The State of AI in E‑commerce 2026
Between March and May 2026, Boost.space Research tested 113 large B2C retailers across the EU and US on 887 real consumer shopping queries against ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Overviews. This report shows who's losing customers before they ever reach the site — and the five quiet AI plays retailers are using to win them back.
113
large B2C retailers analyzed across the EU and US
55.8%
of queries returned an AI answer that didn't contain the retailer being tested
21%
of retailers are functionally invisible — found in fewer than 3 of 10 of their own category queries
The shopping journey has shifted. A growing share of buying decisions now starts inside a conversation with an AI assistant — and the brand that gets named there is the brand that wins. If you're not named, your catalog, your brand equity, and the SEO you've built over the last decade won't save you.
Across 113 retailers we analyzed, the average FOUND rate inside their own categories was 44.2%. Meaning: 56 times out of 100, the AI answer recommended someone else. This isn't a problem for next decade. It's happening now.
What's inside
The real performance of 113 retailers — FOUND rate by region, category and size, including the five brands that scored a flat zero.
Five real queries that show what "losing" looks like — anonymized prompts and the brands AI cited instead. "Best dive watch under $1,000." "Best sofa site in France." "Best period underwear for heavy flow."
The anatomy of AI invisibility — four patterns that recur across underperformers. Most invisible brands fail on three at once.
Five quiet AI plays for retail operations — Dynamic Pricing, Product Enrichment, Supplier Listing, Marketplace Growth, Campaign Personalization. With a 30/60/90 plan that ships.
This is for you if
You lead e-commerce, marketing or digital at a large B2C retailer (5,000+ SKUs, $50M+ revenue, 500+ employees or 50+ stores)
You sense AI search is changing the rules — but you don't know where your brand actually stands
You're considering investing in GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and want a real benchmark before you approve the budget
You're looking for concrete AI use cases for retail operations — not another customer-service chatbot
You're planning expansion into new markets or marketplaces and need a clean, structured catalog to ship
You need to present an AI-in-retail strategy to leadership with real numbers, not vendor slides
The Bottom Line
AI invisibility isn't one big problem. It's three small ones, stacked.
This report names which three. And what to do about them — without a transformation program, without a six-month RFP. Five concrete plays. Three months to the first measurable result.
23 pages. 113 retailers. 5 categories. 5 AI plays. Zero sales pitch.
Instant download. No sales call required.
Download this report
