[Frontline of AI Era Purchasing Experience 2026] About 1 in 3 People Use AI for Information Gathering When Purchasing Products; AI Supports Post-Search Comparison and Organization

ZETA Corporation (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter ZETA), which provides the CX enhancement generative AI solution "ZETA CX Series" to support the improvement of customer experience value, conducted a "Survey on AI Utilization in Purchasing Behavior" in April 2026.

With the rapid spread of generative AI, user product exploration behavior is changing from simply "searching and finding" to an experience of selecting suitable products while comparing and organizing vast amounts of information.

This survey highlighted the status of AI use in information gathering during product purchases, the burden felt during comparison and consideration on EC sites, and the functions expected from AI and chatbots. The results revealed that while search-based purchasing behavior remains mainstream, AI is beginning to be utilized as a supplementary tool for post-search comparison, organization, and suggestions.

Survey Overview

● Survey Sponsor: ZETA Corporation

● Target Audience: Men and women who responded to having used EC sites in the past 3 months

● Valid Responses: 981

● Survey Period: April 16, 2026 - April 28, 2026

● Survey Method: Internet survey

Topics

1. Search-Initiated Purchasing Behavior: "Search" remains the primary method for information gathering when purchasing products.

2. Spread of AI Utilization: AI is beginning to become established as a new supplementary means to support purchasing behavior.

3. Needs for Comparison and Organization: AI-powered comparison, summarization, and suggestions are key to supporting product selection.

Detailed Survey Results

[1] "Search" Remains the Entry Point for Purchasing Behavior - Survey Results on Information Gathering Methods

The results showed that "EC site internal search" was the most common method for information gathering when purchasing products at 63.8%, followed by "search engines such as Google" at 59.4%.

On the other hand, "AI agents (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.)" accounted for 10.0% and "EC site chatbots" for 5.4%. While the use of these new information gathering methods is currently limited, there is potential for them to expand as supplementary routes to search behavior in the future.

[2] About 1 in 3 People Utilize AI During Purchases - Survey Results on AI Usage Status

Users who responded that it is "often" the case to use AI such as ChatGPT or Gemini for information gathering when considering product purchases were 9.7%, and those who responded that it is "sometimes" the case were 25.4%.

Combining these two figures gives 35.1%, indicating that about 1 in 3 people utilize AI for information gathering when purchasing products, showing that AI is beginning to become established on a certain scale as a means to supplement purchasing behavior.

[3] Supporting Product Selection with Comparison, Summarization, and Suggestions - Survey Results on EC Site Pain Points and AI Utilization

Among those who feel "comparison is troublesome" when considering product purchases on EC sites, the proportion of those using AI for "product comparison and consideration" was high at 65.4%.

Furthermore, among those who feel "too many reviews," AI was used for "summarizing reviews/word-of-mouth," and among those who feel "cannot find the optimal product," AI was used for "narrowing down products that meet conditions" and "recommending products." This indicates that AI is beginning to be used as a means to supplement comparison, summarization, and suggestions in response to pain points on EC sites.

Discussion: Post-Search Comparison and Organization Support is Important in the AI Era Purchasing Experience

This survey revealed that while search remains the primary entry point for information gathering when purchasing products, many users feel burdened by the post-search comparison, organization, and selection process.

Given that about 1 in 3 people are already utilizing AI for information gathering during product purchases, future EC sites will need to not only provide a "search environment that makes it easy to find products" but also an experience design that allows users to compare and consider products without hesitation and choose the right ones for them.

In the future, in addition to improving search accuracy, it is believed that establishing an environment where AI can accurately understand, compare, and suggest products by utilizing product information, reviews, Q&A, and other UGC will be important for maximizing EC site conversion rates, improving LTV, and achieving sales growth.

Download Full Survey Report (Free)

In addition to the items introduced in this release, the full report, which surveyed user behavior from product exploration to purchasing decisions in the AI era from various perspectives, including "AI Utilization Status in Purchasing Behavior," "Challenges in Comparison and Consideration on EC Sites," and "Functions Required of AI/Chatbots," can be downloaded from the link below.

EC businesses aiming to maximize sales and ROI through EC site CX improvement, search function enhancement, AI/chatbot utilization, and UGC data development are encouraged to use this survey material for their marketing and system investment strategy planning.

◆ Download here (Estimated time: about 1 minute)

https://zeta.inc/download/research-ai-usage-status

ZETA will continue to provide beneficial services to users and EC site operating companies by leveraging its strengths in AI-powered data analysis.

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ZETA Corporation https://zeta.inc

Location: 154-0024 Tokyo, Setagaya-ku, Sangenjaya 2-11-22 Santa Tower Center Building 17F

Established: August 2005

Capital: 96 million yen (as of October 1, 2024)

Representative: Noriyuki Yamazaki

Business Activities: Development and sales of CX enhancement generative AI solutions