AI Shopping Tools Are Taking Over, But Consumers Still Trust Known Brands More

As much as a shopper can ask AI assistants to do things like finding new items to shop for online, many people do still take a second to think about whether or not they’d a buy a product if the brand isn’t familiar. PSE Consulting did some research and found that customer reviews and familiar retailer names continue to influence buying decisions long after AI generates recommendations.

PSE Consulting’s research says 92% of consumers read customer reviews before purchasing products suggested through AI shopping tools, and 89% said recognising the seller’s brand was important or very important before completing a purchase.

Consumers seem to be cautious when it comes to unfamiliar brands and 68% of the surveyed would consider buying from a merchant they had never used before, but they wanted to check the ratings and reviews first.

Chris Jones, Managing Director at PSE Consulting, said, “What the research shows clearly is that consumers are using agents to find the best online deals. But once the shortlist is in front of the consumer, the same signals that have always driven purchasing decisions take over: does the consumer recognise the seller’s brand, and what do other customers say about it?”

Shoppers do seem comfortable asking AI assistants to narrow product searches and compare prices but still, the final purchase decision would depend on brand familiarity and reputation or reviews.

Are People Letting AI Choose Products For Them?

The research tells us that most consumers are using AI shopping tools mainly for digital comparison assistants and not necessarily for autmatic purchasing systems.

PSE Consulting says 32% of consumers think price is the main factor when choosing between AI generated recommendations and only 14% said they follow the AI assistant’s top recommendation without first checking alternatives.

US shoppers seem to show the most interest in pricing with 37% of them choosing price as their main consideration with AI assisted shopping.

There were generally some positive reactions towards AI shopping tools with around 43% of the consimers reporting positive experiences using AI for shopping, while fewer than 3% had mostly negative experiences.

Chris Jones, Managing Director at PSE Consulting, said, “What the research shows clearly is that consumers are using agents to find the best online deals. But once the shortlist is in front of the consumer, the same signals that have always driven purchasing decisions take over: does the consumer recognise the seller’s brand, and what do other customers say about it?”

Which Countries Trust Familiar Brands The Most?

UK consumers seem to have the biggest attachment to known brands, according to this research. The study found that 15% of UK shoppers selected brand recognition as their main factor whereas in the States, France and Germany, that was lower at 8%.

Loyalty schemes also influenced UK consumers more than shoppers everywhere else. PSE Consulting found that 36% of UK consumers said losing loyalty points would make them less likely to continue using AI shopping assistants and Germany recorded 14%.

French consumers reported the highest satisfaction levels with AI assisted shopping as 53% of French consumers found their experiences mostly positive. France also recorded a more balanced combination of things that influence their decision with 27% prioritising price, 22% selecting ratings and reviews, and 21% saying they followed the AI assistant’s top recommendation.

This research was from a survey that spoke to 4,250 consumers from the UK, US, France and Germany who already use AI for online shopping.