AI Aircon Purchase-Consultation Retailer Recommendation Survey: Which Electronics Retailer Do the Five Major Generative AIs Recommend for Buying an Air Conditioner?

Summary

To see which purchase sources major generative AIs recommend for buying an air conditioner, Stellagent Inc. asked five AI services — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot — across six purchase scenarios, five times each, for 150 questions in total. The survey was conducted in two stages: first we checked recommendation trends across purchase-source categories including electronics retailers, Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba, Kakaku.com, and manufacturer direct sales; then we limited the question to electronics retailers and, under a nationwide, general-context condition that uses neither the user's location nor prior context, checked which retailer names the AI ranked highly.

Metric	Result
Target AIs	5 services (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot)
Number of runs	5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs · 150 answers total
Recommendations extracted	719
Most common first-place pick by category	Electronics retailers (30 times)
Top overall in the retailer-only comparison	K's Denki (261 ranking points · 73 recommendations · 34 first-place picks)
Mentions of room conditions such as floor area	5 of 75 answers

In the purchase-source category comparison (S1–S3, 75 answers), AI tended to place electronics retailers as a strong candidate, and electronics retailers were also the most common first-place pick as a category (30 times). In the nationwide, general-context comparison limited to electronics retailers (S4R–S6R, 75 answers), K's Denki was the top on every measure — 261 ranking points, 73 recommendations, and 34 first-place picks — and remained the highest regardless of which measure was used.

The chart above may be reproduced as-is in media coverage, articles, and other materials, provided that you credit "Stellagent Inc." as the source and include a link to this page.

Meanwhile, installation cost, warranty, and in-store consultation were mentioned in nearly every answer, while room conditions such as floor area (tatami count) were mentioned in only 5 of 75 answers — leaving cases where AI does not proactively check the room conditions needed to select an air conditioner.

Background

Consumers are increasingly asking AI, even when replacing an air conditioner, "Where should I buy it?" and "Which retailer won't let me down on installation or warranty?" The purchase sources and store names that appear first in an AI's answer become the entry point from which consumers begin comparing options.

For air conditioners, not only the unit price but also installation work, the outdoor unit, piping, additional installation fees, and warranty shape the total cost and satisfaction. For sellers, therefore, what matters is not only exposure in search and on e-commerce marketplaces, but which purchase sources — and which retailers — AI recommends, and for what reasons.

This survey was conducted to see which purchase sources and electronics retailers major generative AIs recommend for an air-conditioner purchase, and whether they guide users all the way to installation-included purchases, installation conditions, warranties, and in-store consultation.

Survey Overview

Item	Content
Subjects	Recommendation answers by major generative AIs about where to buy an air conditioner
Target AIs	ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot
Scenarios	Three purchase-source category comparisons; three within-retailer comparisons
Number of runs	5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs, 150 answers total
Recommendations extracted	719
Survey dates	July 13–14, 2026
Method	Entered identical prompts into each AI's web UI and recorded the recommended purchase sources, rankings, reasons, caveats, and mentions of installation, warranty, and in-store consultation
Context-influence control	Used Temporary mode, temporary chat, incognito chat, or a new chat. Also specified within the prompt not to reference past conversation or memory. In the within-retailer comparison, specified to answer as a nationwide generalization for all of Japan, without using the user's location, address, nearby stores, or account information
Aggregation	Based on rawdata/tally.csv, tallied recommendation counts, first-place counts, ranking points, scenario-level trends, and mention rates for confirmation items

Scenarios Used

ID	Scenario	Condition
S1	General air-conditioner purchase consultation	No purchase-source category specified; observe which sources the AI naturally raises
S2	Purchase consultation with installation concerns	State concerns about a condominium, installation work, and the outdoor unit
S3	Price-focused, comparing online purchases	Explicitly compare Amazon, Rakuten, Kakaku.com, electronics retailers, and manufacturer official
S4R	General comparison within electronics retailers	Limit the purchase source to electronics retailers and ask for a nationwide general answer
S5R	Installation-focused comparison within retailers	State installation work, the outdoor unit, piping, additional installation fees, and warranty, and ask for a nationwide general answer
S6R	Balancing price and peace of mind within retailers	Ask, as a nationwide generalization, which retailer balances low price with installation/warranty peace of mind

Electronics Retailers Come Out Strongly in the Category Comparison

In the purchase-source category comparison (S1–S3), AI strongly recommended the "electronics retailer" category. Under price-focused conditions, however, Kakaku.com and online retailers also ranked high.

