Rokt, a leading e-commerce technology platform, which uses AI and machine learning to make transactions more relevant to individual shoppers, conducted a study with the Harris Poll, which found that too many ads at checkout is one reason consumers abandon their carts at the last minute. The study, “The Joy of Checking Out,” also found that consumers ranked shopping as the activity that gave them the most joy when spending time online, with streaming online content and interacting with social media ranking second and third, respectively.

Online shoppers are twice as likely to engage with relevant products, services and marketing messages at the transaction moment of their purchase journey. The company’s solution leverages AI and machine learning to optimize every customer action to deliver more value.

“Consumers feel frustrated when they are overwhelmed by too many ads because it makes them feel more like a sales target than a valued customer,” said Elizabeth Buchanan, Chief Commercial Officer of Rokt. “Successful brands use AI to help foster meaningful relationships with customers, focusing on relevance rather than volume when sharing messages. By offering relevant experiences—which may mean offering no ads at all in certain cases—brands can drive higher conversion as well as greater customer loyalty and increased lifetime value.”

Relevant messages increase average order value and repeat business, the study found. In the U.S., 70% of shoppers will spend more money on businesses that they feel understand them and their preferences, with almost half (47%) saying that they want to shop again with a brand that delivers a relevant experience. What’s more, 32% of consumers say they want to join the brand’s loyalty program after a satisfying online shopping experience.

Millennials and Gen Zers want brands to anticipate their needs. More than three quarters of millennials (78%) and Gen Zers (77%) said they’re more confident with their purchases when they feel a brand understands them and 73% of Gen Zers said they’re more likely to buy from brands or businesses that provide personalized products or services tailored to their needs.

“When someone’s shopping, when they’ve got their credit card out, they’re willing to spend real money and they want that experience to be really thoughtful and beautiful and relevant,” Buchanan said. “The word that comes to mind is ‘calm.’ All those things that pop out at you and get in the way, that’s all decreasing our interest in engaging. I think the power of AI is how we clear the noise and that’s what Rokt is known to do.”