Buying Products with AI’s Help: Could this be the Future of Shopping?

Generative AI search is changing how consumers make purchasing decisions. This seems to be because it’s so much easier to get one blended AI response, rather than wading through reviews. With a tool like this at consumers’ fingertips, it seems like search and SEO as it has been is about to change forever. Here’s a story about Pete, a consumer who doesn’t know a lot about the product he’s searching for, and how he used generative AI to help him with his decision.

Pete walked into the store, a stressful and complex decision ahead. He had to choose between two similarly priced kitchen faucet brands, and although he knew what he wanted the faucet to look like, he didn’t know much more than that. Paralyzed by indecision, ChatGPT came to his rescue.

While visiting The Home Depot, Pete was caught between choosing two attractive faucets: one from Glacier Bay, which suited his style but was unfamiliar, and another from American Standard Brands.

Unsure, he sought help from a store employee. Although she did her best, she didn’t know specific differences between the two brands, because she usually worked in the lighting department. Stranded, with little information, Pete didn’t know how to make his decision.

In a flash of inspiration, he decided to consult the ChatGPT voice tool instead. He first queried general info about both faucet brands, which was remarkably fast and simple. When he got his answer back, both sounded pretty good, so he narrowed his prompt. Thinking about what information he wished he knew to make his decision, Pete asked, “If you had to make a decision based on reviews what would you decide?” ChatGPT thought for a moment, and gave Pete an answer.

While the answer wasn’t 100% decisive, Pete realized that it hit his most important criteria for consideration: durability and long-term use.

ChatGPT Said: “Based on reviews, if durability and a potentially smoother long-term use are more important to you, the American Standard Fairbury 2S might be a better choice. However, if you are looking for a more budget-friendly option with easy installation, the Glacier Bay McKenna could be suitable despite some noted issues with durability.”

This advice aligned perfectly with Pete’s desires for a faucet. He realized how much he appreciated the AI’s ability to synthesize reviews and offer clear, practical advice without spam or SEO manipulation — a common issue in online searches.

Of course, Pete could have spent a few hours on the internet, researching faucets and trying to figure out which one people liked better, but ChatGPT saved him time during his purchasing decisions.

A Shifting Shopper Journey and the “Prompted Moment of Truth”

Pete’s story is just one of many in the ever-evolving world of shopping. AI-driven search is transforming interactions with brands, moving from traditional SEO tactics toward concise, accurate answers. This marks the beginning of what BrandRank.AI calls the “Prompted Moment of Truth,” where a single AI-generated response can significantly influence a consumer’s purchasing decisions.

This mirrors the historical shopper journey stages—Awareness, Research and Consideration (Zero Moment of Truth), Purchase (First Moment of Truth), Experience (Second Moment of Truth), and Advocacy.

The advent of the “Prompted Moment of Truth” carries profound implications for both consumers and brands. It promises to accelerate decision-making but also underscores the importance of ensuring accuracy and impartiality in AI recommendations. Third-party credentialing may be more important than ever. The AI “arms race” that’s emerging amidst the big tech players is partly a “credentialing” face-off. Consumer trust always wins!

Stepping into The Consumer’s Shoes

But let’s return to Pete’s faucet purchasing decisions. Here’s what he experienced, using blended AI search instead of a traditional search engine:

• Radical Simplicity & Convenience: The process was really simple. The ChatGPT4 mobile app interface — which facilitated super easy voice commands — was intuitive and user-friendly.
• Quality of Response: The AI provided a thorough, confidence-inspiring overview that seemed to encompass a wide range of reviews, effectively simplifying the review search process. This high level of detail and summarization was extremely helpful in Pete’s ultimate decision.
• Review Synthesis: Ratings and reviews are very helpful, but sometimes consumers feel lost in the large number of reviews, or fail to see the big picture.
• Non-Distracting Interaction: Unlike interactions with other voice assistants like Alexa, which often start with the first link, ChatGPT delivered a seamlessly integrated response that felt both authoritative and comprehensive. This can save consumers from falling down the usual rabbit holes of endless research while trying to make purchasing decisions.
• No Spam: Currently, no company can buy their spot in a blended Generative AI response. This is a breath of fresh air from traditional search, where “sponsored” results and summaries dominate the entire top half of the page.

It’s not just Pete: Fast Company published an article entitled “How Generative AI is Clouding the Future of Google Search”. Consumers everywhere are using AI search more to help them with their purchasing decisions, and it seems unlikely that they’ll switch back.

AI has the potential to significantly streamline the shopper journey, making it more fluid and responsive, and providing immediate, reliable recommendations without the need for extensive research. We are entering a new era of shopper behavior, and brands need to be ready for it.

Trust your inner consumer!