Normalized name	Recommendations	First-place picks	Ranking points	Purchase-source category
Electronics retailers	64	30	257	Electronics retailers
Manufacturer official	46	1	105	Manufacturer direct
Online retailers	41	7	132	EC marketplace / online retailer
Air-conditioner specialty stores	36	7	116	Specialty / installer / other
Kakaku.com	26	18	111	Price-comparison site
Amazon	19	0	50	EC marketplace / online retailer
Rakuten Ichiba	19	1	60	EC marketplace / online retailer

From this result alone, "which electronics retailer is recommended most" remains only a secondary extraction. We therefore limited the purchase source to retailer names in the within-retailer comparison.

K's Denki Leads in the Within-Retailer Comparison

In the within-retailer comparison (S4R–S6R), K's Denki was recommended most strongly among specific electronics-retailer names. Ranking points are calculated as 5 points for first place, 4 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth, and 1 for fifth.

For this report, the overall ranking was determined using this ranking-point measure (which weights the strength of "recommendation order") as the primary metric. Ordered by recommendation count alone, the order would be K's Denki, Bic Camera, and Yamada Denki. K's Denki was the top on ranking points, recommendation count, and first-place count alike, and remained the highest regardless of which measure was used.

Overall rank	Store	Recommendations	First-place picks	Ranking points
1	K's Denki	73	34	261
2	Yodobashi Camera	57	23	220
3	Yamada Denki	69	15	203
4	Bic Camera	72	0	188
5	EDION	63	3	181
6	Nojima	17	0	30
7	Kojima	7	0	15
8	Joshin	5	0	13

Looking at recommendation count alone, Bic Camera was close to K's Denki at 72. However, it had 0 first-place picks and showed a strong tendency to appear as a second-or-lower candidate. In the overall ranking that reflects "recommendation order" (by ranking points), Yodobashi Camera and Yamada Denki — with many top-tier recommendations — entered the top 3.

Why the Top 3 Ranked High

Scenario	Stores that led first-place picks
S4R General comparison within retailers	K's Denki 10, Yodobashi Camera 9, Yamada Denki 6
S5R Installation-focused	K's Denki 10, Yodobashi Camera 7, Yamada Denki 6, EDION 2
S6R Balancing price and peace of mind	K's Denki 14, Yodobashi Camera 7, Yamada Denki 3, EDION 1

Even among the same electronics retailers, the top 3 played different roles in AI answers.

Store	Evaluation axes prominent in AI answers	How it tended to appear
K's Denki	Cash discounts, long-term warranty, clarity of total cost, installation-included pricing	Tends to appear as "a balance of low price and peace of mind" and "a store where the total payment is clearer than points"
Yodobashi Camera	Point rewards, selection, EC/delivery, itemized installation work	Tends to appear as "strong on points, stock, and delivery — easy to use both online and in store"
Yamada Denki	Store network, price negotiation, selection, nationwide coverage, consultation desks	Tends to appear as "a major with many stores, easy to compare, consult, and negotiate price"

Tallying the reason words within AI answers, "long-term warranty," "cash discounts," and "clarity of total cost" stood out for K's Denki; "point rewards," "EC/delivery," and "installation" for Yodobashi Camera; and "store network/consultation," "price negotiation," and "installation" for Yamada Denki.

Store	Recommendation rows	First-place	Cash-discount terms	Long-warranty terms	Total-cost-clarity terms	Store-network/consultation terms	Points terms	EC/delivery terms	Installation terms
K's Denki	73	34	37	46	35	37	38	14	41
Yodobashi Camera	57	23	10	21	10	24	26	17	28
Yamada Denki	69	15	23	36	22	44	27	14	44

Each "…terms" count above is a reference value obtained by mechanically matching words in the reason/caveat text of AI answers against per-series keywords, to gauge the direction of each store's strengths. Because it depends on the keyword dictionary used, its verification status differs from recommendation rows and first-place picks (values reproducible from rawdata/tally.csv).

Cross-checking against official information also confirmed elements corresponding to the reason words AI used. K's Denki's official EC product pages display "standard installation fee included," and its long-term free warranty and cash discounts via the Anshin Passport are officially announced. Yodobashi Camera's air-conditioner installation page specifies standard installation work and additional work items, and publishes the conditions for its Gold Point rewards. For Yamada Denki, its air-conditioner installation fees, free long-term warranty, and nationwide store network can be confirmed as official information.

