BOSTON – Shoppers research all manner of products—food and beverages, fashion and apparel, and big-ticket items like electronics—across a variety of channels before they make a purchase.
According to research from Salsify, prospective buyers most often head to online marketplaces like Amazon, but AI shopping tools continue to gain steam as primary research channels.
Some (but definitely not all) shoppers have even shown interest in agentic commerce and autonomous shopping agents that could discover, research, and purchase products on their behalf based on their goals and preferences.
Salsify’s Key Findings
• Shoppers (51%) reported online marketplaces as the top channel for them to research new products and brands; however, more Gen Zers (63%) and millennials (55%) reported their top research channel is social media sites like TikTok and Instagram (which were the fifth most popular among millennials just last year).
• More consumers use AI search tools (22%) than product review websites like Wirecutter (19%) or online forums like Reddit (14%) to research new products and brands.
• 27% of shoppers trust AI shopping tools for some purchases, but verify their answers with other sources, highlighting an AI trust gap; just 14% trust them and use them regularly.
• 49% of Gen Zers, 45% of millennials, 39% of Gen Xers, and 33% of baby boomers are somewhat interested in using agentic commerce, saying they would try it for certain purchases.
• Time savings (32%) and convenience (32%) are the top reasons why consumers are interested in agentic commerce; 41% of millennial shoppers even see autonomous agents as impartial and knowing more than they do.
• The top reasons shoppers aren’t interested in agentic commerce are a lack of trust for 35% of shoppers (who wouldn’t trust AI’s information or decision-making) and a lack of involvement for 31% of shoppers (who like being in control of their shopping).