Checkout.com Research: 33% of Consumers Expect AI-Driven Shopping Within the Next Year

Quick Summary

Agentic commerce is set for rapid adoption, with 33% of consumers expecting 10% of their purchases to be AI-driven by 2027. While 72% of merchants fear being underprepared, success depends on establishing robust trust frameworks, spending caps, and clear consumer revocation controls for AI agents.

How Does Agentic Commerce Impact Merchant Readiness?

Merchant ecosystem readiness is currently lagging behind consumer expectations. While 89% of businesses are actively preparing for the shift, 72% of merchants admit that consumer adoption speed will likely outpace their internal infrastructure. Currently, only 3% of transactions involve AI agents, yet the industry is bracing for a paradigm shift in discovery and checkout. Key metrics for preparation include:

• 89% of merchants are currently developing agentic commerce strategies.
• 75% of businesses identify real-time permission revocation as a critical feature.
• £200 spending limit is the average threshold merchants believe consumers will trust.

What Are the Primary Barriers to AI Shopping Adoption?

Consumer trust remains the most significant hurdle for the widespread rollout of agentic commerce. Approximately 27% of shoppers currently trust no organization to manage an AI agent, while 24% state they will never delegate financial decisions to an algorithm. To bridge this gap, transparent control mechanisms must be prioritized. Consumers have identified specific non-negotiables for adoption:

• 30% demand spending caps to prevent unauthorized high-value transactions.
• 29% require instant revocation of agent permissions at any time.
• 28% insist on easy cancellation processes for AI-initiated orders.

How Will AI Agents Change Brand Loyalty?

Brand loyalty dynamics are under threat as AI agents prioritize value over traditional marketing. Over half of consumers (57%) would permit an AI shopping agent to switch brands automatically if a better deal is identified. This shift suggests that agentic commerce will turn routine purchases into a high-competition environment where price and utility are the primary drivers. Currently, consumers are most comfortable delegating low-risk grocery purchases (41%) and household supplies (31%), while remaining hesitant to use AI for complex financial services (15%).

FF NEWS TAKE:

This research proves that agentic commerce is no longer a futuristic concept but an imminent operational challenge. The fact that 57% of consumers would ditch brands for better AI-found deals should be a wake-up call for legacy retailers. While Checkout.com is rightly highlighting the infrastructure gap, the real winner will be the provider that masters the 'Trust Layer.' If you can't guarantee the security of a £177 automated spend, you won't survive the agentic era.