Retailers Score Average 65 on AI Readiness
A test sending an AI shopping agent to 200 UK and US retailers found furniture and baby stores led while fashion trailed.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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Blend Commerce sent an AI shopping agent to 200 UK and US retailers to score how ready each is for AI-driven shopping. The average score across the study was 65 out of 100.
Why it matters
Planned AI use among UK shoppers for Black Friday rose from 19% in 2025 to 34% in 2026, according to a YouGov report, making retailer readiness a growing factor in sales. Scores show wide gaps between sectors that could affect which stores capture AI-assisted purchases.
The test scored each of 200 retailers out of 100 across access, product discovery, product comprehension, and basket-to-checkout, with the average at 65. Heal's led UK furniture retailers with 94, Slumberland led US furniture retailers with 90, and 29 of 200 retailers refused the AI shopping agent at the door.
The players
Blend Commerce
Blend Commerce is the firm that ran the AI shopping agent test across 200 UK and US retailers.
YouGov
YouGov is a market research firm whose report found planned UK AI use for Black Friday rose to 34%.
The details
Each of 20 sectors included 10 retailers, five from the US and five from the UK. Baby and nursery retailers averaged 88 out of 100, while fashion retailers averaged 49. Among furniture retailers, three of 10 included delivery and returns in product data, and seven of 10 were missing barcode numbers.
Timeline
2025: Planned UK AI use for Black Friday stood at 19%.
2026: Planned UK AI use for Black Friday reached 34%.
6 November 2026: Article published on retailer AI-readiness ahead of Black Friday.
The Tech Race
Planned UK AI use for Black Friday nearly doubled from 19% in 2025 to 34% in 2026, according to YouGov, placing retailer readiness at the center of the holiday sales race. The uneven scores across sectors suggest retailers are moving at different speeds to meet shoppers who increasingly use AI tools to buy.
Shoppers planning to use AI for Black Friday purchases may find more reliable results from retailers with strong product data, such as complete delivery and returns information and barcode numbers. Checking whether a store includes these details can help when comparing prices and options.
The takeaway
Retailers that keep product data complete and accessible to AI tools are better positioned to capture shoppers using AI this holiday season. Shoppers can benefit by favoring stores that clearly list delivery, returns, and product identifiers.
Further reading
Explore more on Artificial Intelligence to see how AI shopping tools are reshaping retail.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Furniture News.
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