What the Data Shows

Diginomica reported on November 3, 2026 on a McKinsey study of consumers in 11 geographies. It found 53% use AI for shopping, but the global average of those who have AI complete a purchase drops to 14%. In the US the figure is 17%, in the UK 11%, in Germany 10% and in France 8%.

Visa CEO Ryan McInerney said that in agentic commerce, "trust is the biggest barrier to scale." McKinsey's recommendations to marketers include making product data AI-readable and building owned-site AI shopping assistants.

Three Steps for Small Merchants

  • Make product data clear. McKinsey lists AI-readable product data as an action point. Accurate titles, prices, sizes and stock on your own site are a sensible start. This is our advice.
  • Plan for research, not checkout. Since far fewer shoppers let AI complete the purchase, expect AI to shape which shops get considered while customers still pay on your site. This is our view.
  • Keep checkout simple and trusted. With trust named as the barrier, a fast, familiar checkout on your own storefront matters. This is our advice.
Intinya

AI is already shaping what shoppers consider. The purchase is still mostly human, so the shop that is easy to read and easy to trust has the edge.