Study: AI delivered merrier holiday shopping experiences
A majority of consumers credited artificial intelligence (AI) tools for helping them stretch their budgets and make more educated purchase decisions this holiday season.
“The Post-2024 Holiday Shopping Survey,” conducted by Talkdesk, a global AI customer experience provider, reported that three-quarters of respondents (72%) said AI helped them save money because they had more resources to find cost-saving deals and options. Specifically, 59% of people used AI chatbots to find coupons, discount codes, or less expensive product prices, while 57% used one to track holiday shipments.
Meanwhile, 24% of consumers who used AI when buying a gift for a loved one reported that the technology suggested more accurate gift ideas than they would have found unassisted. And many shoppers got increasingly getting creative with how they used AI in their gifting search. For example, 43% used AI chatbots to get gift ideas. Similarly, 42% conducted a visual shopping searches by uploading images or using smart device cameras that utilized AI to find matching or similar products, according to the study.
This increased buying confidence was reflected in a reduction of returns. Specifically, 70% of AI users said they returned fewer products in the 2024 holiday season than in prior years.
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In the long run, retailers that adopt AI-enhanced shopping experiences stand to profit. Among all consumers who took advantage of AI-powered services and capabilities leading up to the holidays, almost half (44%) bought more products because the technology made the shopping experience more enjoyable, according to the survey.
Retailers should also note that these early successes are already raising the bar on shopping experiences in 2025. More than half (58%) of consumers expect a higher standard of shopping experience this year due to the effectiveness of technology innovations like AI during their 2024 holiday shopping. And it is men’s expectations that are leading the charge. Specifically, 64% of men believe retailers should use AI to improve how they shop this year, the study said.
