AI and luxury brands level up in product information race, reshaping UK shopping habits

A new report reveals that luxury brand websites and Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents are almost equally effective in providing consumers with high-quality product information, a trend that signifies a profound shift in how UK shoppers discover and research products. This near-even performance, with 68% for brands and 67% for AI, according to product experience (PX) company Akeneo, highlights the growing influence of AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Amazon’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant, Rufus, in delivering accurate and detailed product insights.

The findings underscore a significant evolution in shopper expectations. UK consumers are increasingly demanding comprehensive content, and the report warns that poor product information now carries substantial commercial risks for businesses. This is evidenced by alarming statistics: 70% of shoppers state they would switch to an alternative product if the information provided was insufficient, while 65% admit they would completely abandon a purchase due to inadequate details. Furthermore, a substantial 68% of consumers would cease buying from a business entirely if they lost trust following a poor product content experience.

When it comes to the perceived quality of product information, British shoppers show a distinct preference for high-touch digital environments and advanced AI-powered discovery tools over more traditional channels like in-store experiences or social commerce. Further research from digital presence platform Yext corroborates this shift, reporting that 40% of UK consumers now utilize AI search tools at least once daily to discover, evaluate, and select the brands they choose to shop with.

In the wake of the pandemic and amidst fluctuating global demand, luxury brands have made considerable investments in creating content-rich, immersive digital experiences to boost conversions for their high-priced items. When surveyed about the quality of product information across various retail channels, luxury retailer websites and AI agents consistently ranked highest. They outperformed online marketplaces and mobile apps (52%), rental sales platforms (46%), luxury physical stores (45%), and general physical retail (43%). Additionally, 40% of respondents identified general retailer websites as providing the best quality product information, a figure that dropped to 38% for social commerce channels.

Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo, emphasized the transformative impact of this trend: “AI is fundamentally transforming the way consumers discover and shop for products. Instead of relying solely on search engines or traditional channels, shoppers are increasingly turning to intelligent agents and virtual assistants to guide their decisions.” He concluded by stressing the critical implications for businesses: “This shift presents a major opportunity — and a challenge — for brands, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. If your product information isn’t accurate, structured, enriched, and optimised for AI, you simply won’t be found.”