Ecommerce braces for new era of agentic AI shopping
A major shift in ecommerce is now underway as autonomous software agents begin to augment human browsing. Insight from IG&H discusses how AI entities are becoming the primary gateway for commerce, making critical decisions about which products to display, compare, and purchase.
The traditional retail model, which relies on capturing human attention through clicks and visual marketing, is transitioning toward a landscape of automated, hyper-personalized transactions.
Market analysts observe that consumers are increasingly using digital assistants for price comparison and product research. Platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini are able to scan the global marketplace in real-time. This evolution means that discoverability no longer depends solely on search engine rankings, but now also on how relevant a product appears to an AI reasoning engine.
“Agentic Commerce goes beyond basic chatbots or recommendation algorithms,” said Bert Kwanten, senior manager at IG&H. “It centers on autonomous AI agents capable of independent reasoning, decision-making and executing actions on behalf of the user.”
Kwanten gives the example of a shopper might request a waterproof backpack for under $80 that fits a 15-inch laptop. Instead of the user visiting ten different websites, the agent identifies the best match by analyzing technical specifications and reviews across the internet. It can then complete the purchase automatically if the user provides authorization.
Product data is key
This transition highlights a significant challenge for retailers when it comes to product data. For years, tech companies have seen data as the new gold, but now with AI, rich sources of data are more important than ever.
“Traditional marketing focuses on brand image and emotional positioning for humans,” says Kwanten. “Agentic Commerce focuses on machine-readability. How well does an AI agent understand your product? Basic attributes like dimensions, color and material are now the bare minimum. If your data isn’t structured for LLMs, your product effectively doesn’t exist.”
To remain visible, brands must provide highly detailed information that an AI can verify, such as specific use-case scenarios, lifestyle attributes to match search intent and contextual performance data. If a product description lacks these distinctive details, the AI agent may exclude it from the final selection.
Consumers embracing AI
The impact on the industry is expected to be substantial. Experts predict that by 2030, a significant portion of all digital transactions will be managed by AI.
While this precision may lead to a reduction in product returns, the penalty for inaccurate data will be high. If a brand provides poor information that leads an agent to make a wrong recommendation, the resulting loss of trust and algorithmic feedback could damage the brand more than a traditional return.
IG&H encourages companies to adapt by prioritizing machine-accessible data over aesthetic landing pages as primary commercial channels. Future growth may favor businesses that offer specific solutions, as agents can find specialized items more efficiently than human searchers.
“Retailers must consider both the user experience and the agent experience. The direction is clear: AI agents are the new ‘front door’ of commerce” summarizes Kwanten.
“And it is important to note that this is not a distant outlook. Various sources state that between 25% to 30% of consumers are already comfortable with agents shopping for them. Retailers who invest in rich product data and optimize their tech stack for autonomous agents today will be the ones who remain visible tomorrow.”
