The arrival of artificial intelligence shopping assistants has transformed how consumers research products, but new industry data shows these autonomous tools have not fundamentally disrupted where buyers complete transactions. According to PYMNTS Intelligence research, a significant portion of consumers would still direct their AI assistants toward major online marketplaces rather than individual brand websites or traditional department stores, even when prices, shipping speeds, and return policies are identical.
The Pull of Established Platforms
When given the choice of where an autonomous agent should purchase an item under matching commercial terms, 40.2 percent of U.S. consumers prefer large online marketplaces. By comparison, only 21.8 percent would opt for a department store or large retailer, and just 16.1 percent would select a brand website. Another 21.8 percent would leave the decision entirely up to the algorithm.
Consumer habits and historical trust drive these preferences. Among shoppers who express a seller preference, 36.6 percent point to easier or more reliable return processes, 34.9 percent cite superior product selection, and 32.7 percent rely on longstanding personal habits. These factors reflect decades of relationship-building that automated assistants cannot instantly rewrite.
Where Marketplaces Hold Their Ground
Data regarding recent AI-assisted purchases confirms that major incumbents retain a massive advantage. Amazon alone closed nearly 60 percent of recent AI-assisted transactions surveyed, and a vast majority of AI shoppers report that they usually complete their purchases there anyway. Brand-owned websites and applications capture only a tiny fraction of these transactions.
While technology companies continue developing tools to streamline purchasing directly from manufacturer sites, shoppers remain loyal to platforms they already trust. Industry analysis indicates that while artificial intelligence simplifies the discovery and recommendation phase of retail, trust and certainty remain the true products that secure conversions.
Price Trumps Automated Convenience
Examining what motivates marketplace shoppers to switch reveals the limits of automated checkout features. Among consumers who complete most of their shopping on major platforms, over half would switch to buying directly from a brand site only if offered a lower price or an exclusive discount. A comparable number would move for free shipping that matches a marketplace delivery speed. By contrast, having an autonomous assistant handle the checkout process directly on a brand site motivates a mere 12.1 percent of these consumers to make the switch.
Technology firms have tested various implementations to bridge this gap. OpenAI introduced instant checkout features in ChatGPT to let users purchase goods without leaving conversational interfaces, later shifting these experiences into dedicated retail apps. Meanwhile, major platforms are deploying proprietary agents, such as Walmart utilizing its Sparky assistant when shoppers select items through search engines.
- Marketplaces continue to dominate consumer transaction destinations despite the rise of automated assistants.
- Established trust, reliable return processes, and deep product selections outweigh automated convenience.
- Significant financial incentives like lower prices or exclusive discounts are required to move consumers away from dominant platforms.