More shoppers are using artificial intelligence tools to make buying decisions online, according to a Ryder survey of consumer buying behaviors released this week.
Ryder’s 12th annual E-Commerce Consumer Study surveyed 1,160 e-commerce shoppers earlier this year to identify behaviors, preferences, and expectations shaping online purchasing. The company found that 64% of shoppers are using AI-assisted shopping tools to make those buying decisions, and that expectations are shifting throughout the buying cycle.
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and select products, making AI optimization a must for retailers and brands, according to Ryder. Among the 64% of consumers using AI-assisted shopping tools, search and shopping assistants lead adoption (45%), followed by customer review summaries or key takeaways (37%), visual or image-based search (33%), voice assistants (31%), and virtual try-on or visualization tools (31%).
“Industry-wide data echoes our findings, reinforcing that AI is fundamentally changing online shopping behaviors; another study found that nearly three in five consumers have begun replacing traditional search engines with generative AI search,” Ryder’s Jeff Wolpov, senior vice president of e-commerce and Ryder Last Mile, said in a statement announcing the findings Wednesday. “What it all amounts to is, if products are not optimized for AI-powered search results, brands may lose consideration in the consumer buying journey.”
The survey also found that price, fulfillment options, shipping, and returns remain key factors in consumer buying decisions—although expectations are changing.
Price continues to play a significant role in brand consideration and purchase decisions, but its influence softened in two retail categories as respondents evaluated additional factors. Among apparel and beauty shoppers, for instance, price’s role in purchase decisions fell 12% and 13%, respectively year-over-year, marking a three-year low for beauty. At the same time, product materials and ingredients, environmental impact, and ethical practices proved to be purchase drivers, cumulatively gaining 13% for each group, according to the report.
When it comes to fulfillment, consumers are embracing a mix of omnichannel options, “reinforcing that no single model meets all expectations, creating opportunities for retailers,” according to Ryder.
New this year, survey respondents said their use of remote locker or location pickup jumped 14%, surpassing Buy Online Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup as the leading alternative fulfillment option compared to ship-to-home.
At the same time, the survey found that 86% of consumers have picked up or returned online purchases in-store (up 3% year-over-year), with 52% of that group (17% year-over-year) now reporting they often make additional purchases while there, “demonstrating the revenue opportunity of integrated omnichannel strategies,” according to Ryder.
Shipping expectations changed as well. Although free shipping remains the leading factor in purchase decisions (62%), its influence dropped 14% year-over-year, while fast delivery expectations nearly doubled. Thirty-nine percent of consumers surveyed said they now expect delivery within one to two days—a four-year high.
Still, the report found that 71% of consumers surveyed abandoned items in their carts due to unanticipated shipping fees. Forty-eight percent of consumers research which brands offer free/cheaper shipping, and 73% added items to their carts to qualify for free shipping—the highest since 2023.
Returns continue to affect customer loyalty and retention, emphasizing the importance of a good returns management policy, according to Ryder.
The survey found that consumers are nearly split on return method preferences for online orders: among all shoppers surveyed, 52% said they prefer in-store while 48% prefer to return via mail/drop box. And, among the 79% of respondents who had returns experiences that prevented them from shopping with a brand again, the absence of options to return online orders in-store and via mail were cited equally, making returns management a key part of a seamless omnichannel strategy.
The survey also found that among those consumers whose returns experience negatively impacted customer loyalty, the most common complaint was return shipping fees (55%). And, of all consumers surveyed, 52% said they are unwilling to purchase from a retailer without a free-return policy.
“The retail landscape is becoming increasingly complex, but also more opportunity-rich,” Wolpov also said in the statement. “Brands that succeed will balance price with customer experience, deliver seamless omnichannel fulfillment, and leverage AI and data-driven insights to meet rising expectations for personalization, visibility, and ease.”
