Coveo Holiday Report: More than 70% of Consumers Would Use GenAI for Holiday Shopping, Highlighting Untapped Opportunity for Retailers

Executive Summary

• Coveo released a new research report showing that >70% of consumers are open to using generative AI (GenAI) tools for holiday shopping, with especially high interest among Gen Z and Millennials.
• The survey of 6,000 shoppers across the U.S., U.K., Australia and New Zealand reveals strong intent to use AI for product comparison, budget‑based recommendations, and gift ideas during the holiday season.
• Findings highlight a sizable gap between consumer readiness for AI‑powered shopping assistance and retailers’ slower adoption, representing an untapped opportunity to boost conversion and reduce shopper stress.

Key Details

• Survey conducted in June 2025 by Coveo (in partnership with Arlington Research).
• Sample size: 6,000 adult consumers from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Consumer openness: 72% would use GenAI guidance for holiday shopping; 35% have already used it.
• Generational breakdown: 85% of Gen Z and Millennials say they would use a GenAI shopping assistant.
• Repeat usage: Among those who have tried GenAI for shopping, 91% would use it again.
• Key use cases:
• 41% want help comparing products.
• 35% seek budget‑based recommendations.
• 31% look for more product information.
• Shopping stress: 86% of shoppers feel holiday‑shopping pressure; 73% still plan to give as much or more than last year.
• Omnichannel behavior: 83% will shop online, 61% in‑store, and 44% intend to split purchases between channels.
• Search origins: 34% start gift searches via search engines (31%) or AI assistants like ChatGPT (3%); another 34% begin on marketplaces/retailer sites.
• BFCM participation: 88% of global shoppers plan to shop Black Friday/Cyber Monday; 91% in the U.S.
• Budget impact: 66% say cost is the biggest driver of brand perception; 46% plan to give the same number of gifts as last year, cutting back elsewhere.
• Personalized gifts: 38% rank personalized/custom gifts as their top wish‑list item.

Notable Quotes

“Consumers are not just open to GenAI in their shopping journeys, they're actively seeking it out,” said Peter Curran, GM of Commerce at Coveo. “The industry has seen some early experimentation, but retailers have been hesitant to fully embrace GenAI-powered shopping tools.”