AI Reshapes Ecommerce: Similarweb Report Reveals Hybrid Shopper Journeys — Similarweb Ltd.

Event summary

Similarweb's State of Ecommerce 2026 report highlights AI's growing role in shopper journeys, with 89% of consumers using both AI and search.
Direct referrals from AI platforms increased 200% YoY but generate less immediate traffic than search, though AI recommendations significantly influence purchase decisions.
Ecommerce app sessions grew at 1.3x the rate of web visits, with 86.5% of U.S. consumers primarily shopping on mobile devices.
Global B2C ecommerce revenue is projected to reach $4.9 trillion by 2030, a 27% increase from 2026.
Clothing, shoes, and jewelry saw the strongest growth in U.S. marketplaces, with unit sales up 33.7%, while electronics grew only 1.5%.

The big picture

Similarweb's report underscores the accelerating shift toward AI-assisted shopping, where consumers stack tools rather than replace them. This hybrid approach demands new strategies from retailers to capture high-intent shoppers. The projected $4.9 trillion ecommerce market by 2030 highlights the stakes for brands that fail to adapt to these evolving discovery paths.

What we're watching

AI Integration: How retailers will adapt to hybrid AI-search shopping journeys to improve conversion rates.
Mobile Dominance: The pace at which ecommerce app usage will outpace web visits, and its impact on retailer strategies.
Category Shifts: Whether the strong growth in apparel and jewelry will sustain, and how electronics will respond.