{"id":85639,"date":"2025-03-24T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-24T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=85639"},"modified":"2025-03-24T10:43:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T17:43:02","slug":"ai-agent-retail-trends-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stories\/ai-agent-retail-trends-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"75% of Retailers Say AI Agents Will Be Essential to Compete"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Data from Salesforce&#8217;s sixth Connected Shoppers Report offers a glimpse into the future of retail<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-media-wrapping-container\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignright is-type-video is-provider-vidyard wp-block-embed-vidyard\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" async src=\"https:\/\/play.vidyard.com\/embed\/v4.js\"><\/script><img decoding=\"async\"  style=\"width: 100%; margin: auto; display: block;\"  class=\"vidyard-player-embed\"  src=\"https:\/\/play.vidyard.com\/vsgvNgW7bc9SVQ34GW94ZT.jpg\"  data-uuid=\"vsgvNgW7bc9SVQ34GW94ZT\"  data-v=\"4\"  data-type=\"inline\"  data-width=\"500\"  data-height=\"187\"\/>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Retailers are feeling pressure as costs mount, customer expectations rise, and technology gets increasingly complex, according to a new report from Salesforce, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/agentforce\/what-are-ai-agents\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">AI agents<\/a> offer a path forward. In fact, three out of four retailers believe AI agents, a type of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/artificial-intelligence\/what-is-ai\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">artificial intelligence (AI)<\/a> that can autonomously take action across business systems, will be vital for beating the competition within a year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Salesforce\u2019s sixth <em>Connected Shoppers Report<\/em>, based on dual surveys of 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 retail industry decision makers, underscores the increasing importance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/agentforce\/what-is-agentic-ai\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">agentic AI<\/a> in the retail sector. The report also highlights how retailers can navigate changing consumer preferences amid increasing fragmentation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-retailers-face-pressure-from-all-sides\"><strong>Retailers face pressure from all sides<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rising customer acquisition costs and mounting returns are squeezing retailers&#8217; margins as they also navigate inflation, competition, and consumers\u2019 evolving behaviors and preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"tableau-viz-embed-container \">\n\t<tableau-viz\n\t\tclass=\"tableau-viz-embed\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/views\/TopRetailChallengesTopRetailOpportunities\/Embed2?:language=en-US&#038;:sid=&#038;:redirect=auth&#038;:display_count=n&#038;:origin=viz_share_link\"\n\t\ttoolbar=\"hidden\"\n\t\thide-tabs\n\t><\/tableau-viz>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>To efficiently serve customers across vast and expanding touchpoints, <strong>retailers\u2019 top two strategies are <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/artificial-intelligence\/what-is-ai\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>AI<\/strong><\/a><strong> and <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/commerce\/unified-commerce\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>unified commerce<\/strong><\/a>, a concept Salesforce champions as a way to drive revenue without adding operational costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>When retailers connect their sales channels, customer data, and operations in one platform, they create seamless shopping experiences both online and in-store.<\/p>\n<cite>Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen retailers connect their sales channels, customer data, and operations in one platform, they create seamless shopping experiences both online and in-store,\u201d said Michelle Grant, Director of Retail Strategy and Insights at Salesforce. \u201cThis unified approach boosts productivity and drives growth throughout the business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-meanwhile-the-shopper-journey-gets-increasingly-complex\"><strong>Meanwhile, the shopper journey gets increasingly complex<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Consumers\u2019 shifting behaviors lead to increasingly complex shopping journeys. While physical stores remain vital, their purchase share is declining \u2014 from 45% in 2024 to a projected 41% by 2026. Digital spending is fragmenting across a constellation of marketplaces, retailer websites, brand sites, and delivery apps, rather than consolidating into a single channel.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"85642-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"576\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85642\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=768&amp;h=432 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1024&amp;h=576 1024w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1536&amp;h=864 1536w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=264&amp;h=149 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=500&amp;h=281 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=678&amp;h=381 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=150&amp;h=84 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=314&amp;h=177 314w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=343&amp;h=193 343w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1414&amp;h=796 1414w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1218&amp;h=685 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<div id=\"85642-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large prevent-download\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85642\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=768&amp;h=432 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1024&amp;h=576 1024w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1536&amp;h=864 1536w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=264&amp;h=149 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=500&amp;h=281 