Seventy-five % of outlets say AI brokers might be important for a aggressive edge by 2026, based on the sixth version of the Related Buyers report by Salesforce, based mostly on a survey of 8,350 customers and 1,700 business decision-makers.
Right here is the chief abstract of the report:
- Shops’ evolving roles enhancing the patrons’ journey: Whereas digital channels multiply and social commerce beneficial properties momentum, bodily shops increase their function as expertise hubs and achievement facilities that bridge digital and bodily procuring journeys. Buyers estimate 41% of their buy quantity will come from bodily shops in 2026, down from 45% in 2024.
- Unified commerce brings alternatives and challenges: Firms are working to attach on-line and offline experiences to know customers and serve them seamlessly throughout channels. Retailers are upgrading programs and empowering retailer associates to enhance effectivity and supply extra worth to customers. Eighty-eight % of outlets say unified commerce might be crucial or important to their enterprise targets over the following two years.
- AI brokers poised to redefine retail: AI brokers enormously increase AI’s influence by independently responding to buyer inquiries, managing stock, and extra. Seventy-five % of outlets say AI brokers might be important for a aggressive edge by 2026. Retailers view leveraging AI as their primary alternative.
- Rewards applications put a verify on declining shopper loyalty: Model loyalty might be fleeting, particularly amongst youthful customers. Firms are responding by reimagining customer support and refining their rewards applications. Eighty-four % of loyalty program members say applications make them extra prone to repurchase.
The survey recognized the highest 5 retail business challenges: business competitors, inflation and excessive prices, rising buyer acquisition prices, altering shopper habits, and price of returns.
The highest 5 retail alternatives: leverage AI, implement unified commerce, enhance e-commerce gross sales, enhance customer support, and enhance retailer affiliate productiveness.
Enhancing the patron journey
The survey discovered that bodily retailer buy quantity decreases as procuring spreads throughout digital channels. The expansion of digital commerce is not making a single winner. As a substitute, on-line marketplaces, retailer web sites, model web sites, and supply apps are all gaining a modest share as shopper journeys take distinctive paths.
The highest 5 causes to buy in a bodily retailer: to the touch and really feel merchandise, to get merchandise instantly, to keep away from transport charges, to benefit from in-store reductions, and to benefit from the procuring expertise.
Retailers are additionally assembly customers on the edge. The journey continues by way of buying, the place 25% of customers purchase by way of social media and 16% by way of messaging apps. Even post-purchase service is evolving, with messaging apps and social media turning into key channels for buyer assist.
In-store enhances digital commerce, with virtually one in 4 customers having sought product customization or repairs in-store, whereas others have explored distinctive experiences, popup shops, and digital try-on options, similar to magic mirrors. Retailers are remodeling shops to ship elevated retail experiences: 59% now supply in-store providers like customization and repairs, whereas 46% present devoted areas for occasions and group gatherings.
Unified commerce brings change
The survey discovered that retailers see AI as their primary alternative, but implementing these data-enabled options can be their high operational problem. Excessive operational prices and disconnected programs sluggish progress on AI and different important enterprise alternatives. In the meantime, retailer associates really feel the burden of disconnected know-how — solely 17% have entry to a unified view of buyer knowledge as they navigate disconnected programs of their day by day work.
The function of retailer associates is driving AI adoption. Retailer associates’ roles are remodeling as dramatically because the shops they work in. Conventional checkout duties occupy simply 28% of associates’ time, whereas obligations, similar to retailer operations, customer support, and achievement actions, fill the rest of their time.
As duties increase, associates face mounting technological complexity. New associates should grasp a median of 16 programs they will use day by day, up from 12 in 2023, and so they spend 26 hours on know-how coaching of their first month alone.
To beat disconnected programs, retailers are actively pursuing unified commerce platforms. Whereas virtually 9 in 10 retailers have unified commerce initiatives underway, solely 15% have totally realized their worth. Retailers see unified commerce as transformative for his or her operations. Past fast beneficial properties in productiveness and effectivity, unified commerce creates a basis for future innovation. With consolidated knowledge and programs, retailers can benefit from AI capabilities.
AI brokers will redefine retail
The survey discovered that AI has taken retail by storm, remodeling all the pieces from buyer expertise to provide chain administration. As many as 84% of outlets use AI already, and solely 2% don’t have any plans for the know-how. Extra innovation is underway as AI turns into more and more agentic, taking motion autonomously with out human involvement.
The survey reveals that 85% of outlets agree AI developments are remodeling retail. Most retailers intend to extend their AI investments, with 74% concurrently boosting their knowledge administration funding, reflecting how accessible, built-in knowledge underpins profitable AI implementation.
The highest 5 advantages of AI in retail: elevated worker productiveness, improved shopper experiences, elevated revenues, improved provider relationships, and improved worker experiences. AI yields clear enterprise outcomes: 89% of outlets anticipate returns on their investments, with comparable shares reporting elevated on-line gross sales volumes and decreased operational prices.
Belief is essential to adopting AI brokers in retail. The report discovered that retail customers ranked these components highest when establishing belief with AI brokers:
- Information privateness and safety protections
- Means to simply flip brokers off/on
- Require approval earlier than any buy
- Transparency over how knowledge is used
- Obtainable human customer support backup
The survey discovered that AI-assisted procuring is in its early levels, however many patrons use the know-how for product discovery, buying, and customer support. Gen Z customers are ten instances extra possible than child boomers to make use of AI ceaselessly to find new merchandise.
We’re coming into the age of autonomous retail. AI brokers construct on earlier AI foundations and symbolize the know-how’s newest innovation. Retailers are taking discover: 43% say they’re already piloting autonomous AI, with use circumstances spanning the enterprise. Customer support in retail is on a quick path to autonomous service supply powered by AI brokers.
The worth of AI brokers is the flexibility to ship worth on the pace of want. The survey discovered that 74% of customers abandon a model after three or fewer dangerous experiences. Buyers say the worst retail expertise is poor customer support, placing strain on retailers to boost assist with implications for his or her backside strains. Retailers are both autonomous companies or declining companies. The survey discovered that 81% of outlets belief AI to behave autonomously with adequate guardrails. Digital natives are embracing agentic AI — Gen Z customers are 2.7 instances as possible as child boomers to need product suggestions from AI brokers (63% vs 23%).
Retailers are doing greater than shopping for new software program when constructing a basis for AI brokers. As many as 86% of outlets with AI say it’ll restructure their operations. The way forward for the retail business is autonomous — a hybrid workforce of people and AI brokers delivering buyer worth and higher experiences. Welcome to the autonomous enterprise, the place self-driving retailers can concentrate on the enterprise currencies that matter most: belief, pace, intelligence, personalization, and scale.
To be taught extra in regards to the Related Shopper report, you’ll be able to go to right here.
