Consumers are increasingly using AI to find cashback, lower prices, promotions, and better alternatives, and that behavior is rapidly pulling e-commerce marketing budgets away from traditional digital advertising channels.
New research from Northwestern University’s Retail Analytics Council and Minty, shared at EMARKETER’s The Future of Digital summit yesterday in New York City, found e-commerce marketers plan to put 63 cents of every new marketing dollar toward AI commerce tools and cashback and savings apps rather than traditional digital advertising.
The Proactive Commerce Index surveyed 150 senior commerce decision-makers, 98% of them from companies with more than $100 million in annual revenue.
The study found the distribution layer of commerce is being replaced by AI and savings ecosystems. Seventy nine percent of those surveyed expect their primary customer to be assisted by AI in 2027.
Cashback apps, deal platforms and price-comparison tools now outrank advertising, loyalty programs, retail media, and creator marketing as the most helpful channels for shoppers. The majority (81%) of respondents agree that cashback and savings tools are the most helpful form of marketing for shoppers making purchase decisions.
Two thirds of marketers believe AI will be their primary shopping gateway for reaching shoppers in 2027, and more than half of them are pairing AI with savings ecosystems. Only 18% believe traditional search will be their primary way to reach shoppers and just 13% see social in that role in 2027.
Half are prepared to market to AI agents and 38% are running proactive commerce, total value messaging delivered to shoppers before their behavior triggers traditional marketing messaging. Another 36% are moving toward proactive commerce.
Among those who see the shift to AI and proactive commerce, 61% are increasing investment or reallocating budget toward cashback and savings apps. Internally, across brands, these channels are being promoted from tactic to infrastructure with 16% of leaders calling it “core or strategic” in marketing today, but 41% expect it to be so by 2027. They are also elevating cashback and savings apps in performance marketing budgets from 18% today to 30% in 2027.
“This isn’t marketers tweaking a line item,” said Frank Dudley, Associate Director of the Retail Analytics Council at Northwestern University. “They’re responding to a fundamental shift in how products are discovered and chosen. As consumers increasingly rely on AI to compare prices, evaluate alternatives, and maximize value, brands are reallocating investment toward the channels and capabilities that influence those decisions.”
“Buying decisions are moving earlier in the e-commerce purchase funnel,” noted Rodney Mason, Chief Marketing Officer of Minty. “Proactive commerce, delivering total-value-messaging to shoppers and their AI agents before they search, click or abandon a cart,” is already being practiced by the largest market leaders and the majority of respondents intend to do so in 2027.”
