Generative AI prompts rapid shift in online shopping habits

New data from Adobe highlights significant growth in the use of generative AI tools for online shopping, with traffic to retail sites from AI-powered sources accelerating sharply over the past year.

According to Adobe's analysis, July 2025 saw traffic from generative AI sources to US retail websites increase by 4,700% year-on-year.

This surge follows a marked increase observed during the 2024 holiday shopping season, when AI-driven traffic rose by 1,300% compared to the previous year, and soared 1,950% on Cyber Monday.

The findings are based on direct online transactions, covering over 1 trillion visits to US retail sites, alongside a survey of more than 5,000 US consumers. The data provides insight into how generative AI is shaping the consumer shopping journey and influencing retailer performance online.

AI gains ground with consumers

Adobe's consumer survey reported that 38% of respondents have already used generative AI for online shopping. Furthermore, 52% of those surveyed plan to use AI tools in the coming months. The primary activities for which AI is used include conducting product research (53%), obtaining recommendations (40%), seeking deals (36%), creating shopping lists (30%), getting gift ideas (30%), finding unique products (29%), and virtual try-on features (26%).

Vivek Pandya, Director of Adobe Digital Insights, commented on these trends:

"One of the major trends Adobe observed during the 2024 holiday shopping season (Nov-Dec) was the usage of generative AI-powered chat services and browsers. Data from Adobe showed a major increase in AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail sites, as consumers leaned on these tools to research products, find discounts, and look for gift ideas. Adobe issued a report today that shows continued momentum in AI-powered shopping, with new data through July 2025."

This increasing adoption is reflected in growing engagement metrics.

Shoppers arriving via generative AI are 32% more engaged, spend 10% more time on retail websites, and view 10% more pages per visit compared to those using traditional online channels. They are also 27% less likely to leave a site immediately, suggesting that AI-guided consumers are more effectively targeted with relevant content.

Of those using AI tools, 85% felt that AI improved their shopping experience, while 73% regarded it as their main method of product research. According to the survey, 83% would be more likely to leverage AI tools for larger or more complex purchases.

Revenue and conversions close the gap

The report indicates that while shoppers from AI sources were previously less likely to make a purchase, the disparity is diminishing. In July 2025, visits via generative AI were 23% less likely to result in a purchase, a reduction from 49% less in January 2025 and 38% in April 2025. This trend suggests a growing consumer comfort in transitioning from AI-assisted research directly to making purchases.

Correspondingly, revenue generated per visit from AI-driven traffic has climbed.

An 84% rise was recorded between January and July 2025, narrowing the gap with non-AI driven sources. In July 2025, AI-driven visits were worth just 27% less than non-AI visits, compared with a much wider difference of 97% a year before.

The increasing prevalence of AI in mobile shopping is also notable.

In July 2025, 26% of traffic from AI sources originated from mobile devices, compared to 18% in January, a shift that is expected to further close the revenue-per-visit gap as mobile users tend to make more impulse purchases.

Changing retailer strategies

Retailers are responding to these shifts by reconsidering their engagement strategies in light of consumers' growing acceptance of conversational AI interfaces and their capacity to handle more complex search and purchase tasks.

As AI agents evolve to offer more tailored recommendations and facilitate complex shopping needs, companies are adapting to better serve increasingly AI-savvy audiences.

Pandya summed up the report's significance:

"With consumers embracing conversational interfaces to handle daily tasks like online shopping, businesses are having to rethink how they engage their different audiences. This is especially trust with the arrival of AI agents that will be able to handle more complex tasks and make highly tailored recommendations."

Adobe's report suggests that the role of generative AI in eCommerce is set to expand further, especially as consumers deepen their reliance on AI to streamline and enhance the shopping process across both desktop and mobile platforms.