WORCESTER — The holiday shopping season is underway, and a growing number of shoppers are turning to artificial intelligence for help finding gifts, comparing products, and hunting for deals.
With prices high on everything from toys to electronics, AI-powered chatbots can make shopping faster and easier. But can they actually help consumers save money?
Dr. Purvi Shah, who studies consumer trends and the impact of artificial intelligence at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, says one of the biggest benefits is the amount of research shoppers can do quickly.
“The research has become faster and more efficient,” Shah said. “People are able to compare and contrast products and prices at the click of a button.”
Getting better shopping results from AI starts with the prompt
Whether shoppers are looking for a toy, appliance, or the perfect gift for a family member, Shah says the quality of an AI recommendation can depend heavily on the information provided to the chatbot.
“Start with the context,” Shah said. “Give it a background on what you are trying to buy, why, for whom, what is the thought process behind it. Then, go into sharing the top features that are really important for you.”
For example, a shopper looking for a robot vacuum could tell an AI chatbot about the size of the home, the type of flooring, which features are important, and how much they are willing to spend. Shoppers can also ask AI to create a more detailed shopping prompt for them.
Does AI actually save shoppers money?
“The savings in terms of time are a sure shot, like yes, certainly,” Shah said. “But money, I would say, sometimes.”
One way shoppers can use AI to control spending is to set a budget in their prompt. But Shah cautions that making shopping easier can have an unintended effect.
“When shopping becomes so frictionless and research becomes so easy, we tend to overspend,” she said. “We may also get into a lot of impulse purchases. So keeping a budget upfront before you start shopping is really important.”
Don’t assume the price an AI chatbot shows is accurate
AI recommendations also aren’t foolproof.
Shah says consumers should treat AI-generated prices and deals as a starting point rather than assuming they’re current.
“It can give you outdated prices, it can give you expired deals, it can also show you products that are not available anymore,” Shah said. “So it is on you to finally verify it and then make a decision of purchasing that product.”
Before buying, consumers should check the retailer’s website to confirm the current price, promotion, and availability.
Shah also recommends shoppers avoid giving an AI chatbot sensitive information such as passwords or payment information. She said consumers may also want to run the same shopping request through two or three AI chatbots to compare the recommendations they receive.
AI isn’t replacing traditional holiday shopping
For shoppers who enjoy heading to stores, browsing displays and finding gifts in person, Shah says AI doesn’t have to replace that experience. It can simply be used for research before going shopping.
“Even if these are high-tech AI tools that people use, at the end of the day, the whole gift-giving process is very emotional and very human,” Shah said. “So that’s not going to be replaced with AI. That’s not happening.”
Quick tips for using AI to holiday shop
- Be specific: Tell the chatbot who you’re shopping for, their interests, and what you’re looking for.
- Set a firm budget: Include a maximum price or total spending limit in your prompt.
- List must-have features: For bigger purchases, tell AI which features matter most.
- Verify prices: Check the retailer’s website before buying because AI-generated prices can be outdated.
- Avoid sharing sensitive information: Don’t give a chatbot passwords or payment information.
- Compare results: Try the same prompt with multiple AI chatbots before making a purchase.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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