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=678&amp;h=381 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=150&amp;h=84 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=314&amp;h=177 314w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=343&amp;h=193 343w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1414&amp;h=796 1414w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-Purchase-volumes.png?w=1218&amp;h=685 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-retailers-see-ai-agents-as-a-way-forward\"><strong>Retailers see AI agents as a way forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Retailers are deepening their commitment to AI, with 76% saying they&#8217;re increasing investment over the next year. As adoption continues, customer service emerges as retail\u2019s top agent use case. Here, agents automatically respond to inquiries, track orders, and manage returns any time, day or night, so human reps can focus on higher-value interactions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Velia Carboni, CIO of Salesforce customer SharkNinja, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/press-releases\/2025\/01\/14\/shark-ninja-agentforce-customer-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">described<\/a> Agentforce, the agentic layer of the Salesforce Platform, as \u201ckey to helping us build a community that keeps consumers coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond customer service, retailers anticipate agents to extend across many other tasks and departments \u2014 from optimizing websites and marketing campaigns to training store associates and managing inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAI agents represent the next wave of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/retail\/ai\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">retail AI<\/a> innovation \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/agentforce\/digital-labor\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">digital labor<\/a> that promises to reshape how retailers scale their workforces, serve and market to customers, and streamline operations,\u201d said Grant.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"tableau-viz-embed-container \">\n\t<tableau-viz\n\t\tclass=\"tableau-viz-embed\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/shared\/K7F8GWZ97?:display_count=n&#038;:origin=viz_share_link\"\n\t\ttoolbar=\"hidden\"\n\t\thide-tabs\n\t><\/tableau-viz>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-unified-commerce-boosts-ai-capabilities\"><strong>Unified commerce boosts AI capabilities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>AI agents need access to data across retail systems to work effectively. With better, more unified data, agents can provide more personalized and real-time responses. But many retailers\u2019 systems together are disconnected, creating challenges for employees and shoppers alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>81% of retailers say inefficient processes and technology drain store associate productivity.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meanwhile, 49% of shoppers have abandoned purchases due to friction in the ordering process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, 86% of retailers have unified commerce initiatives underway. By connecting cross-channel and cross-departmental operations on a single platform, unified commerce improves efficiency and shopper experience \u2014 and helps power AI.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image__wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large prevent-download\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"wp-block-image__modal-toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" data-modal-id=\"85641-modal\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Open Image Modal<\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"576\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=768&amp;h=432 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1024&amp;h=576 1024w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1536&amp;h=864 1536w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=264&amp;h=149 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=500&amp;h=281 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=678&amp;h=381 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=150&amp;h=84 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=314&amp;h=177 314w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=343&amp;h=193 343w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1414&amp;h=796 1414w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1218&amp;h=685 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<div id=\"85641-modal\" class=\"image-modal\" aria-hidden=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"image-dialog-title\"><div class=\"image-modal__overlay\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-a11y-dialog-hide><\/div><div class=\"image-modal__content\" role=\"dialog\"><button class=\"image-modal__close-button\" type=\"button\" data-a11y-dialog-hide aria-label=\"Close this image dialog window\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 26 25\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" fill=\"currentColor\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><rect x=\".626\" y=\"22.753\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(-45 .626 22.753)\"\/><rect x=\"2.747\" y=\".125\" width=\"32\" height=\"3\" rx=\"1.5\" transform=\"rotate(45 2.747 .125)\"\/><\/svg><\/button><h1 id=\"image-dialog-title\" class=\"screen-reader-text\">Image Modal<\/h1>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large prevent-download\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1024\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-85641\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=300&amp;h=169 300w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=768&amp;h=432 768w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1024&amp;h=576 1024w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1536&amp;h=864 1536w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=264&amp;h=149 264w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=500&amp;h=281 500w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=678&amp;h=381 678w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=150&amp;h=84 150w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=314&amp;h=177 314w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=343&amp;h=193 