This result shows that in AI recommendation, not only in-industry sales scale but also strengths that are easy to explain against the question's conditions tend to rise to the top. In air-conditioner purchase consultations, comparison axes such as installation, warranty, total cost, points, and in-store consultation were used as reasons in AI answers, and each retailer was recommended in a different context.

Recommendation Trends Diverge by AI Service

AI service	Stores that led first-place picks
ChatGPT	K's Denki 15
Gemini	K's Denki 13, EDION 2
Claude	Yamada Denki 13, K's Denki 2
Perplexity	Yodobashi Camera 9, K's Denki 4, Yamada Denki 2
Microsoft Copilot	Yodobashi Camera 14, EDION 1

Overall, K's Denki was the most common, but there were differences by AI service. Claude strongly recommended Yamada Denki, while Copilot and Perplexity showed many first-place picks for Yodobashi Camera.

Mentions of Installation Risk

When buying an air conditioner, installation cost, the outdoor unit, piping, floor area (tatami count), warranty, and on-site inspection matter. Across the 75 answers in the within-retailer comparison, warranty and in-store consultation were touched on in every answer, while floor-area confirmation remained rare.

Confirmation item	Answers with a mention	Trend
Warranty / long-term warranty	75/75	Treated as an almost mandatory comparison axis
In-store / in-person consultation	75/75	The ability to consult in store tends to appear as a retailer value
Installation cost / additional fees	72/75	Frequent confirmation of standard work and additional installation fees
On-site inspection / estimate	61/75	Especially common in installation-focused scenarios
Piping / piping hole	53/75	Often mentioned as an additional-cost risk
Outdoor unit	45/75	Mentioned to some extent as an installation condition
Installation included	42/75	Used to explain clarity of the total cost
Official EC / online flow	26/75	Fewer than in-store consultation
Floor area / room conditions	5/75	More easily missed than other items

The chart above may be reproduced as-is in media coverage, articles, and other materials, provided that you credit "Stellagent Inc." as the source and include a link to this page.

Implications for Businesses

This survey's results on air-conditioner purchase consultation suggest the following four points for sellers.

AI Recommends "Electronics Retailers," but Appearing as a Specific Store Name Requires a Reason

In the category comparison, the electronics-retailer category came out strongly. But to appear at the top as a specific store name requires comparison axes AI can easily explain — installation-included pricing, long-term warranty, clarity of additional installation fees, and in-store consultation flows.

The Top 3 Each Appear in a Different Purchase Context

K's Denki tended to appear in the context of "cash discounts, long-term warranty, and clarity of total cost," Yodobashi Camera in "point rewards, selection, and EC/delivery," and Yamada Denki in "store network, consultation, and price negotiation." Each company needs to check in which purchase scenarios it tends to be recommended by AI, and to reinforce those reason words as official information.

In Price-Focused Cases, Demand Flows from Electronics Retailers to Kakaku.com and EC

In the price-focused scenario where the purchase source was left free, Kakaku.com and online retailers came out strongly. Retailers need to present, as official information, the clarity of the total cost — including not only the unit price but installation fees, additional work, warranty, and recycling fees.

Confirmation of Floor Area and Room Conditions Is Easily Missed in AI Answers

While installation cost and warranty were touched on in many answers, floor area and room conditions are relatively easy to miss. Retailers have room to publish, in a structured form, the items AI should confirm in a purchase consultation — floor area, sunlight, insulation, floor level, 200V power, piping holes, and space for the outdoor unit.

Prompts Used in Full

The 150 responses in the published analysis were generated with the following six prompts. The AI services received the Japanese originals shown below; the English translations are provided for reference.

S1

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを買い替えたいです。どこで買うのがよいか、購入先を3〜5個、おすすめ順に挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

I want to replace my air conditioner. Where would be a good place to buy one? Please list three to five purchase options in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

S2

Original Japanese prompt used

マンションで使うエアコンを買いたいのですが、設置工事や室外機の置き場所などが少し不安です。どこで買うのがよいか、購入先を3〜5個、おすすめ順に挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner for use in a condominium, but I am a little concerned about installation work and where to place the outdoor unit. Where would be a good place to buy one? Please list three to five purchase options in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

