Fashion shoppers wary of AI buying on their behalf

ACI Worldwide has published research showing that most fashion shoppers do not want AI assistants buying items on their behalf. The survey found that only 7% would allow autonomous purchases without approval.

Based on responses from more than 3,300 consumers in the UK and US, the study points to a sharp divide between acceptance of AI as a shopping aid and resistance to AI making final spending decisions. More than half of respondents, 53%, said they were uncomfortable allowing an AI assistant to make purchases for them at all.

Consumers were far more receptive to AI tools that help them save money. Price-drop alerts and cross-retailer price comparisons were each selected by 35% of respondents as the most useful features, well ahead of personalised product suggestions at 18% and outfit recommendations at 17%.

The findings suggest that retailers exploring so-called agentic commerce may face a trust problem, particularly in fashion and sportswear, where purchase choices are often subjective and returns can be costly. Another 20% of respondents said they would accept recommendations from AI but not autonomous purchases, while 14% said every purchase would require manual approval.

The research also showed age differences. Interest in price-drop alerts was highest among shoppers aged 45 to 54, at 40%, compared with 27% among those aged 18 to 24.

Control and trust

The survey suggests shoppers draw a clear line between AI that supports decision-making and AI that replaces it. That distinction matters for retailers and payments groups investing in automated checkout tools, digital assistants and AI-led shopping journeys.

"Consumers are drawing a clear distinction between AI that helps them make better decisions and AI that makes decisions for them," said Adriana Iordan, Global Head of Merchant Product Management and Payment Intelligence at ACI Worldwide.

"Fashion shoppers see real value in AI tools that help them find better prices, but they're not ready to hand over the final purchase decision. For merchants, the challenge is making AI-driven purchases feel as secure and controllable as any other transaction," Iordan said.

Marie Driscoll, President of Retail Marketing Society, said the results reflected a preference for assistance rather than delegation.

"Shoppers are telling us they want AI to inform the purchase, not make it," Driscoll said.

"Price tools succeed because they add insight without removing control. Handing a fashion purchase decision to an agent is a much bigger leap of faith. The requisite trust will be earned when retailers prove that AI can be reliable, transparent and safely constrained, not just convenient," she added.

Payment failures

The research also underlines the commercial cost of failed online payments, whether a customer or an AI tool initiates the transaction. Among consumers who had experienced an online payment failure, 39% said they abandoned the purchase altogether.

Another 22% said they bought from another retailer after the payment failed, while 53% said they tried to complete the transaction using a different payment method. Respondents could select more than one answer, indicating that some shoppers take several steps when a checkout goes wrong.

For merchants, those numbers point to a direct link between payment reliability and conversion. If AI tools become more involved in shopping and checkout, failed authorisations or clumsy authentication could add another layer of friction at a point where consumers already appear cautious.

That may be particularly relevant in fashion retail, where comparison shopping is common and consumers can switch sellers quickly. A failed payment can turn a shopper away from a purchase altogether or send them directly to a rival site.

Survey scope

The poll was conducted online by YouGov for ACI Worldwide and covered 3,328 adults aged 18 to 65 across the UK and the US. The fashion findings were based on 3,194 respondents who buy clothing, footwear or accessories.

The results add to a wider debate over how far consumers are willing to let AI act independently in commerce. While the technology industry has promoted the idea of digital agents that can search, compare and complete purchases, the survey suggests many shoppers still want firm control over what is bought and when money leaves their account.

That leaves retailers with a narrower near-term opening for AI in shopping. Tools that surface discounts, compare prices and help narrow options appear to have more immediate appeal than systems that can complete a transaction without direct approval.

"As agentic commerce moves from concept to reality, merchants will need infrastructure that can securely authenticate transactions, manage risk and ensure payments are completed reliably," Iordan said. "Success will depend on creating seamless experiences that combine innovation with the transparency, control and safeguards consumers expect. ACI is helping merchants prepare for the future of agentic commerce by enabling secure, intelligent payment experiences that build confidence in AI-driven purchasing."