Next Steps for AI Shopping

For two decades, search has driven ecommerce. Whether through Google, Amazon, or on‑site, the sequence was simple: a shopper types a query, compares results, and makes a purchase. Search engine marketing, organic and paid, enhanced performance. That model is evolving. Generative AI “agents” can now help shoppers compare products, prices, and options, often in a single conversational step. Shoppers initiate the interactions; agents then search relevant sites and respond based on the query, past preferences, and purchase history.

What Is Agentic Shopping?

“Agentic” refers to autonomous systems that can independently act and decide. Agentic shopping uses AI agents — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude — to guide the buying journey for a user. Think of it as a personal shopping assistant that interprets a request, searches multiple retailers, and surfaces relevant product and price options. Retailgentic, the Substack publication of ReFiBuy, a soon-to-launch agentic tool provider, recently published its test of Comet, Perplexity’s AI-driven browser:

Shopper: This bed set is pretty expensive, but I like it. Can you find it cheaper?

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Comet: I searched for a better price on the Allied Home Down Alternative XLT Dorm Kit (comforter, pillow, and mattress pad, Twin XL) and it is still listed at $84.99 at Target — the standard price for this exact bundled set. I didn’t find this specific 3‑piece kit for less elsewhere.

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However, other retail sites (like Kohl’s and Macy’s) offer Twin XL bedding pieces or comforter sets individually.

Instead of hopping from site to site, the shopper gets an answer in one dialog.

Why It Matters

Shoppers are warming to AI shopping, though unevenly by age. A February 2025 New Consumer survey (PDF) of approximately 3,000 U.S. residents found that 64% of Gen Zs (ages late 20s to early 40s) and Millennials (mid-teens to late 20s) are “very” or “somewhat” comfortable interacting with an AI shopping advisor, versus 40% for Gen Xs (mid 40s to early 60s). AI platforms are capitalizing:

• ChatGPT now embeds Shop Pay, Shopify’s hosted checkout and payment tool. Shoppers can discover, evaluate, and purchase goods from Shopify-powered merchants without leaving the chat, turning conversational AI into a sales channel.
• Perplexity’s agent‑led checkout, in partnership with PayPal, enables purchases, travel bookings, and event ticket sales directly in chat.
• Structured product feeds in Perplexity can ingest clean, up‑to‑date product data, such as from beauty brand Ulta (powered by Rithum, the author’s employer), for accurate pricing, attributes, and real‑time recommendations.

Next Steps

There’s no definitive AI playbook, but merchants can still prepare.

Audit product data

Universal standards for AI product feeds don’t (yet) exist, but you’re likely in good shape if you already maintain a product feed, such as for Google Shopping. Make sure it includes all key attributes: size, color, material, weight, and use cases.

Track AI visibility

Test how your products appear in generative AI platforms. Brands and manufacturers can prompt their name to see how it surfaces. Even better, try prompts that shoppers might use. See how AI ranks or references your products compared with competitors. For example, “Find me the best backpack that fits two days of clothes and fits under an airplane seat” or “List the highest-rated cordless drills from DeWalt under $200.”

Multiple Channels

Widespread use of AI shopping is far from certain. Adoption varies. Younger shoppers are more comfortable, older shoppers less so. Accuracy is uneven. AI can show outdated prices, inventory, and product details, as many are scraping product data, which is prone to errors, instead of using product feeds. In ChatGPT, products unrelated to a query sometimes appear in comparison carousels. AI shopping agents could become an important revenue channel, but they’re not a replacement for direct customer relationships, traditional search, or advertising. Make your product data AI‑ready while continuing to diversify your sales mix. Invest in multiple channels, customer engagement, and building a brand that can thrive regardless of how shoppers discover products.

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Source: Originally published at Practical Ecommerce on August 3, 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is agentic shopping?

Agentic shopping utilizes AI agents, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude, to assist users in their purchasing decisions. These agents can interpret requests, search multiple retailers, and present relevant product and price options, acting like a personal shopping assistant.

How do AI shopping agents work?

AI shopping agents interpret a shopper's request, considering their past preferences and purchase history. They then autonomously search relevant websites to find and present product comparisons, pricing, and other pertinent information in a conversational format.

What are the benefits of agentic shopping for consumers?

Agentic shopping offers convenience by consolidating the product discovery and comparison process into a single conversational interaction, eliminating the need to visit multiple websites.

What are the challenges or limitations of current AI shopping?

Current AI shopping can sometimes present inaccurate information due to relying on data scraping rather than direct product feeds, potentially showing outdated prices or details. Additionally, AI may sometimes surface irrelevant products in comparisons. Adoption also varies by age demographic, with younger consumers showing higher comfort levels.

How can merchants prepare for the rise of AI shopping?

Merchants should audit and ensure their product data is comprehensive and accurate, including key attributes like size, color, and material. They should also monitor how their products are presented on generative AI platforms by testing various shopper-like prompts to understand their visibility and ranking against competitors.

What are the next steps for AI shopping?

The evolution of AI shopping involves improving data accuracy, expanding AI agent capabilities, and refining user experience. Merchants need to adapt by making their product data AI-ready while also diversifying their sales and marketing channels.

Crypto Market AI's Take

The shift towards agentic shopping signifies a significant evolution in e-commerce, mirroring the disruptive potential AI holds across various sectors, including finance. At Crypto Market AI, we are at the forefront of this AI revolution, providing advanced tools and insights for the cryptocurrency market. Our platform leverages AI-powered trading bots and sophisticated market analysis to empower users. Just as generative AI agents are streamlining shopping, our AI analysts are designed to dissect complex market data, offering predictive insights and actionable strategies for navigating the volatile crypto landscape. We believe in augmenting human capabilities, ensuring that AI serves as a powerful co-pilot for financial decision-making. Explore our AI Agents section to understand how artificial intelligence is transforming market analysis and trading strategies, and discover our Trading Platform for a glimpse into the future of AI-driven finance.

More to Read:

• What are AI Agents?
• The Future of AI in Finance
• Understanding Cryptocurrency Markets
• How to Use AI for Crypto Trading