Roughly half of Romanians used AI to compare products or services before making a purchase, according to “The eCommerce X-ray in Romania” study by easySales.
According to the study, which dissects consumer habits, 51.5% of Romanians have used and found ChatGPT or another AI tool useful to compare products or services before online purchases. Around 19% say they frequently use ChatGPT or other AIs to that end. Another 32% try them occasionally, while a quarter are curious but have not yet tested them.
ChatGPT dominates the AI scene in Romania with a crushing 82% of preferences, leaving Gemini at 13% and the rest at under 3%.
Despite the growing traction of AI, when it comes to general product information and reading reviews, Romanians still prefer traditional sources: 71.91% use Google to search for reviews and product details, while only 5.69% go directly to AI. Social networks such as Facebook (14.29%), TikTok (4.54%), which has surpassed Instagram (3.57%), play an important role in this information process, which also shows that Romanians are influenced by Social Media content.
When asked to rank trust regarding recommendations for purchasing a product or service online, Romanians place family and friends first, by a huge margin over other options, accounting for more than three-quarters of choices.
One in six Romanians relies on AI for trust, while influencers are at the bottom, with only 6% trust.
Nevertheless, social networks influence purchasing behavior more than expected, and no less than 58.3% of respondents say they have bought products just because they saw them promoted on social media, according to the survey.
In the context of rising prices, however, Romanians say they have also cut back on expenses. Roughly 64.9% have moderately or significantly reduced online spending due to rising prices, and a third reduced monthly spending by RON 100-250 (EUR 20-50).
Nearly 60% look for discounts or promotions when they shop, and a third become cautious with only purchases over RON 250. Over 80% pay more attention to delivery costs, and 45% say they first search for a product online and then go to physical stores to see or purchase it.
The data presented in the study by easySales were collected between July 16–30 from 1,036 respondents.
(Photo source: Arsenii Palivoda | Dreamstime.com)
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