Agentic Commerce
March 2, 2026 More than a third of Germans can imagine using AI-based shopping assistants. At the same time, almost two thirds want to actively approve every purchase.
Image: Sebastian Halm/AI generated by ChatGPT
This is shown by a current survey commissioned by Unzer – and provides retailers with information about where automation is being accepted.
Image: Sebastian Halm/AI generated by ChatGPT
37 percent of consumers think it is likely to use AI-based shopping assistants, reports Unzer Group GmbH with reference to a representative Insa survey. At the same time, 64 percent insist that every step must be confirmed by buyers before completing a purchase. This makes it clear: The majority wants AI to provide support, not as an autonomous decision-making authority.
For retailers, this means: Assistance functions such as product recommendations or offer comparisons meet with openness – while fully automated purchase transactions meet with restraint.
As usual, younger target groups are much more open
Acceptance varies greatly by age. While 38 percent of 18 to 29 year olds are skeptical about AI shopping assistants, this proportion increases significantly with age and reaches 75 percent of those over 70 years old.
There are also differences between the genders: 41 percent of men believe the use of AI assistants is likely, while the figure is 32 percent of women. Conversely, 57 percent of women rate the technology cautiously, compared to 52 percent of men. At the same time, depending on the application, between 51 and 65 percent of those surveyed would like AI to make shopping easier – for example by saving time, making suitable product recommendations or cheaper offers.
Automation is a possible scenario for routine purchases
When asked about fully automated, so-called agentic shopping assistants, a clear pattern emerges: 22 percent see potential for use in recurring purchases such as cleaning products, 21 percent in food, 19 percent in clothing and 18 percent in gifts.
The willingness is significantly lower for more sensitive product categories: only 14 percent would use autonomous systems for insurance or financial services, 12 percent for subscriptions. “AI should support, personalize and simplify, but not act autonomously”says Chief Commercial Officer of Unzer. For retailers, this means: Automation is likely to initially prevail where it offers concrete relief in everyday life – not for complex or advice-intensive purchasing decisions.
