Adobe: Gen AI tools boost online retail traffic
Artificial intelligence played a key role in driving online retail traffic this holiday season — and is continuing to do so.
Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 2024, retail website traffic from Generative AI sources increased by 1,300% compared to the year prior (up 1,950% year-over-year on Cyber Monday), reveals new data from Adobe Analytics.
Adobe noted that the trend is continuing beyond the holiday season. In February 2025, traffic from Gen AI sources increased by 1,200% compared to July 2024. While Gen AI traffic remains modest compared to other channels such as paid search or email, growth has been notable - doubling every two months since September 2024.
Compared to non-AI traffic sources (includes paid search, affiliates & partners, email, organic search, social media), Adobe says Gen AI traffic shows 8% higher engagement, as individuals linger on the site for a longer period of time. These visitors also browse 12% more pages per visit, with a 23% lower bounce rate.
[READ MORE: Survey: Two-thirds of consumers think AI will improve customer experience]
In Adobe’s survey of 5,000 U.S. consumers, 39% have used Gen AI for online shopping, with 53% planning to do so this year. The top use cases include conducting research (per 55% of respondents), receiving product recommendations (47%), seeking deals (43%), getting present ideas (35%), finding unique products (35%) and creating shopping lists (33%).
Addition findings from Adobe Analytics includes the following:
•When it comes to conversion, Adobe says traffic from Gen AI sources is 9% less likely to convert compared to other sources of traffic. However, this has improved significantly from July 2024 (43%).
•Traffic from Gen AI sources is predominantly coming through desktop devices, at 86% share compared to mobile (data from Nov. 2024 through Feb. 2025). This is a large difference compared to overall e-commerce activity, where desktop share-of-visits came in at just 34% during the same time period.
•Across e-commerce categories tracked by Adobe, conversion rates from Gen AI traffic are highest amongst electronics and jewelry — and lowest in the apparel, home goods and grocery category.“Online shoppers are seeing benefits in using an AI-powered chat interface, as it shortens the time it takes for them to receive information that is personalized to their needs,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst, Adobe Digital Insights.
“Online shoppers are seeing benefits in using an AI-powered chat interface, as it shortens the time it takes for them to receive information that is personalized to their needs,” said Vivek Pandya, lead analyst, Adobe Digital Insights. "In Adobe’s survey, we found that of those who have used AI for shopping, 92% said it enhanced their experience, with 87% saying that they are more likely to use AI for larger or more complex purchases. This is reshaping how businesses think about customer engagement, especially with the arrival of AI agents that will be able to handle more complex tasks and make highly tailored recommendations.”
Adobe Analytics’ data is based on over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, along with a companion survey of over 5,000 U.S. respondents.
