September 19, 2025
Sorry, Mom: AI Wins When It Comes to Choosing Outfits
Nearly half of shoppers (45%) say they don’t care if a product recommendation comes from a human or from AI, as long as it fits their needs. That’s one of the headline findings from the State of Ecommerce 2025 report by Constructor and Shopify, based on a survey of more than 1,500 consumers across the U.S., U.K., and Germany.
The results highlight how artificial intelligence has shifted from experimental to everyday in retail, reshaping how people discover products, make decisions, and complete purchases.
Generative AI has quickly woven itself into daily life. Two-thirds of shoppers (64%) report using tools like ChatGPT, up from barely a third just two years ago. That comfort extends into retail: nearly six in ten say they’re willing to interact with AI on a brand’s website, whether to spark ideas, answer questions, or resolve indecision.
For the moments when shoppers don’t quite know what they want, such as picking a gift, starting a new hobby, or planning an outfit, AI is increasingly welcome. 60% say they’d trust an AI shopping assistant to guide them through the process, with younger generations especially eager to try.
“AI has quickly become a natural part of everyday shopping. That creates both opportunities and urgency for retailers,” said Constructor CEO Eli Finkelshteyn. “As shoppers grow more comfortable and willing to engage with AI, it’s on retailers to earn their trust — by delivering experiences that aren’t just flashy. They need to be genuinely helpful, engaging and valuable.”
Who Shoppers Trust
The report also reveals shifting attitudes toward trust. More than a quarter of consumers believe an algorithm that has seen their browsing and purchase history understands their taste better than an influencer. Almost one in five would even trust an AI agent more than their partner to pick out a gift.
This trust gap is generational. A quarter of Gen Z respondents said AI might out-gift their partner, while only 7% of Boomers felt the same way. The youngest shoppers are also more likely to trust AI to choose clothes, with some even ranking it slightly above their mom’s advice.
How People Begin Their Shopping Journeys
Discovery looks very different depending on age. Google remains the dominant starting point overall, with 84% of shoppers beginning there, while Amazon remains strong at 63%. But younger consumers are rewriting the playbook: 46% of Gen Z and nearly a third of millennials now begin product searches on TikTok.
Social media plays a major role beyond the starting point, too. More than half of Gen Z say TikTok often drives their purchases, and Instagram is nearly as influential. Millennials follow similar patterns, while Gen X and Boomers lean on Facebook or avoid social platforms altogether. A small but growing group is even using large language models like ChatGPT as their first stop for shopping inspiration.
Search Fatigue and Its Costs
While AI is opening new possibilities, traditional site search remains a persistent frustration. More than two-thirds of shoppers say search on retail websites needs improvement, a figure unchanged from last year. Many report rewriting their queries multiple times before getting useful results, while others feel treated like strangers on sites where they’ve shopped for years.
The time it takes to sift through results is also a pain point. Nearly half of shoppers say it takes at least three minutes to find what they’re looking for, and almost a quarter say it can take over eight minutes. Shoppers even ranked endless scrolling above waiting in traffic with no AC or suffering through a bad blind date.
The consequences for retailers are serious. Almost half of shoppers say they often leave a website immediately after a poor search experience, and two-thirds admit to abandoning sites entirely to head straight for Amazon.
The Rewards of Getting It Right
The upside is clear: when retailers improve product discovery, shoppers reward them. More than half said they’d shop more often at a retailer that guaranteed an excellent search experience, and just as many said they’d be willing to pay 5–10% more to avoid endless scrolling. A great shopping experience also makes customers more likely to recommend the brand and leave positive reviews.
Retail media is another area in flux. While a third of shoppers have clicked on and purchased from a sponsored listing, scepticism remains high. Almost half say they’re more wary of sponsored products than organic ones, and more than a quarter describe them as simply annoying. As many as 25% say they’d pay for an ad-free shopping experience altogether.
Retailers that embrace smarter, AI-powered discovery and create seamless, personalised journeys have the chance to win loyalty and sales. Those that don’t may find their customers hitting the exit button and heading straight to Amazon.
