ChatGPT’s Rising E-Commerce Influence – But Giants Still Dominate
ChatGPT
e-commerce
Amazon
Walmart
AI
Retail
Apptopia
7
Market Shift, Not Revolution
Media Hype
8/10
Real Impact
7/10
What is the Viqus Verdict?
We evaluate each news story based on its real impact versus its media hype to offer a clear and objective perspective.
AI Analysis:
The data confirms growing AI influence in e-commerce, but the market share distribution reveals a market shift towards existing giants, indicating a significant but not revolutionary change.
Article Summary
A recent analysis by Apptopia reveals a notable increase in ChatGPT’s role as a referrer to e-commerce websites, particularly during the Black Friday shopping weekend. ChatGPT referrals to retail mobile apps rose by 28% year-over-year, fueled by the increasing popularity of using AI chatbots for shopping recommendations. However, the data indicates that the impact on smaller retailers is minimal. Amazon currently captures 54% of ChatGPT referrals, a significant increase from 40.5% in 2024, while Walmart's share has grown from 2.7% to 14.9%. Apptopia defined a referral session as a retail mobile app session directly following a ChatGPT session within 30 seconds. Despite this substantial growth, AI’s overall contribution to the referral market remains small—only 0.82% of all ChatGPT sessions compared to 0.64% last year. Adobe’s data corroborates these findings, showing an 805% increase in AI traffic to U.S. retail sites on Black Friday, with AI users 38% more likely to make a purchase. This trend is amplified during Cyber Monday, with AI traffic up 670% and 760% year-over-year, respectively, further showcasing the burgeoning influence of AI in consumer behavior.Key Points
- ChatGPT referrals to e-commerce sites increased 28% year-over-year during Black Friday.
- Amazon currently captures 54% of ChatGPT referrals, highlighting its continued dominance in the e-commerce landscape.
- Despite the growth in AI-driven referrals, the overall impact on the broader referral market and smaller retailers remains modest.