The Maze: A shopper can ask an AI assistant which washing machines fit a narrow cabinet before visiting a retailer. That is one way to read Deloitte's May 2026 survey across 15 European countries. Among 7,512 people aged 18–59 who had used AI while shopping, electronics was the most common category for AI help among the five Deloitte reported. The survey counts people who used AI while shopping in each category. It leaves open when shoppers asked for help and where they bought.
The details
💻 Electronics comes first. Among those surveyed AI shoppers, 53% used AI while shopping for consumer electronics. A washing machine illustrates the kind of question an assistant can help narrow down. A shopper can rule out models by size, capacity and budget before looking for a seller.
🛒 AI use reaches beyond big purchases. Another way to read the same survey is by the range of categories. In the same group, 41% used it for fashion and apparel, 35% for travel and experiences, 33% for beauty and care, and 27% for groceries. Electronics led groceries by 26 percentage points. A respondent could name several categories, so the figures count overlapping uses.
Our take
For an electronics retailer, the model and the offer are two separate decisions. An assistant can help a shopper settle on a model. The retailer still has a chance to win the order with the terms that matter for that product.
🔎 Make the exact model easy to shortlist. Across categories, among the 7,512 AI shoppers, 57% used AI to compare products. A retailer can make that comparison easier by publishing dimensions and compatibility against the exact model number. For a washing machine, the cabinet depth and the extra clearance needed for hoses can both determine whether it fits. Putting both on the page helps someone assess the model before they ever see a price.
📦 Give shoppers a reason to choose your offer. Across categories, among the same 7,512 AI shoppers, 39% used retailer websites at the purchase stage. A retailer can compete on the total delivered offer, including the services a shopper needs to use the product. A washing machine listed at a lower price can cost more once upstairs delivery, installation and removal are included. Showing those terms together gives the shopper a way to compare offers on the same model. Deloitte measured channel use by stage, so the figures give retailers a reason to test this approach without establishing how many orders it would win.
Sources: Deloitte, The Human and the Agent
