A new Ryder study has found that 64 percent of online shoppers are using AI tools to help find and compare products prior to purchase.
Widespread AI Adoption in Online Shopping
A recent Ryder study, involving over 1,100 shoppers, indicates that 64% of online consumers are utilizing AI tools to assist in finding and comparing products before making a purchase. The study also highlighted that shoppers increasingly value convenience, fast delivery, and flexible return policies.
Leading AI Tools for Product Discovery
Among the various AI tools, search and shopping assistants are the most widely adopted, with 45% of shoppers using them. Customer review summaries or key takeaways follow closely at 37%. Other popular AI-powered features include visual or image-based search, voice assistants, and virtual try-on or visualization tools.
AI's Transformative Impact on Retail
Jeff Wolpov, Ryder Senior Vice President of E-commerce and Ryder Last Mile, noted that AI is fundamentally reshaping online shopping behaviors, with nearly three in five consumers now opting for generative AI search over traditional search engines. This shift means that brands must optimize their products for AI-powered search results to maintain consumer consideration. Researchers caution that retailers focusing solely on price may lose competitive ground as AI and overall customer experience become more dominant factors in purchasing decisions.
