Polish Retail Turns From Low Prices to AI‑Driven Customer Experience

Polish retailers are recognizing that low price alone can no longer secure shoppers. Marcin Piotrowski of Savi Marketing Poland argues that brands must deepen consumer profiling beyond basic demographics, using a four‑layer analytical model that examines value perception, decision context, motivations and triggers. Loyalty programmes are moving from simple cards to data‑rich apps, and product composition and purchase convenience are rising in the top three decision factors.

At the same time, AI agents are reshaping the retail funnel. Patryk Rudnicki of Bain & Company notes that 30‑45 % of U.S. consumers already use generative AI for product research, and more than 60 % of searches are resolved directly in AI results, bypassing retailer sites. This shift makes “generative engine optimization” critical – companies must ensure their products appear in AI‑generated recommendations. While AI excels as a shopping advisor, consumer trust drops at the purchase stage, limiting full‑automation of transactions.

Together, these insights suggest that Polish and wider Central‑Eastern European retailers need to combine sophisticated consumer insight with strong AI visibility to stay competitive.