Younger shoppers use AI & join deal days more often

Akeneo has published survey findings showing that younger shoppers are more likely than older consumers to use AI tools and take part in major retail deal days. The study also found that Boomers are the least likely generation to believe brands offer the best discounts during these sales.

Based on a survey of 1,000 US consumers conducted by Dynata for Akeneo, the research points to clear differences in shopping behaviour across age groups as households weigh spending decisions in an uncertain economic climate.

Gen Z and Millennials said they were more willing than older shoppers to increase spending during deal periods. Some 42% of Gen Z respondents said they planned to spend more than last year on deal days, while 37% of Millennials said the same.

By contrast, Boomers were the most cautious group. Only 12% said they planned to spend more, while 27% said they did not plan to shop during Prime Day at all.

Trust gap

The findings suggest trust is a major dividing line between generations. Among Boomers, 41% said brands do not offer the best deals and discounts during major sales events, while 70% of Millennials said they believed brands do offer the best deals.

Economic pressures also appear to shape how younger adults approach these promotions. A quarter of Gen Z respondents and 24% of Millennials said they were using deal days to focus on low-cost everyday essentials rather than larger purchases.

Older consumers reported less change in behaviour, with 27% of Boomers saying the current economic situation was not affecting how they shop.

AI adoption

The survey found a sharp generational split in the use of artificial intelligence for shopping. Gen Z had the highest level of adoption, with 56% saying they had used AI tools in the shopping process, followed by Millennials at 54%.

Use among older consumers was much lower. Only 22% of Boomers said they had used AI tools for shopping.

How consumers use those tools also varies by age. Among Millennials, 45% said they used AI to find deals and 42% said they used it to compare products or prices. Among Boomers, those figures fell to 14% and 18%, respectively.

The influence of AI on completed purchases was also strongest among younger consumers. Some 54% of Millennials and 53% of Gen Z respondents said AI had influenced a purchase decision. In both groups, 29% said they had directly bought a product based on an AI recommendation.

The effect was far weaker among older age groups. Only 14% of Boomers said AI had influenced a purchase decision, compared with 18% of Gen X respondents.

Decision drivers

Despite the growing role of AI, traditional factors still matter most in many shopping decisions. Millennials were most influenced by customer reviews, cited by 27% of respondents in that group.

Gen X respondents placed the greatest weight on detailed product information, with 19% naming it as their main influence. Boomers, despite their scepticism about promotional events, were the most price-driven shoppers overall, with 66% saying final price was the most important factor in deciding what to buy. Among Gen X, 63% said the same.

The results suggest that while younger shoppers are more comfortable using newer digital tools, price and confidence in the purchase remain central themes across the market.

Akeneo said the findings underline the need for retailers and brands to tailor how they present products and offers to different age groups rather than relying on a single promotional approach.

Romain Fouache, Chief Executive Officer at Akeneo, commented on the findings.

"Consumers are turning to major deal days looking for value, but they're also looking for confidence in their purchase decisions," said Romain Fouache, Chief Executive Officer at Akeneo.

"Our research shows that while younger generations are increasingly turning to AI to discover products, compare options and find the best deals, trust remains the foundation of every purchase decision across all age groups. Regardless of which factors consumers rely on to make purchase decisions - AI recommendations, customer reviews, price comparisons and more - the quality of product information will increasingly determine which brands earn consumer confidence and ultimately win the sale."

The survey was carried out among US consumers aged 18 and older and examined how people are adapting purchasing decisions, seeking value and using AI tools in the run-up to major online sales periods.