SAN FRANCISCO – Consumers have certainly dabbled with ChatGPT, but are they interested in using it to help them find products online?
A recent consumer survey from San Francisco-based Constructor, which polled 462 individuals 18 and older in April, found about one-third had used ChatGPT at work or in their personal lives, with the highest percentage of users (43%) falling into the 18 to 44 age group.
The tech-savviness of shoppers, however, is not only reflected in their use of the latest technology, but also their willingness to have it aid them with the online shopping journey. Of those surveyed, 29% said they would be interested in having ChatGPT assist them in asking questions or explaining what they are looking for; 25% were open to using other artificial intelligence programs to suggest or tailor search results based on their preferences; and 65% wanted personalized service with search results based on their history of preferred brands, colors, price points and more.
Looking more closely at ChatGPT for e-commerce, the survey revealed that 42% of participants would be very or somewhat comfortable using ChatGPT on a retail site to have them find the right products. This number rose to 48% among shoppers ages 18 to 44.
On the other hand, 22% of shoppers reported feeling somewhat or very uncomfortable with the idea and cited concerns such as biased results, privacy issues and fears of inaccuracy.
“Consumer sentiments about ChatGPT in e-commerce span a wide range, which shows that shoppers are still a bit unsure of what to expect from this new technology,” said Courtney Austermehle, chief marketing officer at Constructor, which offers A.I., data-driven search experiences.
“It’s critical for e-commerce companies to be able to prove ChatGPT’s value to consumers (and to their own top-line revenue) before they invest,” said Austermehle.
