Retailers are adapting websites for AI product discovery and recommendations. They aim to keep customer transactions on their own platforms. This strategy helps them collect valuable data for future sales. AI platforms are driving significant revenue per visit for retailers. Consumers still prefer completing purchases on retailer websites for now.

Consumers are increasingly beginning their journey with a question about what to buy, but the system answering that question is changing.

Shopify says AI isn’t cannibalizing search traffic the way it has for publishers. Instead, AI-driven traffic and orders to Shopify stores tripled year over year in Q2.