Generative AI is rapidly transforming online shopping behavior, with consumers increasingly turning to AI assistants to guide their purchase decisions rather than treating them as mere site interruptions. New Adobe Analytics research, analyzing over one trillion visits to US retail sites alongside survey data from 5,000 respondents, reveals a dramatic shift in how AI is influencing the digital economy and driving significant traffic to retailers, creating both opportunities and challenges for brands.
The big picture: Gen AI traffic to retail sites has experienced explosive growth, increasing 1,300% during the 2024 holiday season compared to the previous year, with traffic now doubling approximately every two months.
- Nearly 40% of consumers have already used generative AI for online shopping tasks, with over half planning to incorporate AI into their shopping process this year.
- Traffic from gen AI to the travel sector saw an even more dramatic rise at 1,700% from July 2024 to February 2025, with retail and banking both experiencing 1,200% increases.
- Cyber Monday 2024 was particularly notable, recording a 1,950% year-over-year increase in AI-driven traffic.
User behavior patterns: Shoppers using generative AI demonstrate significantly more engaged browsing behaviors but convert at slightly lower rates than traditional traffic.
- Gen AI users show 8% higher engagement, view 12% more pages per visit, and have a 23% lower bounce rate than traditional site visitors.
- However, these AI-assisted shoppers are still 9% less likely to convert to a purchase—though this represents substantial improvement from a 43% conversion gap observed in July 2024.
- Top use cases include conducting product research, receiving recommendations, seeking deals, and getting gift ideas.
Why this matters: Retailers face a strategic opportunity to capitalize on higher-quality traffic from AI platforms, even if conversion rates haven’t yet reached parity with traditional channels.
- “This is quality traffic that retailers and brands [should think] very strategically about engaging, because it’s converting effectively,” noted Vivek Pandya, manager of Adobe Digital Insights.
- The ongoing improvement in conversion rates suggests consumers are becoming more comfortable making purchases based on AI recommendations.
- Gen AI users exhibit particularly high trust levels in AI-generated results, prioritizing efficiency and frequency in their shopping experiences.
The bottom line: Retailers need to develop specific strategies for engaging AI-assisted shoppers, focusing on nurturing these relationships to drive repeat purchases rather than just immediate conversions.
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