Consumer shock stats: 85% social buyers, 19% failed bots, $1B pizza pivot

Good morning, ! This week we’re looking at AI chatbots crashing consumer expectations (19% say they offer zero benefit), secondhand gifting going mainstream as 46% chase savings, B2B acting like retail with 78% expecting higher online sales and 76% offering digital wallets, and social shopping exploding to 85% adoption among Gen Z vs. 27% for Boomer

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TREND OF THE WEEK

AI Chatbots: Everyone’s Least Favorite Employee

Consumers are warming up to AI — except when they actually need help. While daily AI use is up, customer support bots are crashing expectations. A staggering 19% say they add no benefit, making them the lowest-rated AI feature. That’s below “building your own assistant,” aka tech’s version of assembling IKEA furniture. The big miss? People want augmented experiences, not automated cold shoulders. Trust’s also a thorny issue: only 29% trust brands to handle their data properly. If AI wants to stay in the CX org chart, it’ll need to be more human, or at least better at pretending. (More)

ECOMMERCE

B2B Starts Shopping Like a Consumer

The line between B2B and B2C commerce is officially gone. B2B buyers now expect the same speed, transparency, and ease they get as consumers—and sellers are racing to keep up.

By the numbers: 78% of B2B sellers expect higher website sales in the next 3–5 years, confirming that digital isn’t a side channel—it’s the core. 58% now sell across three or more platforms, signaling an omnichannel arms race. Payments are catching up too: 76% offer digital wallets and 35% support Buy Now, Pay Later, collapsing friction at checkout.

On the experience layer, AI adoption is moving fast. 38% already use AI-powered recommendations, importing retail media logic into industrial buying. Meanwhile, 64% offer subscriptions, and 18% charge for delivery or returns via subscription, borrowing directly from the Prime playbook.

Bottom line: B2B winners won’t win on products alone—they’ll win on ease of buying. (More)

DEAL OF THE WEEK

California Pizza Kitchen Gets a Fresh Slice of Capital

California Pizza Kitchen is getting a second act. The casual dining chain—known for its BBQ chicken pizza and nearly $1B in annual revenue—is being acquired by an investor group led by Consortium Brand Partners, marking its first restaurant play. Financial terms weren’t disclosed, but prior reports peg the deal at just under $300M.

This is more than just a distressed asset trade. After navigating a 2020 bankruptcy and ownership by lenders, CPK is emerging with a refreshed strategy: split leadership across restaurants and CPG, and a clear focus on franchise-driven expansion. Jon Weber (Convive Brands) will helm the restaurant business, while Michael Beacham stays on to grow the branded frozen line sold via Nestlé and dressings via Litehouse—already in 10,000+ retailers globally.

Backers include Bain Capital Credit, Aurify Brands, and Eldridge Industries, signaling a playbook that blends PE discipline with brand equity growth. With international franchising and grocery aisles in the crosshairs, the investor group sees CPK less as a pizza joint—and more as a brand platform.

Why it matters: This deal flags a broader PE appetite for full-stack consumer brands that straddle foodservice and grocery. Expect more bifurcated strategies that extract value across channels without the overhead of owned store expansion. (More)

TOGETHER WITH MASTERWORKS

What investment is rudimentary for billionaires but ‘revolutionary’ for 70,571+ investors entering 2026?

Imagine this. You open your phone to an alert. It says, “you spent $236,000,000 more this month than you did last month.”

If you were the top bidder at Sotheby’s fall auctions, it could be reality.

Sounds crazy, right? But when the ultra-wealthy spend staggering amounts on blue-chip art, it’s not just for decoration.

The scarcity of these treasured artworks has helped drive their prices, in exceptional cases, to thin-air heights, without moving in lockstep with other asset classes.

The contemporary and post war segments have even outpaced the S&P 500 overall since 1995.*

Now, over 70,000 people have invested $1.2 billion+ across 500 iconic artworks featuring Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and more.

How? You don’t need Medici money to invest in multimillion dollar artworks with Masterworks.

Thousands of members have gotten annualized net returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8% from 26 sales to date.

Explore offerings

_{*Based on Masterworks data. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd}

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE GIFT CARD CAFE

When “New” Isn’t the Selling Point

Secondhand gifting is no longer taboo. In fact, 46% of consumers say they’d consider it to save money, while others cite greater value (25%), sustainability (23%), and access to luxury brands (16%) as key motivators.

For retailers and gift card issuers, this shift is strategic. If value and access are the drivers, gift cards can meet the same needs—without the friction of used goods. A $50 card to The RealReal or eBay offers flexibility and brand legitimacy, especially when paired with tasteful digital wrapping. Think secondhand appeal with first-rate presentation.

The bottom line: As budget consciousness and eco-awareness reshape gifting norms, gift cards remain the easiest way to give choice, access, and affordability—minus the awkwardness of gently used. (More)

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Social Shopping Isn’t a Niche—It’s a Generational Divide

Social shopping—buying directly through social media—is booming, but mostly for the young. A KPMG survey shows 85% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials have used or plan to use social shopping. For Boomers? Just 27%.

The most common social-fueled buys? Apparel (51%), personal care (41%), and groceries (23%). Visually driven, brand-sensitive categories dominate.

For brands, this means optimizing for TikTok and Instagram isn’t optional—it’s the new front door. For investors, it’s a signal: digital-native consumer behavior is segmenting fast, and not every brand is keeping up.

Bottom line: If your brand isn’t built for the scroll, it’s invisible to your next-generation customer. (More)

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Stephen King