Akeneo has shared the findings from its latest UK b2c study The Evolution of the Modern Shopper, which shows that consumers are putting their faith in AI-powered virtual agents (67 per cent) and luxury brand websites (68 per cent) as the most reliable places to check product details, ahead of physical stores (62 per cent), resale platforms (54 per cent) and influencer content (50 per cent). Social media ranks last, with only 31 per cent of shoppers calling it reliable.
“Shoppers aren’t short on content; they’re short on clarity,” said Romain Fouache, CEO at Akeneo. “Our research shows customers are actively seeking out the channels that give them confidence, and they’ll pay more when brands provide complete, trustworthy product information. The winners will be those that treat product data as a strategic asset and build a single, governed foundation that powers every experience, including AI.”
Key UK findings
· 68 per cent say luxury brand websites offer the most reliable product information
· 67 per cent rate AI agents highly for product content reliability
· Physical stores (62 per cent) and influencer content (50 per cent) trail behind
· Only 31 per cent consider social media a reliable source of product information
These preferences mirror broader dynamics in the report: poor product data continues to undermine the customer experience, and returns remain an expensive symptom of bad information. At the same time, consumers place growing monetary value on clear, comprehensive content, with shoppers willing to pay 25–30 per cent more for products accompanied by high-quality information.
“Whether it’s size and fit, sustainability credentials, compatibility, or care instructions, shoppers expect the full story, and they expect it to be consistent across web, store, marketplace and now AI assistants,” added Fouache. “That level of reliability doesn’t happen by accident. It requires clean, structured, enriched data that’s continuously governed and activated to every channel.”
AI is only as good as your product data. As shoppers increasingly consult AI agents for answers, brands and retailers must ensure those systems read from a single source of truth or risk confident-sounding, incorrect answers that erode trust.
Omnichannel consistency closes the sale. With 76 per cent of shoppers engaging multiple touchpoints before purchase, discrepancies between the website, store, marketplace listings and AI answers create confusion, abandoned baskets and returns.
Trust converts as well as protects margin. Clear, complete product content reduces uncertainty, lowers return risk and justifies premium pricing.
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