Asia’s shoppers ditch search bars for ChatGPT conversations

Referral traffic from platforms like ChatGPT grew sevenfold over the past year.

Shoppers across Asia are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to discover, compare and evaluate products, as tools such as ChatGPT begin to rival traditional search engines and online marketplaces in shaping purchase decisions.

The change is already happening, though adoption remains at an early stage, David Yang, a partner at Bain & Company, Inc., told Retail Asia.

“Many shoppers are already experimenting with AI for shopping research,” he said in an emailed reply to questions. “It’s still early days, but the shift is under way.”

Data from Sensor Tower cited in a Bain report published in August showed that prompts to ChatGPT in Asia jumped almost 70% in the first half of 2025 to about 29 million from end-2024. Shopping-related queries played an outsized role, increasing from 7.8% to 9.8% of all searches—a 25% rise on top of overall growth—effectively doubling in volume within six months.

For retailers, the rise of AI-driven discovery means adapting how products are presented online.

Optimising content for AI tools, often referred to as generative engine optimisation, is becoming essential as shoppers rely on conversational platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity for shopping advice.

AI-assisted shopping is also reshaping traffic patterns. Yang said referral traffic from ChatGPT grew sevenfold over the past year, albeit from a small base, with some retailers reporting that as much as a quarter of inbound traffic now comes from AI assistants.

To remain visible, retailers should ensure product information is accurate, detailed and structured so AI systems can interpret and surface it correctly.

“Structure and enrich your product data for AI consumption,” Yang said, adding that incomplete or poorly organised information risks being overlooked or misrepresented by AI tools.

Customer reviews and ratings are also gaining importance. Yang said AI shopping agents tend to favour products with strong feedback, making authentic reviews a key driver of recommendations.

Retailers are also being encouraged to provide live data on pricing, inventory, and promotions to cut the risk of inaccuracies.

Some merchants are exploring in-house AI assistants to offer personalised guidance, whilst chat-based checkout tools are beginning to change how consumers complete purchases online.

Theo Spyrides, head of product at Primer API Ltd., said chat-based shopping builds on behaviour seen on social platforms. “Chat-based checkout will allow merchants or customers to discover, decide and pay without switching channels,” he said in a video interview.

He added that not all purchases would move into chat environments, but merchants still need to offer differentiated experiences.

Johann Suchon, senior vice president at Mastercard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd., said agentic AI-driven shopping could account for more than 25% of e-commerce transactions by 2030.

Companies, he said, are adopting AI agents in stages, starting with existing digital tools before building their own systems supported by loyalty programmes and customer data.

“The challenge for the brand would be to make sure that they are providing consistent experience and narrative to the consumer,” Suchon said.

The growth of AI shopping raises trust and loyalty concerns, as consumers may rely more on AI than the retailer. Privacy, accuracy, and fraud worries mean about half of shoppers are hesitant to let AI complete purchases, Yang said.

“Marketplaces will plug into AI and AI will plug into marketplaces,” he said. “Retailers should hedge their bets and stay agile.”