Only 9% of shoppers buy where AI search begins

This holiday season, AI is winning product discovery but not the sale. A new Feedvisor survey finds that 16% of shoppers now begin product searches on ChatGPT. Yet only 9% go there to actually complete a purchase. When an AI assistant recommends a product, just 5% of respondents say they buy on the spot; the rest leave to check Google, Amazon or other retailers for better prices.

The pattern points to a gap between being recommended and being chosen. Shoppers are treating AI as a research assistant, not a buyer.

The verification gap

“AI is a starting point, not a final verdict,” said Stephanie Harris, founder and CEO of PartnerCentric. “The shoppers who trust it most are still checking the work.”

PartnerCentric’s latest survey shows the next step after an AI suggestion is rarely “buy”:

• 33% check existing reviews
• 22.3% compare prices
• 18.8% search Amazon or another retailer
• 14.8% visit the brand’s website
• 7.6% look for creator content about the product

Even the most AI-trusting shoppers verify. Among respondents in the top two AI-trust categories, 42.2% still want reviews before acting and 31.2% go straight to check them. Shipping and return terms are also decision-makers: 33% of shoppers say these policies often or always change what they buy.

AI is the new search bar

Kieran Powell, executive vp at Channel V Media, argues AI answer engines are becoming a replacement for the Google search bar and blue recommendation links. “That is how consumers are most comfortable with AI recommendations right now,” Powell said. “The rest of the shopper journey still exists.”

The same data shows consumers are willing to let AI shortlist, but not decide. Only 7.3% would let an AI agent buy apparel. As Powell put it: “If people won’t let AI buy a $40 shirt for them, they won’t let it tell them which shirt is good.”

What brands should do

For brand managers, that splits AI-driven demand into two jobs. First, be present and accurate enough to enter the answer engine’s shortlist. Second, survive the shopper’s verification pass—reviews, price comparisons, retailer listings and return terms. A brand can win the mention and still lose the sale if the proof points do not line up.

Musely, which offers prescription beauty and health treatments online, has seen AI-driven traffic grow steadily since 2025. It is now focused on generative engine optimisation, or GEO, to keep product information visible and accurate. Paris Roche, head of strategic partnerships, said the goal is not simply to be mentioned by AI. “It’s to make sure that when someone asks about Musely’s ingredients or one of our prescription treatments, the information being surfaced is clear, useful and accurate.”

Before the holiday rush, brands need consistent proof across reviews, product pages, retailer listings, creator content, pricing, shipping and returns. AI assistants read the same ecosystem shoppers use to verify a product, so conflicting signals get exposed. “When those signals conflict, AI does not smooth it over,” Harris said. “It surfaces the gap sooner.”

Brands that enter peak season with consistent proof in place will be easier for AI to recommend—and easier for shoppers to actually buy.

Source: Digiday