Shopping with AI

How to use AI for holiday shopping

October 29, 2026 / Lone Star Ascent AI, Dallas / 4 min read

AI is good at the hardest part of gift shopping: turning a vague idea into a short list. Here’s how to ask, what to check before you buy, and how to find boots as a gift.

The short answer

To use AI for holiday shopping, describe the person and the occasion in plain words, ask for a short list with a reason for each pick, then check the size, the fit and the store’s return policy before you buy. Keep the purchase in your own hands.

That’s how most shoppers already use it. In Deloitte’s 2026 Holiday Retail Survey, 39% of US consumers said generative AI is their primary tool for at least one holiday shopping task, while only 16% would let it complete a purchase.

For western boots, ask Travis, the voice-first AI shopping concierge from Lone Star Ascent AI. He is live with Alvies, the Austin boot brand, at meettravis.ai.

Why AI helps with gift shopping

Gift shopping usually starts with a feeling, not a product name: something warm for Dad, something special for a friend who loves western wear. AI is good at turning that into a few concrete options, without pages of filters.

Shoppers say it helps. In an Adobe survey of 5,000 US consumers, 77% of shoppers who used AI assistants said they felt more confident in their purchases, and 69% said they were less likely to return an item they bought with an AI assistant’s help.

You’ll have company. Adobe expects traffic from AI services to US retail sites to grow 130% year over year between November 1 and December 31.

How to ask

1. Describe the person, not the product. “My dad lives in jeans and loves western wear” gives AI more to work with than “men’s boots.”
2. Name the occasion. A December wedding, a ranch weekend and everyday wear lead to different picks.
3. Share what you know about size. For boots and shoes, the size they wear in sneakers or another brand is a good start. If you’re not sure, ask what to find out first.
4. Ask why. A good assistant explains each pick. If a reason doesn’t fit the person, say so and let it adjust.
5. Narrow it down out loud. Compare two options, ask for another color or say “show me the first one again.”

What to check before you buy

• The size for that exact item. Sizing can vary from one style to the next.
• How it should fit. New cowboy boots, for example, usually have a little heel slip at first. Here’s how cowboy boots should fit.
• The color, by name. “Black” can mean more than one finish. Alvies, for one, makes two different blacks.
• The store’s return and exchange policy. Read it on the store’s own site before you order, especially for a gift.
• Who presses buy. Let AI help you choose, then check out yourself.

Boots as a gift, with Travis

Boots make a memorable gift, and fit is the part to get right. Here’s how a conversation with Travis might go:

1. You ask: “I want to get my sister cowboy boots for Christmas. She wears an 8 in sneakers and loves black.”
2. Travis asks a follow-up, like how she’ll wear them: every day, on nights out or somewhere dressy.
3. Travis suggests two or three Alvies pairs and says why each one suits her.
4. You ask about fit. Travis talks it through and checks the size for that pair.
5. You say “add it,” and the pair is in your cart. You check out when you’re ready.

Travis can also suggest accessories for the pair you pick, like tassels, fringe, charms and socks. They make good stocking stuffers.

Order early if you can, so there’s time to try the boots on before the big day.