UK shoppers prefer humans to AI for complex retail issues

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Manhattan Associates has published research showing that most UK shoppers prefer human staff to AI assistants for complex retail service issues. The survey covered 2,000 UK consumers.

Nine in 10 respondents said they would rather deal with a person when handling complex complaints, and 90% preferred human help when negotiating refunds. The findings suggest shoppers draw a clear line between routine tasks they may hand to automated tools and more sensitive interactions where they want staff involved.

Returns emerged as another area where human contact still dominates. The research found that 81% of shoppers prefer a human store associate over a digital assistant for product returns, compared with 19% who favour a digital assistant.

Among those who chose human support for returns, trust was the most common reason, cited by 70% of respondents, followed by accuracy at 53%. Among those who preferred a digital assistant, convenience and speed were the main factors, at 63% and 60% respectively.

The results come as retailers and supermarkets test AI shopping assistants and customer service tools across online and store operations. The data suggests consumer acceptance may depend less on whether the technology is available and more on whether shoppers believe it is suitable for the task at hand.

Selective use

There was more willingness to use AI for straightforward tasks. More than a third of respondents, 36%, said they were happy to use a digital assistant for practical jobs such as finding a returns drop-off point.

This points to a more selective approach from consumers rather than outright resistance to automation. Shoppers appear willing to use AI where the interaction is simple, low-risk and time-sensitive, but remain cautious when the issue involves money, complaints or judgement.

Martin Lockwood, Senior Director at Manhattan Associates, said the findings show a gap between the retail sector’s enthusiasm for AI and how customers want to use it.

“Conversations around AI in retail are often framed around what the technology can do. But what matters just as much to people is what they trust that technology with. This isn’t about replacing people – it’s about using AI to augment them and give them the space to do what they do best. This is what will build the kind of customer experiences that create lasting loyalty.”

Trust and accuracy

The figures underline how strongly shoppers associate human service with reliability when the outcome matters. Product returns, complaint handling and refund discussions often involve explanation, discretion and the possibility of disagreement, all of which appear to push consumers towards human interaction.

By contrast, the appeal of digital assistants was tied to faster completion of simple tasks. That suggests retailers may find greater acceptance for AI tools in areas such as navigation, information retrieval and basic service queries, rather than in dispute resolution or exception handling.

For retail operators, the findings raise practical questions about where to place AI within customer service channels. Businesses that direct automated systems to high-volume, routine interactions may face less resistance than those that use them at moments when customers expect empathy or personal judgement.

The research also points to a risk for retailers that overuse automation in areas where customers still want a person. Service changes that reduce access to staff during returns or complaints could undermine trust if shoppers feel they are being pushed into a process they do not want.

Lockwood said retailers should treat AI and staff as having different roles rather than as substitutes.

“Retailers need to look at AI and human associates as having complementary strengths, not competing ones. The data tells us exactly where consumers want speed and where they want trust. Aligning your customer experience strategy to that insight is essential as the capabilities of AI continue to expand.”