AI Consulting for Kitchen Purchases: How Trust and Post-Purchase Emotions Are Shaped

Author of the underlying bachelor’s thesis:
Pauline Brisch, IU International University of Applied Sciences

How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Purchasing Decisions

Digital technologies have become an important part of the information-gathering process before a purchase. Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini allow consumers to ask questions, summarise information and compare different options. As a result, tasks that previously might have involved contacting an expert are increasingly being handled independently online.

The introduction to the bachelor’s thesis refers to a consumer study cited by Best (2025, p. 1), according to which more than half of respondents already use AI for purchase-related research. Approximately one quarter reportedly use these systems directly during the decision-making process. Among particularly frequent AI users, the proportion of purchasing decisions made with AI assistance is said to exceed half. These figures are presented here as findings reported in the bachelor’s thesis.

As digital assistance becomes more widespread, the key question is not simply how quickly information can be obtained. It is also important to understand how consumers interpret recommendations and evaluate their decisions afterwards. A purchase may be well researched from a practical perspective and still leave room for doubt. This is why the emotional dimension of the purchasing process deserves particular attention.

Why Buying a Kitchen Is a Particularly Complex Example

Buying a kitchen involves numerous interconnected decisions. Consumers need to consider the dimensions of their space, their personal requirements, different design and planning options, and their budget. In addition, the finished kitchen is generally intended to be used for many years.

The combination of a substantial financial commitment, considerable planning and long-term use makes buying a kitchen a typical high-involvement purchase. This term describes decisions that require more consideration than routine, everyday purchases. Choosing a kitchen is therefore not merely a matter of comparing products; it can also be a situation in which the prospect of making the wrong decision feels particularly stressful.

The more complex a decision appears, the more important reliable guidance can become. Information about materials, planning, installation and budgets can help consumers organise their options. However, it remains an open question whether digital information sources and personal consultation create a sense of confidence in the same way.

The Research Question: Comparing Advice and Emotions

In her bachelor’s thesis, Pauline Brisch examines how human consultation and independent research using generative AI influence the purchasing experience and the emotions that follow a significant purchasing decision. The focus is therefore not limited to the quality of information gathering; it also includes the psychological experience of living with a decision.

The two approaches to advice differ primarily in the nature of the interaction. During a personal consultation, customers communicate directly with an expert. Their needs can be clarified through conversation, suggestions can be discussed, and unanswered questions can be addressed together. Ideally, this process builds trust and gives customers guidance when they feel uncertain about their decision.

With AI-assisted independent research, consumers use a generative system to obtain information and explore possible solutions. Although the interaction also takes place through questions and answers, users remain responsible for directing the process, evaluating the responses and making the final choice. This approach does not include a personal adviser with whom responsibility can be shared through a direct relationship.

The Customer Journey as a Framework

To understand the significance of these differences, the study considers the purchasing process as a series of connected stages: from recognising a need and exploring options to making a decision and evaluating the experience afterwards.

Research before a purchase influences the expectations consumers develop and the options they consider suitable. The purchase decision turns those options into a concrete commitment. Only afterwards does it become clear how consumers feel about the outcome and whether their prior expectations align with their actual experience.

Post-purchase emotions are particularly relevant in this context. They may relate to confidence in one’s decision, a perceived sense of security and the belief that the right choice has been made. The bachelor’s thesis explores how different forms of advice may contribute to this experience.

Human Consultation and AI-Assisted Research Compared

Note: This table summarises the conceptual comparison and qualitative findings described in the abstract of the bachelor’s thesis. It is not a statistical assessment of all forms of consultation.

Two Patterns in Managing Purchasing Risk

The study describes two different approaches that consumers may use to manage uncertainty when making an expensive, long-term purchasing decision. These are referred to as the Delegation Model and the Control Model. The terms describe patterns identified in the two interview groups and should not be interpreted as a universal classification of all consumers.

The Delegation Model: Confidence Through Trust in an Adviser

Among participants who had received human advice, trust in an expert played an important role. The decision was not understood solely as an individual task. Instead, participants could experience the process as one in which another person contributed professional knowledge and helped prepare the choice.

This type of collaboration may reduce the emotional burden associated with a complex decision. Customers do not have to assess every available option entirely on their own; they can draw on guidance from a specific person. After the purchase, the trust developed during consultation may help them view their decision as more understandable and secure.

Delegation does not mean that customers surrender all decision-making authority. Rather, it describes the possibility of incorporating some of the guidance and evaluation into a personal advisory relationship, potentially reducing the feeling of having to bear responsibility alone.

The Control Model: Confidence Through Independent Verification

Among participants who used generative AI for independent research, greater emphasis was placed on evaluating information personally. Users could obtain answers and organise different aspects of kitchen planning. However, they still had to determine whether the information suited their circumstances and which recommendations were appropriate.

Independent verification can be an important part of making an informed purchase. At the same time, consumers must consider whether the available information is accurate, complete and applicable to their specific needs. Because they remain responsible for the decision, their confidence afterwards may be more vulnerable to lingering doubts.

The abstract links this pattern with less stable positive emotions after the purchase. This does not mean that AI-assisted research inevitably leads to dissatisfaction. Rather, the findings describe how participants in the groups studied approached responsibility and uncertainty.

Implications for Retail Consultation

The study suggests that AI and personal consultation should not necessarily be treated as competing alternatives. They can fulfil different roles throughout the purchasing process. Generative AI can help answer initial questions, organise information and prepare possible planning options. This can make subsequent conversations with experts more focused.

Personal consultation can then address issues that require clarification of individual needs, a tailored assessment of different options and direct discussion of uncertainties. This combination is particularly relevant for a product such as a kitchen, where several interconnected requirements must be considered alongside a substantial long-term investment.

Guidance Before the Purchase and Support Afterwards

Before a purchase, AI can offer an accessible way to obtain initial information. Consumers can develop preliminary ideas and collect questions they still need to resolve. It remains important, however, not to treat AI-generated guidance automatically as a definitive professional assessment.

After an order has been placed, the need may shift from gathering information towards evaluating the decision emotionally. At this stage, a personal adviser can serve a different function from a digital system: as part of a human relationship, the adviser can discuss concerns and help the customer reconsider the solution developed together.

Retailers therefore have an opportunity to combine digital information services with accessible personal consultation. The objective should not simply be to automate as many answers as possible, but to support customers in ways that reflect their actual information needs and need for reassurance.

Scientific Interpretation of the Findings

Pauline Brisch’s research is structured as a qualitative bachelor’s thesis. It is based on semi-structured interviews with six people whose experiences represent two different approaches to advice. The findings make it possible to explore potential differences in how participants perceive responsibility, confidence and post-purchase emotions.

Because the sample is small, the findings should not be generalised to all consumers or every AI system and form of consultation without further research. The study provides qualitative indications of how advisory processes may shape the experience of an important purchasing decision. It does not replace a representative study measuring the strength of these relationships in a larger population.

The distinctive feature of this approach is that it considers more than information quality or the efficiency of digital tools. It also examines how the type of advice may influence the personal experience of a decision. This brings an additional dimension into focus, one that may matter alongside practical product comparisons when purchases are complex and intended for long-term use.

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