Why 38% of Consumers Now Use AI to Shop Online & What Retailers Need to Know

This report from RetailEconomics examines the shift from keyword-based retail search to AI-assisted, agentic discovery, where intelligent systems interpret intent, rank options, and increasingly act on shoppers’ behalf, creating new requirements for structured product data, access policies, and governance. Based on a 6,000-consumer survey across the UK, US, and France (38% have used assistants like ChatGPT/Copilot; 21% have used auto-decision tools), it identifies early impact in electronics, travel, and apparel, outlines a systems framework for retailers focused on Visibility, Control, and Trust, profiles four AI discovery personas, and provides practical guidance on readiness, agent access management, and performance measurement in an AI-led discovery landscape.