Dive Brief:
- Nearly all consumers — 98% — make repeat purchases from brands recommended by third-party AI platforms, but they are also more sensitive to friction, according to a survey of 1,500 consumers in the United States and United Kingdom released last week by Quantum Metric.
- In comparison to traditional discovery options, customers who use AI-powered discovery are two times more likely to abandon their cart if they experience friction. Four out of five consumers say they won’t return to a brand they discovered through AI if they have an issue with the experience.
- “Customers are looking to quickly confirm that the recommendation was justified, so brands need to reinforce the ‘why’ immediately through reviews, clear positioning and strong proof points,” Julie Geller, principal research director at Info-Tech Research Group, said in an email. “If that validation isn’t obvious, confidence drops fast.”
Dive Insight:
AI-powered discovery creates a dynamic in which customers are more willing to make repeat purchases but are much less tolerant of bad experiences. It’s up to the brand to turn that initial interest into loyalty.
Many consumers are turning to AI for discovery. Only 13% of consumers say they use the technology to confirm an existing choice, while half say they use it to find the best option, according to Quantum Metric.
Brands have a head start when a customer arrives from a trusted AI platform, but that brand has not yet secured a conversion, according to Geller. Any CX slipups can quickly turn that advantage on its head.
“The biggest mistake is treating these customers like any other traffic source. They’re not,” Geller said. “They arrive with significantly higher expectations and less patience. AI creates a form of borrowed trust. A slow-loading page, inconsistent messaging, or a checkout error doesn’t just create friction; it undermines the credibility of the recommendation itself.”
The key to winning in the current environment isn’t investing in AI-driven customer acquisition, but instead in eliminating friction after the initial click, according to Geller. It’s easy for customers to return to the AI and ask for an alternative rather than trying again after something goes wrong.
“AI is raising the quality of traffic, but it’s also exposing which brands actually understand their own customer journeys,” Geller said. “Brands that have clearly mapped and actively manage those journeys are better equipped to respond in the moment. They know where friction tends to occur, they can align content and experience to intent, and they can adjust quickly when something breaks.”
Consistency is critical, according to Geller. Brands need to live up to whatever expectations AI has created for the customer, and any disconnect can create doubt. Best practices like simple site navigation and autofill options can ensure customers stay to complete their purchase.
