AI shopping visits now worth just 27% less than traditional visits, a massive improvement from 97% less a year ago.
What’s happening: Generative AI-powered shopping traffic to US retail sites has exploded in July 2025, according to new Adobe data covering over 1 trillion site visits.
Why this matters: This dramatic shift signals retailers must fundamentally rethink customer engagement strategies as AI becomes the primary research tool for 38% of consumers, fundamentally altering the path to purchase.
The numbers tell a story most retailers didn’t see coming. While they were busy optimising for traditional search and social media traffic, a quiet revolution was taking place in their analytics dashboards.
Adobe’s latest research, based on direct transactions from over 1 trillion visits to US retail sites, reveals that generative AI has moved from experimental curiosity to essential shopping tool faster than anyone predicted. The company’s survey of 5,000 American consumers provides the context behind the data surge.
During the 2024 holiday shopping season, the first material surge appeared. Between November 1 and December 31, 2024, traffic from generative AI sources increased by 1,300% year-over-year. On Cyber Monday alone, that figure reached 1,950%.
“The uptick has been notable,” says Vivek Pandya, Director of Adobe Digital Insights, whose team tracks these digital commerce shifts across more retail sites than any other technology company or research organisation.
But the real transformation came after the holidays. January 2025 saw 1,100% growth, April showed 3,100%, and by July 2025, the surge hit 4,700% compared to the same period the previous year.
The engagement paradox
Here’s where it gets interesting for business owners: AI-driven shoppers behave completely differently than traditional visitors, and initially, that seemed like bad news.
Shoppers arriving from generative AI sources convert 23% less than those from traditional channels like paid search, email, or social media. For retailers watching their conversion rates, this initially looked concerning.
Yet dig deeper into the engagement metrics, and a different picture emerges. These AI-driven visitors are 10% more engaged overall, spending 32% longer on sites and viewing 10% more pages per visit. They’re also 27% less likely to bounce immediately.
The AI advantage in transforming consumer shopping experiences becomes clearer when examining how consumers actually use these tools. Of the 38% of consumers who’ve used generative AI for shopping, 53% use it for research, 40% for product recommendations, and 36% for finding deals.
“AI tools mean shoppers are becoming more informed and focusing on the most relevant retailers during the research phase,” Pandya explains.
The conversion catch-up
The conversion gap that initially worried retailers is narrowing rapidly. In January 2025, AI traffic was 49% less likely to convert. By April, that dropped to 38%. July 2025 saw the gap shrink to just 23%.
This improvement has driven an 84% increase in AI-driven revenue per visit from January to July 2025. An AI-driven visit in July 2025 was worth just 27% less than a non-AI visit, a dramatic improvement from being worth 97% less in July 2024.
The mobile factor adds another dimension. In July 2025, 26% of generative AI traffic came through mobile devices, up from 18% in January. This shift matters because mobile typically drives more impulse purchases.
The research revolution
What’s driving this behavioural change becomes clear in Adobe’s consumer survey results. Of those using AI for shopping, 85% say it improved their experience, with 73% citing it as their primary source of product research. Furthermore, 83% are more likely to use AI for larger or more complex purchases.
The shopping tasks reveal AI’s role across the entire purchase journey: creating shopping lists (30% of users), generating gift ideas (30%), finding unique products (29%), and even virtual try-ons (26%).
For Australian retailers watching these US trends, the implications are significant. As marketers face AI and data hurdles, the businesses that adapt quickest to AI-driven customer behaviour will likely capture the most engaged, well-researched buyers.
What comes next
With 52% of surveyed consumers planning to use generative AI for shopping this year, the trajectory is clear. Retailers face a fundamental shift in how customers discover, research, and ultimately purchase products.
The data suggests we’re witnessing the emergence of a more informed, deliberate shopper who uses AI to cut through choice overload and focus on the most relevant options. For businesses, this means the winners will be those who understand how to engage customers who arrive better informed but need different touchpoints to convert.
As conversational interfaces become the norm for daily tasks, retailers must rethink their entire customer engagement strategy. The question isn’t whether AI will reshape shopping, but whether your business is ready for customers who expect AI-powered experiences as standard.
The 4,700% surge in AI shopping traffic isn’t just a trend-it’s the new foundation of digital commerce.
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