Go Up has warned retailers to prepare for a rise in AI-led shopping research ahead of Black Friday 2026, citing new figures that show sharp growth in AI-related search demand and retail referral traffic.
The warning comes as retailers reassess how shoppers discover products online. Based on Go Up's analysis of worldwide search demand, searches for "AI shopping" rose by 1,134% year on year, while searches for "AI shopping assistant" increased by 872%.
Separate industry research cited by the agency found traffic from AI platforms to UK retail websites rose by more than 1,200% between August 2024 and June 2025. In November and December 2025, AI-driven referrals were 329% higher than a year earlier.
Consumer use of these tools has also widened. Research referenced by Go Up found 67% of UK consumers had used an AI tool in the previous three months. Around half of European shoppers who used generative AI during a purchase used it for product research or brand discovery, while roughly four in 10 used it to compare options.
Tom Skinner, Co-founder and Managing Director, Go Up, said retailers now need to think beyond conventional search rankings.
"Retailers have spent the past 20 years learning how to appear when someone searches on Google. They now need to understand what happens when the customer asks an AI assistant to do the searching for them," he said.
He said the shift could reshape the early stages of the buying journey, particularly during major discount periods when shoppers compare large numbers of products and offers.
"This Black Friday, retailers will not only be competing for rankings and clicks. They will be competing to appear in the shortlist an AI assistant produces before a shopper visits a single website," he said.
Go Up said this creates a new challenge for brands that already perform well in standard search results. A retailer may rank strongly for a product query but still fail to appear when an AI tool is asked to compare products, explain trade-offs or recommend an item for a specific need.
Changing search
Skinner said the shift reflects a broader change in how product research is carried out online. He pointed to the launch of Shopping Research in ChatGPT shortly before Black Friday 2025, which allowed users to set requirements and receive a guide comparing products and trade-offs.
He said the 2026 shopping season will be the first after a full year in which brands have had time to test how their products appear in AI-led research.
"Traditional SEO remains important because search engines and retail websites still provide much of the information AI tools rely on. But appearing in conventional search results is now only part of the job," he said.
He said product pages need enough information for both shoppers and AI systems to assess what an item is, who it is for and how it compares with alternatives.
"AI assistants need enough information to understand what a product is, who it is for, where it performs well and how it compares with the alternatives. Thin product descriptions and generic Black Friday copy give them very little to work with," he said.
He added that retailers should review whether product pages answer practical questions on dimensions, compatibility, use cases, limitations, delivery, returns, reviews and comparisons.
Broader signals
Olivia Bennett, Senior Digital PR Account Director, Go Up, said AI tools are helping consumers cut through crowded markets by narrowing options before they visit a retailer's site.
"Black Friday can be exhausting for shoppers. There may be hundreds of offers, repeated promotional claims and very little obvious difference between one product and another," she said.
"AI can reduce that noise. Instead of opening 15 tabs, shoppers can describe what they need, set a budget and ask for a manageable shortlist," she said.
She said that does not mean shoppers will accept the first answer without question, but it does mean the first phase of product consideration is changing.
Earlier UK retail analysis cited by the agency found visitors arriving through AI-powered platforms spent 23% longer on retail sites than those coming through traditional sources.
Bennett said retailers cannot rely on product pages alone because AI systems may encounter a brand through reviews, media coverage, buying guides, customer discussions, LinkedIn profiles and independent comparisons.
"This is where digital PR has a much broader role than link building. The coverage surrounding a backlink helps explain what a brand is known for, which subjects its spokespeople understand and why it should be trusted," she said.
She said inconsistent or weak information across those sources could hurt a brand's chances of appearing in AI-generated recommendations during Black Friday.
"Digital PR was largely left out of the early conversation around AI search, but that is changing. Brands now need to identify the discussions they should genuinely be part of and build a consistent presence across credible media coverage, expert commentary, reviews, owned content and visible spokespeople," she said.
Skinner said retailers should test likely customer questions around products and categories, then record whether their brands are recommended, merely mentioned or missing from AI-generated answers.
"Retailers should be recording whether they are recommended, merely mentioned or missing from the answer altogether. They also need to check whether the descriptions, prices and product details being presented are accurate," he said.
He said retailers should also examine why competitors appear more prominently, including whether rival brands offer stronger product information, clearer comparisons, better reviews or more credible third-party coverage.
"AI recommendations are shaped by the wider information available about a brand and its products. Improving that picture may involve content, product data, reviews, digital PR and third-party authority. It takes time, so the work needs to begin while Black Friday campaigns are still being planned, not once the offers are live," he said.