AI in E-Commerce: Online Stores overlook valuable potential

No technology is currently impacting the business world as profoundly as AI. New tools are constantly emerging, and more and more companies are integrating them into their processes. AI is also making waves in e-commerce—from content creation and product recommendations to improved customer support and fraud prevention. AI-powered tools optimize existing workflows and unlock entirely new possibilities.

But how advanced is the actual adoption of AI in online retail? This study by uptain reveals, for the first time, the extent to which online stores are using AI. The results show: Much potential remains untapped.

The Majority Has Already Tested AI

The majority of surveyed online store operators (71%) have used AI for their online store at least once. This number shows that acceptance and awareness of AI in the industry is relatively high. However, more than a quarter (29%) have never used AI. Despite the ongoing headlines about artificial intelligence, many online store operators have not yet made use of this technology.

Possible reasons could include a lack of technical knowledge or uncertainties about integrating AI into existing systems. The effort required for setup may also be a deterrent. Additionally, some may doubt whether AI actually provides significant benefits.

AI is not yet an integral part of daily business

The majority of online store operators (55%) use AI weekly or even more frequently. However, only 12% use the technology daily, and a mere 8% apply it multiple times a day. While AI has secured a place in many online stores, it is not yet fully integrated into everyday operations. Additionally, 45% of online stores report using AI less than once a week. Thus, a significant portion of online shops are far from leveraging AI as a core part of their strategy.

The results of this survey suggest that many online stores use AI only sporadically—for example, to create a product description or for marketing campaigns. However, much of AI’s potential unfolds only when deeply integrated into business processes and used continuously. So far, only a few online stores are taking advantage of this.

AI potential remains untapped in many areas

For this study, online store operators reported in which areas they are already using AI. Content creation was mentioned most frequently, followed by marketing. This is hardly surprising—tools like ChatGPT are particularly prominent in this context. Many shop operators use them, for example, for newsletters or social media posts.

Apart from this application, AI is still rarely used in many other promising areas. There are already numerous promising AI tools for data analysis, forecasting, pricing, fraud prevention, and product recommendations. Nevertheless, fewer than half (41%) of online stores rely on AI in these areas. There are many obstacles: lack of technical knowledge, organizational bottlenecks, or simply hesitation toward new, complex systems. The fact is: despite many effective AI tools on the market, online stores are still only using a few. There is still a lot of untapped potential.

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