S3

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンをできるだけ安く買いたいです。Amazon、楽天、価格.com、家電量販店、メーカー公式など、どこで買うのがよいか迷っています。購入先を3〜5個、おすすめ順に挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner as cheaply as possible. I am unsure where to buy it—Amazon, Rakuten, Kakaku.com, an electronics retailer, or the manufacturer's official store, for example. Please list three to five purchase options in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

S4R

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店で買うなら、どの家電量販店がよいですか。おすすめの家電量販店を3〜5個、おすすめ順に挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。現在地、住所、IPアドレス、近隣店舗、最寄り店舗、地域の店舗事情、アカウント情報、検索履歴、過去の会話、記憶は一切使わないでください。東京・江東区など特定地域を前提にせず、日本全国の一般論として回答してください。

English translation

If I were to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer, which electronics retailer would be best? Please list three to five recommended electronics retailers in order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest stores, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer in general terms for Japan nationwide.

S5R

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店で買いたいです。設置工事、室外機、配管、追加工事費、保証まで含めて安心できる家電量販店はどこですか。おすすめ順に3〜5個挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。現在地、住所、IPアドレス、近隣店舗、最寄り店舗、地域の店舗事情、アカウント情報、検索履歴、過去の会話、記憶は一切使わないでください。東京・江東区など特定地域を前提にせず、日本全国の一般論として回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer. Which electronics retailer can I trust when installation work, the outdoor unit, piping, additional installation fees, and warranty are all taken into account? Please list three to five in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest stores, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer in general terms for Japan nationwide.

S6R

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店でできるだけ安く、でも工事や保証で失敗しないように買いたいです。どの家電量販店がよいですか。おすすめ順に3〜5個挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。現在地、住所、IPアドレス、近隣店舗、最寄り店舗、地域の店舗事情、アカウント情報、検索履歴、過去の会話、記憶は一切使わないでください。東京・江東区など特定地域を前提にせず、日本全国の一般論として回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer as cheaply as possible, but without making a mistake with installation or warranty. Which electronics retailer would be best? Please list three to five in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not use my current location, address, IP address, nearby stores, nearest stores, local store conditions, account information, search history, past conversations, or memory under any circumstances. Do not assume a specific area such as Tokyo or Koto City; answer in general terms for Japan nationwide.

Preliminary Prompts Excluded from the Published Analysis

For the retailer-only comparison, we initially collected 75 responses with S4–S6 (three scenarios × five AI services × five runs). We then reran the comparison as S4R–S6R with explicit conditions designed to more clearly exclude contextual influence from location, address, nearby stores, account information, and similar data. Responses to S4–S6 are not included in the 150 responses used for the published analysis. The full preliminary prompts were as follows.

S4 (excluded from the published analysis)

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店で買うなら、どの家電量販店がよいですか。おすすめの家電量販店を3〜5個、おすすめ順に挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

If I were to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer, which electronics retailer would be best? Please list three to five recommended electronics retailers in order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

S5 (excluded from the published analysis)

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店で買いたいです。設置工事、室外機、配管、追加工事費、保証まで含めて安心できる家電量販店はどこですか。おすすめ順に3〜5個挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer. Which electronics retailer can I trust when installation work, the outdoor unit, piping, additional installation fees, and warranty are all taken into account? Please list three to five in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

S6 (excluded from the published analysis)

Original Japanese prompt used

エアコンを家電量販店でできるだけ安く、でも工事や保証で失敗しないように買いたいです。どの家電量販店がよいですか。おすすめ順に3〜5個挙げて、理由と注意点を教えてください。過去の会話や記憶は参照せず、この条件だけで回答してください。

English translation

I want to buy an air conditioner from an electronics retailer as cheaply as possible, but without making a mistake with installation or warranty. Which electronics retailer would be best? Please list three to five in recommended order, and explain the reasons and points to note. Do not refer to past conversations or memory; answer based only on these conditions.

Notes on the Survey

• This is an exploratory survey of 5 AIs × 6 scenarios × 5 runs and is not intended for statistical generalization.
• AI answers are web-UI outputs as of July 13–14, 2026, and even the same prompt varies with date and time, model, search settings, and account state.
• The overall ranking is calculated using ranking points as the primary metric; ranks below first change when recommendation count is used as the primary metric instead. The per-series reason-word counts are reference values based on keyword matching.
• Product and service names in this report are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Revision History

• July 15, 2026: Added the full prompts and the reason preliminary S4–S6 were excluded
• July 15, 2026: First published