The change in traffic sources isn’t the only impact. AI visitors are converting better, engaging at higher rates, spending more time on sites, and driving higher revenue per visit, the data shows, often reversing trends from only a year ago, when regular customers were worth more to retailers.

Adobe’s insights are based on its analysis of online transactions, via its Adobe Analytics division, which covers over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites. The analysis also relied on a survey of over 5,000 U.S. respondents about their use of AI when shopping, as well as the company’s new AI Content Visibility Checker tool, designed to test retail websites for accessibility by LLMs.

In Adobe’s survey, 39% people said they used AI for online shopping, and 85% said it improved their experience. These findings are likely due to how AI helps people narrow down products to find what they need, and tap into discounts. In addition, 66% of those surveyed said they now believe AI tools provide accurate results when shopping.

Unlike publishers, where AI is causing referral traffic to decline, retailers are incentivized to make their sites AI-friendly.