343w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1414&amp;h=796 1414w, https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/Connected-Shopper-UC-benefits.png?w=1218&amp;h=685 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shoppers-show-readiness-for-the-ai-era\"><strong>Shoppers show readiness for the AI era<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The retail transformation isn\u2019t one-sided. Consumers are already exploring AI in their shopping journeys, with <strong>39% of shoppers \u2014 and 54% of Gen Z \u2014 using AI for product discovery<\/strong>. Gen Z shoppers are 10x more likely than baby boomers to say they frequently use AI this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For AI agents specifically, shoppers show strong interest in optimizing loyalty points, managing returns, and more. Shoppers\u2019 #2 agent use case \u2014 customer service \u2014 aligns with retailers\u2019 own priorities. Younger generations are more open to agents taking initiative: <strong>63% of Gen Z shoppers are interested in agents purchasing items on their behalf.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"tableau-viz-embed-container \">\n\t<tableau-viz\n\t\tclass=\"tableau-viz-embed\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/views\/ShopperInterestinAgentUseCases\/Embed4?:language=en-US&#038;:sid=&#038;:redirect=auth&#038;:display_count=n&#038;:origin=viz_share_link\"\n\t\ttoolbar=\"hidden\"\n\t\thide-tabs\n\t><\/tableau-viz>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For shoppers to embrace AI agents making decisions on their behalf, trust is essential. When asked what would increase their trust in agents, shoppers ranked these factors highest:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Data privacy and security protections&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ability to easily turn it off\/on&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Require approval before any purchase&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transparency over how data is used&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Available human customer service backup<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe data is clear: retailers and shoppers are both moving toward an AI agent future,\u201d said Grant. \u201cBut success depends on addressing both sides of the equation \u2014 building the connected technology foundation retailers need while delivering the trust and transparency shoppers demand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-more-information\">More information:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Read the full <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/resources\/research-reports\/connected-shoppers-report\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Connected Shoppers Report<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/form\/industries\/retail\/retail-cloud-demo\/?d=cta-body-promo-8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salesforce Retail Cloud<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<aside class=\"contextual-driver has-text-align-left contextual-driver--einstein\">\n\t<header class=\"tidbit-header\">\n\t\t<h2 class=\"tidbit-head\">\n\t\t\tUnlock More Insights.\t\t<\/h2>\n\t<\/header>\n\t<div class=\"tidbit-body\">\n\t\t<p><\/p>\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"tidbit-link label\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"label has-right-arrow has-right-arrow--small\" href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/stat-library\/?d=cta-body-promo-8%20\u00a0%20\u00a0%20\u00a0\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t<span>CHECK OUT THE SALESFORCE STAT LIBRARY<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 10\">\n\t<path d=\"M13.92 5.38a1 1 0 000-.76.9.9 0 00-.17-.26.25.25 0 000-.07l-4-4a1 1 0 00-1.46 1.42L10.59 4H1.07a1 1 0 000 2h9.52l-2.3 2.29a1 1 0 000 1.42 1 1 0 001.42 0l4-4a.25.25 0 000-.07.9.9 0 00.21-.26z\" \/>\n<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<img class=\"tidbit img-einstein\"\n\t\tsrcset=\"\n\t\t\thttps:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/newsroom\/assets\/images\/article-tidbit-einstein-large@0.5x.png 84w,\n\t\t\thttps:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/newsroom\/assets\/images\/article-tidbit-einstein-large@1x.png 168w,\n\t\t\thttps:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/newsroom\/assets\/images\/article-tidbit-einstein-large@2x.png 336w\n\t\t\"\n\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/news\/wp-content\/themes\/newsroom\/assets\/images\/article-tidbit-einstein-large@1x.png\"\n\t\talt=\"Illustration of einstein\"\n\t\tsizes=\"(min-width:1024px) 175px, 130px\"\n\t>\n\t<\/aside>\n\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-methodology\">Methodology<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Data in this report is from two double-anonymous surveys conducted November 27 through December 26, 2024. The surveys generated responses from 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 retail industry decision-makers across 21 countries in North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. For more demographic information, please refer to the full \u201cConnected Shoppers\u201d report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Data from Salesforce&#8217;s sixth Connected Shoppers Report offers a glimpse into the future of retail Retailers are feeling pressure as costs mount, customer expectations rise, and technology gets increasingly complex, according to a new report from Salesforce, but AI agents offer a path forward. In fact, three out of four retailers believe AI agents, a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":85651,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sf_subhead":"","sf_i18n_disclaimer":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"alternateThumbnailId":0,"sf_product_cta_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"sf_content_type":[1728],"sf_theme":[1916],"sf_topic":[20528,1737,1726],"sf_product":[],"sf_industry":[1762],"sf_role":[],"sf_multimedia_asset":[],"sf_location":[1798],"sf_collection":[],"sf_visibility":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-85639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","sf_content_type-snapshots","sf_theme-artificial-intelligence","sf_topic-agents","sf_topic-artificial-intelligence","sf_topic-digital-transformation","sf_industry-retail","sf_location-global"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - 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