ShopSavvy study finds Google AI Mode often shows higher prices than Shopping tab

Monolith Technologies’ ShopSavvy says a study of 270 products found price differences on nearly 30% of items shown in Google AI Mode and Google’s Shopping tab. The findings suggest shoppers could overpay unless they check a second source before buying.

Why it matters: - A single AI-generated price can send shoppers to a higher-cost offer for the same product. - ShopSavvy’s findings suggest consumers may save money by comparing more than one shopping surface before checkout. - The study also raises questions about how AI shopping tools surface offers when multiple retailers sell the same item.

What happened: - Monolith Technologies, the company behind ShopSavvy, released findings from a shopping study on September 28, 2026. - ShopSavvy compared 270 products that appeared in both Google AI Mode and Google’s Shopping tab. - The study found price differences for 80 of the 270 matched products, or 29.6%. - When prices differed, AI Mode showed the higher price 60% of the time. - The company tested 240 shopping questions across 12 categories on September 7, 2026, using a U.S. English session. - Researchers matched products using Google product identifiers and cross-checked star ratings and review counts.

The details: - When AI Mode showed the higher price, the median premium was 20.2%. - When AI Mode showed the lower price, the median discount was 8.3%. - The study recorded a $35 gap for JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds, priced at $109.95 in AI Mode and $74.95 in Google Shopping. - The study recorded a $35.04 gap for the Braun Series 9 PRO Aio9570 trimmer, priced at $199.99 in AI Mode and $164.95 in Google Shopping. - ShopSavvy also checked nine selected products through its own service. - Those nine products cost $295.86 less through ShopSavvy than through AI Mode, or $32.87 less per item on average. - The largest gap in that set was the Dyson 360 Vis Nav, priced at $399.99 in AI Mode and $297.99 through ShopSavvy. - The company said the selected examples show potential savings and do not predict what every shopper will save. - ShopSavvy said its service pulls offers from multiple retailers and includes product discovery, price comparison, reviews and price history tools. - ShopSavvy said it has tens of millions of downloads.

Between the lines: - The study focuses on displayed prices, not completed purchases. - The findings do not measure how Google AI Mode performs across all AI agents. - The research does not evaluate which products AI Mode recommends. - The study also does not establish intentional steering. - Prices and promotions can change, so the same item may not carry the same gap later in the day. - The results suggest AI shopping assistants can find a product without surfacing the best available price.

What’s next: - Monolith Technologies is directing shoppers to compare current offers for the exact product before checking out. - The company is pointing readers to the full study, examples and methodology at the full study and examples. - The company says consumers should use a second price check to look for a better deal.

The bottom line: - AI shopping tools can speed up product discovery, but they may not always surface the cheapest option.