When Customers Ask AI: “What Should I Buy?”
Product discovery is changing. When shoppers ask AI for recommendations, is your brand being mentioned—or are competitors capturing that consideration?
Shopper asking:
“What are the best sustainable fashion brands?”
AI Response:
“Here are some top sustainable fashion brands to consider: [Competitor A] is known for organic materials, [Competitor B] focuses on recycled fabrics, and [Competitor C] has excellent carbon-neutral shipping...”
Is your brand in that recommendation?
Amazon revenue from AI recommendations
Source: Amazon
Weekly ChatGPT users asking for product advice
Source: OpenAI
Predicted drop in traditional search by 2026
Source: Gartner
The AI Shopping Revolution
Consumers increasingly turn to AI for product research and recommendations. This shift creates new opportunities—and risks—for retail brands.
Product Discovery Shift
When customers ask AI "what's the best [product]?", the brands mentioned become the consideration set. Being absent means lost sales.
Brand Attribute Perception
AI describes your brand based on available data. Is it emphasizing your quality, sustainability, or value proposition—or something else entirely?
Competitive Visibility
Your competitors may be better represented in AI responses. Track who gets recommended for your key product categories.
Customer Journey Impact
AI recommendations happen at the top of the funnel, shaping purchase intent before customers visit your site.
What Refractia Reveals for Retail
Actionable insights for retail and e-commerce brands
Product Category Visibility
See which brands AI recommends for your key product categories. Track your share of AI recommendations versus competitors.
Brand Attribute Analysis
Discover how AI describes your brand's quality, sustainability, value, and other key attributes that influence purchase decisions.
Competitive Benchmarking
Monitor which competitors appear in AI recommendations for products you sell. Understand your competitive positioning.
Sentiment Tracking
Track whether AI describes your brand positively, neutrally, or with caveats. Identify perception issues before they impact sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does AI affect retail brand discovery?
When customers ask AI assistants for product recommendations—"best running shoes" or "sustainable fashion brands"—the AI's response shapes their consideration set before they ever visit your website or store.
Can retailers influence AI product recommendations?
Yes. By understanding how AI currently perceives your products and optimizing your content strategy, you can improve how AI describes and recommends your brand.
What product categories should we monitor?
Focus on your hero products, high-margin categories, and any areas where you want to establish or defend market leadership. AI recommendations are most impactful for considered purchases.
See How AI Perceives Your Retail Brand
Get a comprehensive analysis of your brand's AI perception. Understand product category positioning and capture more AI-driven discovery.
Request Your Analysis