Ecommerce AI: Why Agentic Commerce Matters

What is Agentic Commerce? Defining the Future of Online Retail

Traditional ecommerce models are evolving, and at the forefront of this transformation is agentic commerce. But what exactly is agentic commerce, and how is it poised to redefine the way brands connect with their customers?

Agentic commerce represents a shift in how consumers interact with brands online, moving beyond traditional browsing and even conversational AI. At its core, agentic commerce is an advanced form of ecommerce where AI agents autonomously perform tasks and make informed decisions on behalf of the customer, proactively guiding them through a highly personalised and efficient shopping journey. 

There are a few characteristics worth considering when it comes to agentic commerce: 

• Autonomous Action: Unlike chatbots that respond to direct commands, agentic AI actively anticipates customer needs, researches products, compares options, and can even execute purchases or manage post-purchase workflows. They don't just provide information; they take action. 
• Goal-Oriented: These agents are designed to achieve specific objectives, whether it is finding the best value product based on user criteria, managing a complex return, or optimising a recurring order. 
• Personalised & Proactive: Agentic systems learn individual preferences, historical data, and real-time context to offer highly relevant recommendations and services, often before the customer even explicitly asks. 
• Data-Driven Decisions: AI agents make purchasing decisions based on structured data, including product catalogues, pricing services, availability feeds, and shipping estimators, often through APIs rather than human-navigated interfaces. 
• Beyond Human Interface: The interaction shifts from humans browsing pages to AI agents querying structured data. This means a brand's visibility depends on its data being machine-readable and its delivery infrastructure being legible to AI. 

Essentially, agentic commerce transforms AI from a support interface into a transactional egine, enabling a seamless, intelligent, and highly efficient shopping experience.

The shift to agentic commerce is not just theoretical; it's a rapidly accelerating reality with substantial market impact. Recent research published in 2026 paints a clear picture of this transformative trend: 

• Market Growth: The global agentic commerce market is projected to grow to $65.5 billion by 2033 at an impressive CAGR of 35.7%.
• Transaction Value: The total value of agentic commerce users is forecast to grow by a staggering 43,240% from $8 billion in 2026 to $3.5 trillion by 2031. 
• User Adoption: The number of agentic commerce users is expected to surpass 300 million in 2026, reaching 1.3 billion by 2031. 
• Retail Spend Redirection: McKinsey estimates that this model could redirect $3-5 trillion in global retail spend by 2030, while Gartner predicts that AI agents will intermediate $15 trillion in B2B purchases by 2028.
• AI Influenced Sales: AI-driven interactions are already shaping a meaningful share of online purchasing behaviour. During Cyber Week, AI systems influenced approximately $67 billion in global online sales, representing roughly 20% of digital orders. 
• Traffic Shift: For retailers, traffic from AI sources surged by 1,200% year-over-year, while traditional search traffic declined by 10%. Nearly 6% of all searches now flow through AI-powered answer engines. 
• IT Spending: Agentic AI is projected to represent 10-15% of IT spending in 2026, growing to 26% of budgets (approximately $1.3 trillion) by 2029. 
• Consumer Willingness: Consumers are increasingly willing to authorise AI agents to shop and buy on their behalf, signalling the emergence of agentic commerce. 

These statistics underscore that agentic commerce is swiftly moving from experimentation to operational reality, fundamentally shaping how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. 

THG Commerce's Innovative AI Shopping Assistant

At THG Commerce, we are committed to helping brands power their next stage of business growth. Our commitment to innovation is exemplified by the recent launch of our groundbreaking AI Shopping Assistant. This advanced conversational AI solution, powered by Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform, is a testament to the transformative potential of AI in ecommerce. 

Our AI Shopping Assistant creates brand experiences that combine the transformative potential of AI and automation with human expertise, pushing boundaries to drive customer acquisition and engagement. Imagine giving every shopper a dedicated, expert guide who not only understands their preferences but also your entire product range. This is the reality agentic commerce delivers. 

Tangible Results: Driving Conversion and Average Order Value Uplift

The impact of agentic commerce, particularly through our AI Shopping Assistant, is already yielding significant results for leading brands. Early pilot data from Myprotein showcases the profound commercial impact. The AI Shopping Assistant has delivered an impressive 8x higher conversion rate (CVR) compared to Myprotein's site average. It has also contributed to an average order value (AOV) uplift of 20.8%, with returning buyers seeing a 4.61% increase in CVR and a 9.6% AOV uplift. These metrics demonstrate that agentic commerce is not just a futuristic concept; it's a proven strategy for maximising ROI through a powerful, data-driven approach. 

Why Agentic Commerce is Your Next Strategic Move

For c-suite decision makers, ecommerce directors, and marketing teams, understanding and adopting agentic commerce is crucial for competitive advantage. It offers: 

• Enhanced Customer Experiences: Personalised guidance and real-time support, elevating customer satisfaction and loyalty. 
• Optimised Sales Funnels: Streamlined product discovery and reduced purchase barriers leading to higher conversion rates. 
• Data-Driven Insights: Rich data on customer interactions, informing future marketing and product development strategies. 
• Scalable Personalisation: Delivering bespoke shopping experiences at scale, previously impossible without extensive human intervention.