Agentic Commerce: When AI Does the Shopping For You

Shopping is About to Get Weird (In a Good Way?)

Ok imagine this: you tell your AI assistant "Hey I need running shoes. I have flat feet, budget's like $150, and I like Nike or Brooks. Just get me something good."

And it just... does it. Researches options, reads reviews, remembers your size from last time, finds the best deal, and orders. You tap "approve" and shoes show up at your door.

Sounds like sci-fi but it's basically here. It's called agentic commerce and it's coming way faster than people think.

What Even is Agentic Commerce?

It's when AI agents actually handle shopping tasks. Not just recommending stuff - actually buying it for you.

Like the difference between:

• AI assistant: "Here are some running shoe options" (you still gotta research and buy)
• AI agent: "I ordered the Brooks Ghost 15 in your size, arrives Thursday" (done)

The "agentic" part means the AI takes actions on its own, within limits you set.

Why is This Happening Now?

A few things are lining up at once:

AI got really good at understanding what you actually mean. When you say "something good for beginners but not too basic" it can figure out what that means in terms of actual product specs.

AI can now browse websites. It can navigate stores, read product pages, compare stuff, fill out checkout forms. Like a human would but faster.

Payment systems are ready for it. Saved cards, authentication apps, secure APIs - AI can actually complete purchases safely now.

And honestly, people are starting to trust AI more. We already let it pick our music, route our drives, control our homes. Shopping is next.

What Does This Mean If You Sell Stuff Online?

It's both opportunity and threat honestly.

The opportunity: AI agents will do massive amounts of product research. If your stuff is easy for AI to understand and evaluate, you'll get considered.

The threat: If your product info sucks, your site is confusing, or checkout is a nightmare, AI agents might just... skip you. No human ever even sees your products.

How Will AI Agents Evaluate Products?

When an AI shops, it's basically asking:

"Does this match what my human wants?"

• Specs vs requirements
• Reviews and ratings
• Price vs budget
• Can it ship in time?
• What's the return policy?

"Is this store legit?" AI will learn which stores are reliable:

• Accurate inventory (ordering out of stock stuff is a bad experience)
• Consistent shipping
• Easy returns
• No surprise fees at checkout

"Is this the best deal?" Agents will compare across stores instantly. Price, shipping costs, loyalty points, bundles - all of it.

How to Prepare Your Store

Think about what makes your store "agent-friendly":

Product data needs to be complete. Every spec, every attribute. Size, color, material, compatibility, everything. Accurate descriptions of what it does and who should buy it.

Checkout needs to be simple. Show shipping costs upfront (not as a surprise at the end). Allow guest checkout. Clear return policies. Checkout that doesn't break or timeout.

You need something that stands out. Unique products, better prices, faster shipping, good reviews. When agents compare stores, what makes you the pick?

Technical stuff matters too. Structured data helps AI understand your catalog. Fast pages (agents won't wait around). Clean site structure.

Does Brand Loyalty Even Matter Anymore?

Here's an interesting thing to think about: if AI does the shopping, does brand loyalty shift?

Maybe instead of consumers being loyal to brands, agents become loyal to stores that consistently deliver good experiences.

Like, if an AI agent orders from Store A and the product matches the description, arrives on time, and returns are easy - the agent "learns" that Store A is reliable. Might prefer it going forward.

So the whole customer experience becomes your competitive advantage. Not just the marketing.

When is This Happening?

Right now (2026): AI recommends products. Some early agent stuff exists. Most purchases still need human clicks.

Soon (2027-2028): Better agents handling routine purchases with approval. "Should I order more coffee? Same brand?" becomes normal.

Later (2029+): Agents handling lots of routine purchases automatically within your settings. Humans focus on bigger decisions.

What to Do About It

Audit your product data. Is everything fully described? Could an AI understand exactly what you sell and who should buy it?

Simplify checkout. Remove friction. Clear policies. No surprise costs.

Build reliability. Accurate inventory, on-time shipping, easy returns. Even more important when AI is evaluating you.

Stay informed. This space is moving fast.

Check your AI readiness to see how well AI understands your products right now.

Big Picture

This isn't just another sales channel. It's a fundamental shift.

For decades, retail was about grabbing attention. Flashy ads, shelf placement, store design. Get humans to notice you.

In an agentic future, it's about information quality and reliability. AI doesn't care about your fancy homepage. It cares if your product data is accurate and your shipping is fast.

Stores that get this will do well. Stores still playing the old game will wonder where their customers went.