2026-07-27

PwC NZ Finds AI Is Reshaping How Consumers Discover and Buy

Summary

PwC New Zealand research shows AI is already influencing how consumers discover, compare and purchase products. The findings create new priorities for retailers, CRM teams and software providers, including structured product data and AI visibility. Businesses are also being urged to prepare for agentic commerce while maintaining governance and trust.

Our Analysis

• We believe this signals that CRM strategies must account for AI-mediated product discovery, not just conventional search.
• Our team sees structured customer and product data becoming a commercial differentiator.
• Agentic purchasing will require stronger consent, auditability and integration across sales workflows.

Full Story

PwC New Zealand says artificial intelligence is becoming a significant new layer in the customer journey, with implications for retailers, CRM teams and digital commerce operators.

In research published on 21 July, PwC surveyed 1,000 New Zealand consumers who had used AI during shopping. AI tools ranked as the third-most-used channel for product research, behind search engines and retailer websites or apps. Forty-four percent of respondents said AI had reduced their use of search engines when researching purchases.

The findings also point to growing automation of commercial decision-making. Consumers are using AI to compare products and prices, research purchases and find inspiration, while 31 percent said they would be comfortable allowing an AI agent to complete a purchase on their behalf.

PwC recommends that businesses improve product data, monitor how their brands appear in AI-mediated recommendations and begin preparing customer-facing AI experiences. For New Zealand software developers and CRM providers, the report signals rising demand for structured data, conversational interfaces and systems that connect marketing, sales and commerce workflows. It also highlights the need for governance, transparency and trusted customer experiences as AI-assisted purchasing expands.