A Shift in Digital Shopping Patterns
Major sale seasons, specifically in November, are witnessing a radical shift in consumer behavior, as it is no longer limited to waiting for "Black Friday" or "11.11." Recent data indicates that consumers, especially in the Turkish market, have become more planned and cautious, with an increasing reliance on digital tools and artificial intelligence to verify the feasibility of offers.
According to data from PwC and RTB House reports, the percentage of consumers planning to shop during November sales in Turkey has risen to 94%, with 61% of them beginning the planning and research process long before official campaigns start. This trend reflects the consumer's desire to avoid price manipulation, as more than 54% of shoppers review price history, while nearly half use price comparison websites and applications to ensure they get the best value.
Artificial Intelligence: From Decision Making to Research Assistance
The role of artificial intelligence is emerging as a new and influential element in this process, but not in the way some might imagine. Instead of granting AI the authority to make the final purchase decision, consumers currently tend to use it as a "Research Assistant."
Figures show that about 20% of consumers plan to use AI for their purchases this season, and their uses are concentrated in the following areas:
- Comparing specifications: Analyzing product features and reviews (33%).
- Verifying credibility: Ensuring that discounts are real and not fake (29%).
- Personalized search: Finding products that meet specific needs (27%).
- Price comparison: Navigating between different brands (25%).
Despite this reliance, there is still a trust gap; only a small percentage (about 12% in Turkey) is willing to grant AI Agents the authority to complete the purchase process on their behalf, indicating that the current role of technology is to enhance the ability to evaluate rather than replace human will.
What Is Changing Practically for Brands?
This shift in behavior imposes new technical and strategic challenges on companies and online stores. It is no longer enough to offer a large discount; the brand must be "readable" by machines and intelligent agents.
Key required changes:
- Optimizing data for engines and agents: Product data (inventory, variants, delivery time, and return conditions) must be accurate, updated, and technically organized so that AI agents can easily read and understand them when making comparisons.
- Digital transparency: With the increased use of price history tracking tools, transparency in displaying discounts becomes an indispensable necessity for building trust.
- Visibility in the pre-campaign phase: Since planning begins early, focusing on visibility during the research and comparison stages (before the actual sale day) is key to ensuring the product makes it onto the consumer's "shortlist."
In conclusion, it seems that the winners of the upcoming sale seasons will not only be those who offer the lowest prices, but those who succeed in building a reliable and transparent data ecosystem that can earn the trust of both the human consumer and their digital agent alike.