Nearly half of Australians trust AI shopping recommendations more than retail staff

SYDNEY, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than three-quarters (76%) of Australians trust AI shopping recommendations as much as or more than advice from a retail sales assistant, according to new research revealing how artificial intelligence is challenging the traditional role of retail staff.

The study, commissioned by global leader in supply chain commerce, Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH), found nearly half of Australians (47%) trust AI recommendations more than those provided by a retail sales assistant, while a further 29% place about the same level of trust in both.

The shift is also reflected in where Australians turn for help when researching a significant purchase. Nearly one in four (23%) use AI as their first source of information, compared with just 7% who first seek advice from an in-store sales assistant.

Raghav Sibal, APAC Vice President at Manhattan Associates, said consumers are increasingly using AI to inform purchase decisions, changing the information they may have before they do reach a retailer and what they need from sales staff.

"Consumers are using AI for product discovery, to compare options and inform their purchasing choices. These are some of the many things they might previously have relied on a retail sales assistant for," Sibal said.

"This doesn't make retail staff irrelevant, but it does change what customers expect from them. Shoppers might now arrive in-store already knowing which products they are considering, what alternatives are available and what they expect to pay. Retailers and their teams need to be ready to add value beyond information the customer can now find for themselves."

The changing role of retail staff comes as AI becomes a more established part of how Australians research purchases. More than four in five Australians (83%) have used an AI assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot for shopping research, with 36% doing so regularly.

Value and convenience drive AI adoption

The growing use of AI comes as Australians continue to balance convenience with a greater focus on value. Separate research from PayPal found price comparison is now the most common way Australians use AI when shopping, with 57% of AI shoppers saying the technology helps them save money.

Manhattan Associates' research suggests convenience is another important part of AI's appeal. When asked why they would choose AI over speaking to a retail sales assistant, 42% of respondents said for its 24/7 availability, followed by speed (20%) and the ability to compare products more easily (19%).

Sibal said the speed and ease of AI-led research is raising expectations for the experience retailers provide through to purchase and fulfilment.

"AI can make it easier for consumers to reach a decision, but that puts more pressure on retailers to deliver when they move from research to purchase. Knowing a product exists isn't good enough. Customers need to know whether it's available, where it's available, what it will cost and how quickly they can get it," he said.

AI expands the path to purchase

Despite the rapid uptake of AI, Australians are not abandoning retailer-owned channels. Even if AI could accurately answer every product question, 84% of Australians said they would still be likely to visit a retailer's website before, while 81% would still be likely to visit a physical store.

"AI can help a customer decide what they want, but it can't compensate for a poor experience when they are ready to buy. If the price they find is different, the product isn't available or the fulfilment options don't meet their expectations, retailers still risk losing that customer at the point that matters most," Sibal said.

"As AI becomes more influential earlier in the journey, retailers need to ensure they deliver a connected experience through to purchase. Consumers are arriving better informed and with clearer expectations, putting greater importance on the retailer's ability to turn that intent into an accurate and reliable purchase and fulfilment experience," he concluded.

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Methodology:

Manhattan Associates surveyed 500 Australian consumers.

About Manhattan Associates

Manhattan Associates is a global technology leader, providing supply chain and omnichannel commerce solutions with unmatched AI capabilities. We design, build and offer best-in-class, AI-powered, cloud-based solutions that drive resilience and efficiency for businesses. We enable enterprises to uniquely unify front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. 

Our commitment to innovation, cloud-native platform and API-first architecture create simpler experiences and faster paths to value for our customers. We empower them to preempt and react to emerging trends and global disruptions with technical expertise and operational confidence, transforming challenges into competitive advantage. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.