Agentic Commerce Definition
Agentic commerce is a form of e-commerce where artificial intelligence agents autonomously execute purchasing processes on behalf of users or organizations. These AI shopping agents can discover products, compare options, negotiate prices, and complete transactions with minimal or no human intervention.
The term combines "agentic" (referring to autonomous AI agents) with "commerce" to describe this new paradigm in online shopping. Unlike traditional e-commerce where humans browse and click, agentic commerce puts AI in the driver's seat.
According to industry research, the agentic commerce market could reach $385 billion by 2030, fundamentally changing how products are discovered and purchased online.
AI Shopping Agents in 2026
| Agent | Platform | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | OpenAI | Browse, Operator mode, product recommendations, purchase completion |
| Perplexity | Perplexity AI | Real-time product search, citations, merchant program |
| Google AI Overview | AI summaries in search, product comparisons | |
| Amazon Rufus | Amazon | In-app AI assistant, product Q&A, recommendations |
| Microsoft Copilot | Microsoft | Shopping integration, Copilot Checkout with PayPal |
How Agentic Commerce Works
User Query: "Find me running shoes for flat feet under $150"
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ INTENT PARSING │
│ • Category: Running shoes │
│ • Constraint: Flat feet support │
│ • Budget: Under $150 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRODUCT MATCHING │
│ • Search product databases │
│ • Match arch support attributes │
│ • Filter by price constraint │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ RECOMMENDATION GENERATION │
│ • Rank by relevance + reviews │
│ • Explain why each product fits │
│ • Provide purchase options │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘AI shopping agents understand natural language queries, parse the user's intent, search across product databases, and generate personalized recommendations with explanations. The key difference from traditional search is the agent's ability to understand context and provide synthesized answers rather than just links.
Why Agentic Commerce Matters for Merchants
shoppers ask AI for product recommendations
Adobe, 2025
of Gen Z prefer AI over Google for product research
Industry Research
higher order value from AI referrals vs organic search
E-commerce Analytics
higher conversion rates from AI recommendations
Merchant Data
The Zero-Click Reality
Important: When a user asks ChatGPT "what's the best running shoe for flat feet?", the AI provides an answer directly. The user may never visit your website. Your product either gets recommended by the AI (and gets the sale) or doesn't exist in the AI's knowledge (invisible).
This is the "zero-click" reality of agentic commerce. Traditional SEO focused on getting clicks to your website. Agentic commerce optimization focuses on getting your products recommended by AI agents, regardless of whether the user ever sees your site.
How to Optimize for Agentic Commerce
Enrich Your Product Data
AI agents need rich, structured product data to understand and recommend your products. Use AI product enrichment to add detailed attributes, specifications, use cases, and semantic information.
Implement Structured Data
Add JSON-LD schema markup to your product pages. This helps AI systems understand your products in a machine-readable format.
Create AI-Friendly Content
Write product descriptions that answer specific questions: Who is this for? When should they use it? What problem does it solve? What makes it different?
Get Indexed by AI Platforms
Ensure your products are discoverable by AI shopping platforms. This may require joining merchant programs (like Perplexity Merchant Program) or optimizing for AI crawlers.
Use an AI Commerce Platform
Platforms like PrismCommerce automatically enrich your product data and distribute it to AI shopping agents, making the optimization process seamless.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is agentic commerce?
Agentic commerce is a form of e-commerce where AI agents autonomously execute purchasing processes on behalf of users. These AI shopping agents can discover products, compare options, make recommendations, and even complete purchases without human intervention.
Is agentic commerce the same as AI shopping?
Agentic commerce is a specific type of AI shopping where the AI acts autonomously as an agent. Traditional AI shopping might just involve AI-powered search or recommendations, while agentic commerce implies the AI can take actions and complete transactions on behalf of the user.
How big is the agentic commerce market?
According to Morgan Stanley research, the agentic commerce market could reach $385 billion by 2030. This represents a significant shift in how products are discovered and purchased online.
Do I need to change my website for agentic commerce?
You don't necessarily need to redesign your website, but you do need to ensure your product data is AI-ready. This means rich, structured data that AI agents can understand and match to customer queries.