AI-referred US shoppers browse longer, spend more per visit, data shows

NEW YORK - U.S. shoppers who use large language models, including Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT, for purchase recommendations are lingering more on retailers' websites and are more likely to spend, according to May data from Adobe Analytics.

Consumers who are referred to retail websites from LLMs generated 53% more revenue per visit than shoppers from non-AI sources, the data firm said, emphasizing the need for brands to invest in AI-readable webpages.

Retailers whose products show up in LLM suggestions are able to "drive more personalization" to shoppers who leave the platforms to complete their purchases on the native websites, Vivek Pandya, director of digital insights at Adobe, said.

• AI traffic to retail websites increased 138% in May from last year, the highest share of total retail visits since Adobe Analytics began tracking in October 2024.

• Retail website visitors recommended by AI converted at a rate 54% higher than online shoppers from non-AI sources did in May.

• Shoppers referred to e-commerce websites spent 53% more time on the sites than visitors from other sources.

• AI-referred shoppers also visit more retail webpages than non-AI referred visitors.

(Reporting by Arriana McLymore in New York City; Editing by Sonali Paul)

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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 12:31 PM.