Shoppers Let AI Build the Shortlist, Then Go Back to the Brand to Buy

Sixty-eight percent of US consumers used a general AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Perplexity for at least one shopping task in the past three months, according to Attentive's 2026 State of AI in Retail survey of 3,054 adults, fielded Aug. 12 to 14. (The CMO Wire is powered by Attentive.) Most of those shoppers said AI shaped which products they considered. Only 10% completed the purchase inside the chatbot. Retail marketers interviewed by CMO Wire describe a path to purchase that now starts in an AI conversation and still ends with the brand.

How many shoppers use AI to shop?

Most US shoppers have tried it, and many use it often. In Attentive's survey, 61% of AI-assisted shoppers used a chatbot for shopping at least once a week, and 63% used one for at least half of the products they shopped for online in the past three months.

Adoption is highest among younger consumers. Eighty-three percent of Gen Z and 81% of Millennial respondents used AI for a shopping task, compared with 69% of Gen X and 45% of Baby Boomers. Among those who didn't, the most common reasons were habit and doubts about whether chatbots give accurate, unbiased recommendations.

The traffic is valuable when it arrives. Adobe's AI traffic report found AI-referred visits to US retail sites rose 62% year over year in July 2026. Those visitors converted at a 60% higher rate than other traffic and generated 53% more revenue per visit.

Where does AI influence the decision?

Mostly in deciding what makes the shortlist. Seventy-one percent of AI-assisted shoppers said a chatbot meaningfully affected which products or brands they considered or chose at least half the time. Most started the conversation without a specific product in mind, and 52% shared personal details such as size, style or health needs along with budget and features.

AI often confirms an existing preference rather than replacing it. In the shopping trip respondents described, 46% said the chatbot reinforced what they were already considering, while 22% said it changed their preferred product or brand. Among those who bought something, 80% bought a product the chatbot had recommended.

That makes outside coverage more important. Caitlin Berzok, SVP of Digital at Therabody, told CMO Wire that her team can trace AI traffic to mentions elsewhere on the web. "We've watched as our ChatGPT traffic has ticked up, and as people are coming in we'll see there's a mention in this article or this affiliate space over here. That's influencing how this product is showing up within ChatGPT," she said. McKinsey estimates that a brand's own site typically makes up only 5% to 10% of the sources AI search draws on, with publishers, affiliates and user content supplying the rest.

Product data matters for the same reason. Nagesh Koritala, a digital product manager at Kohler, has argued in CMO Wire that brands winning in agentic commerce are rewriting their catalogs around the questions customers ask, since a shopping agent can only recommend what it can read.

Why do shoppers still do research outside chatbots?

Because most want proof before they buy. Ninety-three percent of AI-assisted shoppers looked for information outside the chatbot while deciding, even though 68% said they were very or completely confident in its guidance. Search engines were the most-used outside source, at 54%, and 64% of those who looked elsewhere visited a seller's website, app or store.

Shoppers were checking specific things: customer reviews (37%), prices across retailers (36%) and detailed product information (33%). Clear specs, visible return terms and searchable reviews on product pages shorten that step.

Where do AI-assisted shoppers actually buy?

Mostly on retailer and brand sites. In the shopping trip respondents described, 59% bought from a retailer or marketplace that sells many brands, 31% bought directly from the brand and 10% completed the purchase inside the chatbot. Looking ahead, 60% said they would rather buy on the seller's own site or app, and 17% preferred to buy inside the chatbot.

Comfort falls as AI takes more control. Shoppers were most comfortable with AI recommending a product or a place to buy it, and less comfortable with AI adding items to a cart, reordering or purchasing within set limits. CMO Wire's coverage of OpenAI's retreat from Instant Checkout points the same way, with the company shifting to retailer apps inside ChatGPT.

Does AI shopping make customers less loyal?

AI-assisted shoppers switch brands more often, though many still come back. Sixty-two percent of AI-assisted shoppers said they had bought a different product or brand than usual because of a chatbot. Yet 44% of those who bought during an AI-assisted trip had already purchased again from the same seller, and 73% of first-time customers took a step to stay connected, such as joining an email list or downloading an app.

That puts more weight on what happens after the sale. Nikki Tooman, co-founder of Sticky Digital, said in Attentive's report that AI-assisted shoppers "may buy without getting to know your brand. So your post-purchase journey has more work to do." Emily Pfeiffer, associate manager of lifecycle marketing at Little Spoon, made a similar point to CMO Wire. "There's no point in us trying to get your first order if you're not going to love it and you're going to churn," she said.

These shoppers also expect more personalization. Seventy-two percent of AI-assisted shoppers agreed with at least five of seven personalization statements, compared with 41% of shoppers who don't use AI. The biggest difference was in expecting brands to remember what they browsed, clicked or bought. Attentive has collected examples of retailers using AI to meet those expectations, along with its analysis of how AI is changing marketing metrics.

How can brands influence the next AI conversation?

Through the channels they already own. Only 18% of AI-assisted shoppers said they typically start with a chatbot when shopping a familiar category, while 41% start with a retailer or brand they know. And 24% said a brand's email or text prompted them to ask a chatbot about a product, brand or category.

Michelle Casey, VP of Strategy at Alchemy Worx, said in the report that her team writes retention messages with that in mind. A message "hands them the specific product language, comparisons, and proof points we want repeated back when they open an AI chat," she said.

Kait Stephens, CEO and co-founder of BRIJ, told CMO Wire that AI makes the direct relationship more valuable. "LLMs are adding another layer of disconnection between a brand and the customer. It will be that much more important for brands to control their own narrative and own first-party data to have that direct relationship," she said.

FAQ

How many people use AI chatbots to shop? Sixty-eight percent of US consumers used a general AI chatbot for at least one shopping task in the past three months, according to Attentive's 2026 State of AI in Retail survey of 3,054 adults. Use is highest among Gen Z (83%) and Millennials (81%).

Do shoppers buy products inside ChatGPT and other chatbots? Few do so far. Ten percent of AI-assisted buyers completed their purchase inside the chatbot. Most bought from a retailer or marketplace (59%) or directly from the brand (31%), and 60% said they prefer to buy on the seller's own site or app.

How do brands get their products recommended by AI? AI tools draw heavily on sources outside a brand's own site. Detailed product pages, consistent marketplace listings, independent reviews and publisher coverage all give chatbots more to work with. McKinsey estimates a brand's own site makes up only 5% to 10% of the sources AI search references.

Does shopping with AI make customers less loyal? It increases switching. Sixty-two percent of AI-assisted shoppers have bought a different brand than usual because of a chatbot. But 44% of AI-assisted buyers had already purchased again from the same seller, and most first-time customers took a step to stay in touch with the brand.

Is AI-referred traffic worth more than other traffic? Adobe's August 2026 report found that AI-referred visitors to US retail sites converted at a 60% higher rate than other visitors and generated 53% more revenue per visit, with AI-referred traffic up 62% year over year in July.