Omnisend Study: 80% of U.S. Shoppers Okay with AI Completing Online Purchases; Up from 34% Last Year

Nearly nine-in-ten would trade personal data for better recommendations, but 70% draw the line at AI being used to tailor pricing

CHARLESTON, S.C., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Omnisend survey of 1,072 U.S. shoppers shows that consumers are increasingly trusting AI to take a larger role in how they shop online. In just one year, openness to AI tools handling checkouts has jumped 136%, from 34% to 80%, with almost 90% willing to hand over their data for more relevant recommendations.

"In a tight economy, shoppers spend more time proving a purchase is worth it. They compare prices, read reviews, look for better options, and still second-guess at checkout. AI can help reduce the effort it takes to feel confident about spending," says Bernard Meyer, AI Operations Manager at Omnisend. "It's no wonder that consumers are being more open to it."

At the same time, there are lines consumers are not willing to cross – such as AI being used to charge different prices for the same product (70%).

Americans are willing to hand over their data – and wallets – to AI

According to the study, 80% of U.S. shoppers are now open to AI taking over final transactions, up from 34% since February 2025 – more than doubling year-over-year.

Though many shoppers still want guardrails such as final approval (29%) or limits to small purchases (22%), 29% are mostly or fully comfortable letting AI transact independently. Another 16% would even allow automatic reorders without reviewing them.

This mindset shift is already showing up in real behavior. Following the introduction of the in-platform checkout feature, 38% report having already completed a purchase directly within ChatGPT.

Moreover, 88% admit they would share personal information with AI tools for better product suggestions – including their location data (34%) and email receipts (32%).

Nearly half (45%) uneasy about how their data will be used

Despite rising trust, a majority (86%) still report some level of concern about AI in ecommerce. 45% say they worry most about how their data is collected and used, while others are cautious about AI recommendations being biased (28%) or paid for (28%).

Personalized pricing remains a particularly clear red line. The practice, which uses AI to adjust prices based on a shopper's behavior, location, or purchase history, has drawn criticism for potentially creating unfair or opaque price differences between customers. 70% say they would disengage from, complain, or leave negative feedback about a retailer that uses AI to tailor prices.

"AI promises fewer steps between intent and purchase, but the 'one interface' future only works if shoppers believe the recommendations are earned, not bought, and that the data behind them won't be used against them," says Meyer.

Implications for retailers

Since 40% of U.S. shoppers intend to use AI more in the future, it's safe to say that AI isn't going anywhere. Meyer advises online retailers to make their websites easier for LLMs to navigate, adding helpful content that quickly summarizes why their brand stands out and who it's made for, plus an FAQ. This will help AI find and recommend you to shoppers.

"Our data shows consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable letting AI assist with shopping decisions. As that trust grows, AI usage will increase on both sides — people will trust AI on websites more, but also spend less time manually browsing and instead delegating the work to AI agents that can compare products and surface the best option instantly. For ecommerce brands, that means preparing for a future where they're selling not just to people, but also to the AI systems acting on their behalf."

Methodology

The survey was commissioned by Omnisend and conducted by Cint in late January of 2026, polling 1,072 consumers from the U.S. about their shopping habits from the last 12 months. Quotas were placed on age, gender, and place of residence to achieve a nationally representative sample among users. The margin of error is +/-3 percent.

More: https://www.omnisend.com/ai-shopping-report/

About Omnisend

Omnisend is an email & SMS marketing platform with a suite of features made specifically to help ecommerce stores grow their online businesses faster. One-click integration with major ecommerce platforms, pre-made automation & email templates, and award-winning 24/7/365 live customer support make it easy for brands of any size to sell more – all without the exaggerated cost.

For further information, please contact:
Daniele Kezyte, Public Relations, [email protected]

SOURCE Omnisend