Written by
William Geldart
Content Manager
The eCommerce landscape is shifting fast, and UK online shoppers are evolving with it. One of the most transformative changes is happening at the start of the buying journey with traditional decision-making habits now supplemented by the growing influence of AI shopping.
Our latest research, ‘Ecommerce in 2026: The Search for Clarity and Convenience’ has captured how AI product recommendations are impacting the customer journey. We’ve also examined what this means for consumer trust, including a deep dive into the sources of information online shoppers rely on before making a purchase.
The findings paint a fluid picture of the way UK online shoppers flit between advice from people they trust, and product recommendations based on using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).
However, attitudes towards GenAI differ across age groups and shopper types.
For younger shoppers, GenAI is a convenient companion. It’s now a familiar part of how Gen Z and Millennials select products, helping them find relevant options quickly and easily.
Older generations, however, still place far more weight on human reassurance, highlighting a clear generational gap that needs to be recognised by retailers.
The insights come from an online survey of 1,000 UK adults aged 18–79 who regularly shop online for non-grocery items. The sample reflected the UK population across age, gender and region, giving a broad picture of today’s online shoppers.
This means the findings are grounded in real, everyday shopping behaviour and therefore extremely relevant for retailers.
Online Shoppers: The Key Takeaways
-
A strong age divide: Younger shoppers are much more likely to use and follow AI recommendations, but usage falls sharpy among older groups.
- Product categories most influenced by AI: Electronics is the top category for purchases made based on GenAI recommendations, followed by Clothing and Books and Media.
- Trust comes first: Advice from friends, family and customer reviews remain the most trusted sources overall, with comfort levels varying by age.
- Openness to GenAI suggestions: Shoppers are more open to suggestions after doing some research, when they need quick guidance, or when browsing unfamiliar products.
How are Online Shoppers Using GenAI for Product Discovery and Purchasing?
Nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials have already used GenAI to help discover products, and around one in three have gone on to buy something based on AI product recommendations. Usage is much lower among older UK online shoppers. Around a quarter of Gen X have tried GenAI, and just one in ten Baby Boomers. Purchasing based on AI suggestions drops even further, to one in ten Gen X shoppers and only one in one hundred Boomers.
Electronics (43%) is the top product category for AI-recommended purchases, followed by Clothing, Books and Media, and Home Goods. More than half of Millennials who use GenAI say they’ve used it when buying electronics, while Gen X shoppers are more likely to turn to AI for clothing or accessories.
Looking at online shopper types, Sustainability Shoppers and Social Media Shoppers stand out as the most engaged with GenAI. Awareness and usage is 60% among Sustainability Shoppers and stands at 51% for Social Media Shoppers.
How Likely are Online Shoppers to Buy Based on GenAI Recommendations?
Willingness to buy based on AI product recommendations varies strongly by age. Younger shoppers are far more willing with three in five Gen Z and Millennials saying they would buy if an AI suggestion matched their needs. For them, AI simply feels like another way to get relevant, personalised recommendations quickly.
Gen X shoppers tend to sit somewhere in the middle. They are interested, but more cautious, and usually need extra reassurance before going ahead with a purchase. Baby Boomers are the most reserved, with only one in five saying they would be likely to buy based on an AI recommendation. This underlines the continued importance of trust, clarity and reassurance when targeting older shoppers.
When asked how likely they are to purchase an item if AI matched their needs:
- 3 in 5 Gen Z and Millennials are likely to buy.
- Only 3 in 10 Gen X shoppers feel the same.
- Just 1 in 5 Boomers would act on AI suggestions.
Sustainability-focused shoppers are especially open to AI recommendations, with 69% saying they would be likely to buy when a suggestion aligns with their needs.
GenAI’s Biggest Impact on the Buyer Journey
Shoppers are most open to AI product recommendations at specific moments in the buying journey. Almost half are receptive after doing some initial research and needing help to narrow their options. Others are open when they want quick, relevant suggestions, or when they are browsing product categories they are less familiar with.
Overall, the research highlights five situations where AI recommendations are most likely to resonate:
- After conducting initial research, AI helps shoppers compare options more easily.
- When quick suggestions are needed, convenience becomes the priority.
- When browsing unfamiliar product categories, AI helps reduce overwhelm.
- When trust in the platform is high, endorsement from known brands matters more.
- When researching manually feels too time-consuming, AI helps move decisions forward.
The Role of Trust in the Buying Journey
When it comes to trust, traditional sources still dominate. Our research found that Friends and Family remain the most trusted and accurate source of purchasing advice across all age groups. This ranges from 89% of Gen Z trusting their loved ones, to 85% of Baby Boomers.
Across our total sample, Product Reviews (77% trust) and then Colleagues (71% trust) were next best, well clear of the remaining options.
Overall trust in AI-based recommendations is 34% but this varies widely by age. It’s highest among Gen Z and Millennials, with over half of Gen Z (52%) and six in ten Millennials saying they trust AI as much as, or more than, traditional sources. In fact, our survey found that almost a third of Gen Z trust AI more than product reviews or influencers.
Trust drops noticeably among older shoppers, with fewer than two in five Gen X shoppers and only one in five Baby Boomers displaying a similar level of trust in AI recommendations.
GenAI is gaining ground and authority in eCommerce. But AI-generated recommendations are still trusted less than human sources.
Summary
This research highlights one clear message: AI shopping is growing in importance, but trust remains the deciding factor.
For retailers, this creates a real opportunity. By combining human sources such as customer reviews and clear information with AI‑powered recommendation tools, they can offer both confidence and convenience.
Retailers that successfully balance human trust with GenAI will be better placed to meet the needs of shoppers today, and the expectations of the shoppers of tomorrow.
Download the research to learn more about the impact of emerging technology and channels. Our full report covers all the big topics that are re-shaping the online shopping experience.
Share this article
You may also like...
