Bazaarvoice Shopper Experience Index 2025: As AI search grows in popularity, ratings and reviews feed LLMs
Brands and retailers can utilize authentic ratings and reviews to surface their products in AI-generated recommendations
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bazaarvoice, the leading platform for authentic ratings and reviews and social commerce solutions, today announced the key findings from its 18th-annual Shopper Experience Index consumer survey. The 2025 survey, which polled over 7,000 consumers across multiple countries, reveals a shift in consumer behavior driven by economic pressures and the evolution of digital shopping.
Global takeaways include:
Consumers are more active in their search for products using GenAI, especially younger ones: With all of the bombardment of ads and product suggestions found on the internet, a quarter (24%) of consumers said they prefer to search for products themselves. Almost 1-in-4 respondents said they’ve used a generative AI tool to search for a product instead of a search engine – that number jumps to 41% when it comes to those aged 18-34. Over half (55%) of consumers trust generative AI tools and shopping agents such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini for at least some things – while 75% of those 18-34 said the same.
“AI shopping assistants are fundamentally changing how consumers discover products,” said Doug Straton, Bazaarvoice CMO. “Unlike traditional search that relies on keywords, AI systems are analyzing customer reviews to understand products’ real-world product performance and make recommendations. A study done by Columbia and Yale researchers found that products with both high ratings and high review volumes get the strongest preference boost from AI agents. Brands need to prioritize AI search strategies to influence how their products are surfaced. The best way to do so is to proactively provide authentic, trustworthy user-generated content that will define the top AI-generated recommendations of tomorrow.”
Private labels have shed their stigma and become shopping staples: The survey found that 86% of consumers have purchased a private label product in the last six months, a sharp increase from 64% in 2024. More significantly, 73% of consumers have permanently switched some of their staple products to private label, up from 46% the previous year.
Foot traffic in-store has increased 4X: While some shoppers are embracing AI search, others are making a return to physical stores. The percentage of consumers who exclusively shop in-store surged from 7% in 2024 to 29% in 2025. The percentage of shoppers who "only shop online" dropped sharply from 13% to just 5%. While a mix of in-store and online shopping remains common, the data points to a clear recalibration of the retail landscape.
To learn more, read Bazaarvoice’s blog.
Research methodology
The research was commissioned by Bazaarvoice and conducted in July 2025 by Savanta among over 7,000 consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, and Canada.
About Bazaarvoice
At Bazaarvoice, we believe the authentic voice of the customer is the most powerful force in commerce. As the leader in ratings and reviews, we empower thousands of global brands and retailers to harness this voice to build smarter shopping experiences across the entire customer journey. Our platform allows our clients to collect, display, and syndicate billions of pieces of user-generated content, from ratings and reviews to social and creator content, at a global scale. By connecting brands and consumers through trustworthy content, we help drive revenue, build loyalty, and provide the actionable insights that create confident shoppers. Learn more at https://www.bazaarvoice.com/
Media Contact
Lauren Venticinque
lauren.venticinque@bazaarvoice.com
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