Business
IBM-NRF Study: Brands and Retailers Navigate a New Reality as AI Shapes Consumer Decisions Before Shopping Begins
Generative AI is reshaping the first steps of our shopping experience before we ever click "buy." From hyper-personalized suggestions to curated inspiration, influence now begins long before a store visit or app tap, moving where brands and retailers compete to an entirely new level.
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[{"type":"text","content":"The following article is authored by Dee Waddell, Global Head of Consumer, Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM Consulting.","length":130,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Generative AI is reshaping the first steps of our shopping experience before we ever click "buy." From hyper-personalized suggestions to curated inspiration, influence now begins long before a store visit or app tap, moving where brands and retailers compete to an entirely new level.","length":337,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"Own the agentic commerce experience","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"Own the agentic commerce experience","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":200,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/86ce35971bf57d3d5f9b0540766bd622"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/E8kcIAB9CCSi0VVdeXEL_g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM1MztjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/86ce35971bf57d3d5f9b0540766bd622","width":400,"height":200}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2856109/IBM_Own_the_agentic_commerce_experience.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"A new global study* from the IBM (NYSE: IBM) Institute for Business Value, in collaboration with the National Retail Federation (NRF), found that while nearly three-quarters of surveyed consumers (72%) still shop in stores, almost half (45%) turn to AI for help during their buying journeys. Shoppers still want to see and touch products, but today's savvy consumers increasingly arrive with a sense of what they're looking for and why. They are using AI to research products (41%), interpret reviews (33%), and hunt for deals (31%).","length":541,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""AI is changing how consumers shop, and every aspect throughout the shopping journey," notes Caroline Reppert, Senior Director, AI and Technology Policy at the National Retail Federation, "As these technologies increasingly guide consumer discovery, comparison, and choice, retailers that understand and respond to this shift will be best positioned to earn trust, relevance, and long-term customer loyalty."","length":428,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":"From browsing to guided buying: How...
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