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How do you categorize shoppers and how do LLMs serve all three types?

E-commerceAI Product

Drawn from Lutz Finger's Forbes column, LinkedIn writing, and Cornell teaching. Sources are cited inline so you can read the originals.

LLMs now serve inspirational, research, and high-intent shoppers equally well.

In my UX research, I classify shoppers into three categories. Inspirational shoppers browse without a clear goal, often on Instagram or TikTok. Research shoppers are eager to learn and explore the best option, diving into Reddit threads or YouTube reviews. High-intent shoppers are ready to buy but looking for specific product information, visiting brand websites and combing through reviews. It’s easy to see how all these needs can now be met through a conversation with LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity.

Study Shows LLM Conversion Rate Is 9x Better — AEO Is Coming · Forbes


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