: let AI do more of the hunting, comparing and recommending, while the consumer retains control over the final decision.

Consumer Trust Will Be Critical

Consumers show considerable willingness to trust AI recommendations, but that trust comes with an important caveat.

85.3% trust AI-generated product recommendations at least somewhat. At the same time, 69.2% are at least somewhat concerned that AI shopping recommendations could be influenced by brands, retailers, advertising or paid placements without them realizing it.

 As AI-powered shopping evolves, transparency around sponsored recommendations, advertising and paid placement could therefore become increasingly important.

Younger Shoppers Are Leading the Shift, But Not the Way You'd Expect

Every behavior in this survey skews younger, but the pattern has a twist. Millennials, not Gen Z, are the heaviest AI shoppers today: 65.3% have purchased after an AI recommendation, the highest of any generation. Gen Z is more convinced the change ahead will be significant or fundamental (57.7%), even though their current purchase rate is slightly lower.

Income tells its own story. Shoppers earning $50,000 to $99,999 are the most likely of any income bracket to have purchased after an AI recommendation (69.4%), ahead of both lower and higher earners. AI-driven shopping isn't just an early-adopter, high-income trend. It's already mainstream.

Looking Ahead

The influence of AI on shopping appears likely to grow. 81% expect AI to at least moderately change the way they shop over the next two to three years, including nearly half who anticipate fundamental or significant changes.

For brands and retailers, the message is straightforward: AI is adding a new decision layer to the shopper journey. It can introduce consumers to new products, compare alternatives, surface promotions and influence purchase decisions, even when the eventual transaction takes place somewhere else.

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in shopping, brands may need to think beyond simply being found. Increasingly, the challenge may be being recommended, offering compelling value, and understanding whether that recommendation ultimately resulted in a purchase.

Key Strategic Implications

 Key Findings

• 41.6% now start product searches with an AI assistant, alongside Google (71.6%) and Amazon or another retailer (45.1%).
• 83.6% have used AI to discover a product, brand or service they weren't previously aware of.
• 61.8% have already purchased a product on an AI's recommendation; another 25.9% would consider it.
• 58.1% use AI to compare products, its single most common shopping use today.
• 71.3% have asked AI to find a promotion, discount or deal, and 6 3.2% say AI has saved them money.
• 39.4% would try new brands, and 32.1% would switch away from a brand they normally buy, if AI consistently found better value elsewhere.
• 85.3% trust AI product recommendations at least somewhat, but 6 9.2% are at least somewhat concerned those recommendations could be influenced by paid placements.
• 81% expect AI to at least moderately change how they shop within two to three years; that expectation is highest among Gen Z and Millennials.

See the full results of the Survey: AI and the Modern Shopper Journey: AI is Moving from Product Search to Purchase Influence here→

Contact us to discover how Snipp's promotions, rebate and loyalty solutions can help you stay in the conversation now that AI is part of it.