Adobe reports higher conversion from AI-referred shoppers

What happened

• They convert better. Adobe’s data for July 2026, reported by Digital Commerce 360, shows visitors who arrived at US retail sites from AI tools converted at a rate 60% higher than other visitors. It was the eleventh month in a row that AI traffic out-converted the rest. They also brought in 53% more revenue per visit.
• More are coming. Adobe’s holiday forecast, published September 28, expects AI traffic to US retail sites to rise 130% on last year between November 1 and December 31. It forecasts total online holiday spending of $275.1 billion, up 6.7%.
• Shoppers say so too. In a Bain survey of more than 1,100 consumers, 24% of online shoppers said they plan to start their holiday shopping on an AI platform, up from 17% in 2025.
• Keep it in proportion. Bain puts AI at less than 1% of total retail traffic, though as much as a quarter of referral traffic for some retailers. Adobe’s figures come from large retailers that use its analytics, so a small brand’s numbers may look different.

Our take

One possible explanation is that some AI-referred shoppers arrive after researching a purchase. The reported conversion difference does not establish why it occurred or whether AI caused it.

Accurate product information can help shoppers assess a recommendation. The data does not establish how many sales a brand loses when it is absent from an answer.

Track those referrals during the holidays to see how they perform for your store.

What to do before November

1. Put the facts a shopper asks about in plain text on your product pages: price, sizes, materials, shipping and returns. Not in images, and not behind a click.
2. Ask an assistant for gift ideas in your category and see whether you are there.
3. Set up an AI referrals segment in your analytics now, so you can see what the season brings.