ChatGPT’s Influence on E-Commerce Grows: 28% Increase in Retail App Referrals
Recent data highlights a significant uptick in ChatGPT’s role as a conduit to e-commerce platforms. According to an analysis by mobile app insights provider Apptopia, referrals from ChatGPT to retailer mobile applications surged by 28% year-over-year during the Black Friday shopping period, spanning from Thanksgiving Day through the following Sunday.
This trend underscores the expanding influence of AI-driven interactions in the retail sector. However, the benefits appear to be disproportionately favoring major e-commerce players. Amazon’s share of ChatGPT referrals escalated to 54% this year, a notable rise from 40.5% in 2024. Similarly, Walmart experienced growth, with its share increasing from 2.7% last year to 14.9% in the current year.
Apptopia’s findings are derived from observed consumer behavior on mobile devices within the United States. It’s important to note that these figures are estimates, as they are not sourced from first-party data. For the purpose of this analysis, a referral session was defined as a retail mobile app session initiated within 30 seconds following a ChatGPT session.
Despite the notable year-over-year growth, the overall proportion of consumers utilizing AI chatbots like ChatGPT for e-commerce purposes remains relatively modest. In 2024, ChatGPT’s referrals to e-commerce apps constituted only 0.64% of all ChatGPT sessions on Black Friday. This figure saw a slight increase to 0.82% in the current year. A referral session, in this context, includes instances where ChatGPT provided shopping suggestions or when users clicked on links within their chat sessions that directed them to retail applications.
The impact of AI on e-commerce is not limited to ChatGPT. Adobe reported a substantial 805% year-over-year increase in AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail websites on Black Friday. Furthermore, shoppers who accessed retail sites via AI chatbots were 38% more likely to complete a purchase. On Cyber Monday, AI traffic to U.S. retail sites rose by 670%. Overall, from November 1 to December 1, AI-driven traffic experienced a 760% increase.
These statistics highlight the growing integration of AI technologies in the retail landscape, influencing consumer behavior and potentially reshaping the dynamics between major retailers and smaller businesses.
