A latest analysis shows that ChatGPT’s role as a traffic diversion channel for e-commerce websites and mobile applications is increasing during this year’s “Black Friday” shopping season, but its proportion in the overall traffic plate is still very limited. Statistics from Apptopia, a mobile application data analysis company, pointed out that during the Black Friday shopping weekend from Thanksgiving Thursday to Sunday, the number of sessions directed by ChatGPT to retailer mobile applications increased by 28% year-on-year.
However, this diversion effect is currently more beneficial to head platforms rather than small and medium-sized retailers. Data shows that Amazon’s share of all retail application diversion from ChatGPT has reached 54% this year, higher than 40.5% in 2024; Walmart’s share jumped to 14.9% from 2.7% last year. Analysts believe that when users search for offers or product information through AI chatbots, they are more likely to be directed to the platforms of these e-commerce giants, thereby further consolidating their market position.
Apptopia stated that the above data comes from its US user sample panel and is an estimate based on the statistics of user behavior observed on mobile devices, rather than the platform's own data. For this study, the company defined a “diversion session” as a retail mobile app session that occurs within 30 seconds of the end of a ChatGPT session. In other words, as long as the user immediately opens or switches to a retail application after interacting with ChatGPT, it will be regarded as a traffic diversion facilitated by ChatGPT.
Despite the significant year-on-year growth, AI chatbots are still a "niche channel" in e-commerce diversion. Apptopia pointed out that on Black Friday in 2024, ChatGPT-oriented e-commerce application sessions will only account for 0.64% of all ChatGPT sessions; this year, this proportion has only increased to 0.82%. In terms of statistics, as long as ChatGPT provides users with shopping inspiration and product selection suggestions, or users directly click on links in the conversation to jump to retail applications, they will be counted as diversion sessions.
In addition to Apptopia, Adobe also monitored the impact of AI traffic on retail websites during the holiday shopping season. Data released by Adobe this week shows that as measured by "users accessing retail websites by clicking on links generated by AI chat," AI-sourced traffic to U.S. retail websites on Black Friday in 2025 surged 805% year-on-year, and those users who arrived at retail websites through AI diversion were 38% more likely to complete a purchase than other users. In addition, on Cyber Monday, AI traffic directed to U.S. retail websites increased by 670% year-on-year; during the entire holiday shopping season from November 1 to December 1, AI-related traffic overall increased by approximately 760% year-on-year.
Comprehensive data from multiple parties shows that the presence of AI chatbots in consumers’ shopping decision-making links is increasing, especially during holiday promotions. However, in terms of absolute proportion, AI tools such as ChatGPT still occupy a small share in mobile applications and website traffic. Their impact on the overall e-commerce landscape is more like adding icing on the cake to the top platforms rather than immediately changing the rules of the game. For small and medium-sized retailers, how to use AI channels to obtain more exposure and conversions is still a challenge that has yet to be explored.