ChatGPT Drives 28% Surge in Retail App Referrals During Black Friday Period

ChatGPT Transforms Shopping Habits: Referrals to Retail Platforms Surge 28% Annually

The way we shop is undergoing a profound evolution, and artificial intelligence is at the forefront of this transformation. Recent analysis from mobile app analytics provider Apptopia reveals a striking 28% year-over-year surge in referrals from ChatGPT to mobile retail applications during the recent "Black Friday" period, spanning from Thanksgiving Day through Sunday. This significant uptick underscores ChatGPT's burgeoning influence as a gateway to e-commerce, while also highlighting its current, albeit growing, market share.

AI as a Shopping Catalyst: The Numbers Tell a Story

The data, meticulously gathered from Apptopia's US user panel reflecting real-world mobile consumer behavior, indicates a powerful shift. A "referral session" was defined as an engagement with a retail app initiated within 30 seconds of a ChatGPT session. While the percentage increase is dramatic, it's crucial to contextualize it within the broader e-commerce landscape. Apptopia emphasizes that the overall contribution of AI chatbots to online shopping remains a nascent, yet rapidly expanding, segment of the market. Last year, referrals from ChatGPT to e-commerce apps constituted a mere 0.64% of all ChatGPT sessions during the Black Friday frenzy; this year, that figure climbed to 0.82%. This means that even with the impressive growth, AI-driven shopping inspiration is still finding its feet.

Giants Benefit Most as AI Shopping Matures

This evolving AI-powered shopping ecosystem appears to be disproportionately benefiting e-commerce behemoths. Amazon, in particular, has seen its share of referrals from ChatGPT skyrocket to 54%, a substantial leap from 40.5% in 2024. Walmart also experienced a significant boost, with its share growing from a modest 2.7% last year to an impressive 14.9% this year. This trend suggests that while smaller retailers might struggle to capitalize on this emerging traffic source, the established players with robust mobile presences are well-positioned to capture this AI-generated interest.

Broader AI Impact on E-commerce: A Glimpse into the Future

The insights from Apptopia align with broader industry trends. Adobe, another prominent analytics firm, recently reported an astonishing 805% year-over-year increase in AI traffic to US retail websites during Black Friday, measured by user clicks. Furthermore, Adobe noted that consumers referred from AI chatbots were 38% more likely to make a purchase. During Cyber Monday, AI traffic to US retail sites saw a 670% surge, and for the entire holiday shopping season (November 1st to December 1st), AI traffic jumped by an astounding 760%. Although the current volumes are relatively small, these figures paint a compelling picture of a fundamental shift in how consumers discover and compare products, a paradigm that could reshape the future of electronic commerce.