How AI is reshaping how shoppers discover, compare and shortlist products

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How AI is reshaping how shoppers discover, compare and shortlist products

E-commerce is entering a defining moment. Previously, progress was driven by optimizing for consumers—improving site design, reducing checkout friction, refining pricing strategies, and expanding delivery options. That era is not over, but today’s landscape is different.

In 2026, artificial intelligence now plays an active role in how products are found, evaluated, and selected. Algorithms increasingly sit between shoppers and brands, shaping decisions well before a customer visits a retailer’s site. As a result, visibility, relevance, and trust are being redefined.

ShipStation’s Ecommerce Delivery Benchmark Report 2026 examines this shift through survey responses from 8,000 consumers across eight markets and 400 senior e-commerce leaders. The conclusion is clear: AI is already influencing demand, competition, and delivery performance—and retailers that fail to adapt risk being excluded from AI-led shopping journeys altogether.

Below is a snapshot of some of the most important themes from the research, explaining what is changing and why it matters. The full report goes further, offering detailed analysis, benchmarks, and guidance on how retailers can remain visible, credible, and easy to buy from in an AI-assisted shopper journey.

An industry under growing pressure

Retailers approach 2026 with measured confidence. Many expect online sales to grow, and most anticipate improved performance over the coming year. But growth is no longer straightforward.

Competition remains fierce. Fulfillment and delivery costs stay high. Acquiring new customers is becoming increasingly expensive. Meanwhile, shoppers still expect fast, reliable, and convenient experiences—there is little tolerance for compromise.

Against this backdrop, AI stands out as the most influential force shaping future results. When retailers were asked which factors would have the greatest impact on their business in 2026, AI and emerging technologies ranked ahead of rising costs, competitive pressure, and all other considerations.

The question has shifted. It is no longer a question of whether AI matters, but of how retailers can apply it to deliver real value.

AI becomes part of everyday behavior

AI adoption has moved quickly from trial to habit. Nearly 80% of consumers report using a generative AI assistant in the past year.

What makes this transition notable is how quietly it has happened. AI tools are intuitive, integrated into platforms people already use, and seen as practical rather than intrusive.

For e-commerce, this changes how decisions are made. Shoppers now turn to AI for tasks that once involved browsing multiple sites, such as finding new products, comparing products, and understanding delivery terms and order returns. The path to purchase is becoming shorter and more conversational.

Product discovery moves upstream

One of the strongest signals in the research is the rise of AI-led discovery.

More than a quarter of consumers have already used chat-based AI tools for shopping-related activities. At the same time, AI platforms are generating levels of retail-intent traffic that rival some of the largest e-commerce sites.

In practical terms, AI is becoming a new entry point to retail. Discovery is happening earlier and elsewhere, often outside retailer-owned channels. By the time a shopper reaches a product page, their options may already be narrowed.

This has significant implications for how brands compete for attention and consideration.

Trust sets the limits of automation

The report clearly distinguishes between two forms of AI-enabled commerce.

AI-assisted commerce helps shoppers explore options, compare features, and shortlist products, while leaving the final decision to the individual. This is where most current use cases sit.

Agentic commerce goes further. In this model, AI agents act on a shopper’s behalf—choosing products and completing purchases within agreed rules and permissions.

In 2026, the market sits somewhere in between. Consumers are increasingly comfortable delegating specific tasks, particularly those that are repetitive or low risk. Yet trust remains conditional. Most shoppers want clarity and control.

Around 6 in 10 consumers are comfortable using AI during the e-commerce journey, but they prefer boundaries. AI can reduce complexity; the final choice still belongs to the shopper. Smaller segments are open to AI completing purchases with approval or managing routine reorders, though comfort levels vary by market and category.

Delivery moves to the center of the decision

As AI reshapes discovery and evaluation, delivery becomes more visible—and more influential.

In AI-mediated journeys, delivery is easier to compare and is assessed alongside product and price as part of overall value. It is no longer a footnote at checkout.

The research shows that while shoppers are price-aware, expectations around service remain high. Fast delivery is increasingly seen as standard. In many markets, more than half of consumers expect orders to arrive within two days.

At the same time, demand for flexibility continues to grow, particularly among younger shoppers. Yet delivery capabilities often lag behind expectations, creating a persistent gap that retailers struggle to close.

Understanding what shoppers will pay

Consumers are willing to pay for faster or more convenient delivery—but only up to a point.

Using price sensitivity analysis, the research identifies a clear optimal range for premium delivery pricing. Below this range, prices can signal lower quality or reliability. Above it, resistance rises sharply.

When retailer pricing is measured against these thresholds, a consistent execution gap appears. In many markets, fewer than half of retailers offer premium delivery at an optimal price. Some suppress demand by charging too much; others sacrifice margin by charging too little.

AI changes how this plays out. Delivery is no longer just a fee at checkout. In AI-assisted journeys, delivery performance and pricing can determine whether a retailer is surfaced or ignored.

Delivery as a competitive signal

As agentic systems develop, delivery reliability becomes part of how algorithms assess retailers.

Clear promises, consistent execution, and aligned pricing build confidence. Poor performance or confusing options do the opposite.

In an environment where product features and prices are easy to compare, intelligent delivery is emerging as a powerful differentiator. Retailers that continue to treat fulfilment as a back-end concern risk falling behind those who treat it as a strategic asset.

Getting ready for what’s next

Most e-commerce businesses expect to increase investment in AI assistants and agents over the next two years, though approaches differ.

Larger retailers are more likely to build capabilities internally, balancing innovation with integration and governance. Smaller retailers often rely on partnerships and platforms to extend their reach without overcommitting resources.

In both cases, readiness is the limiting factor. Clean data, connected systems, and real-time decision-making underpin success.

Importantly, retailers and consumers are largely aligned in the near term. Both see AI as a support tool rather than a fully autonomous decision-maker. Widespread, end-to-end delegation remains a minority preference—for now.

This story was produced by ShipStation and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.