INDUSTRY UPDATEAI commerce is changing discovery
In 2026 and beyond, customers will increasingly discover, compare, and choose products inside AI platforms. Here’s what that means for ecommerce brands and how to stay visible where decisions are made.
It’s a new year, and we’re starting our industry updates at Violet Bolt Media by looking at one of the biggest shifts happening in ecommerce right now: agentic storefronts. Search is about to change in a meaningful way.
In 2026 and beyond, customers won’t rely solely on Google to discover products. Instead, they’ll increasingly discover, evaluate, compare, and choose products directly inside AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and other conversational AI tools. This shift is redefining how brands show up online.
AI is no longer just answering questions
It’s becoming part of the buying journey. If you’re not part of the conversation, you’re not part of the decision.
The AI Shopping Shift: Are You Visible Where Decisions Are Made?
Traditionally, ecommerce visibility meant focusing on SEO rankings, Google Ads, marketplaces, and social media. These channels still matter and will continue to matter. But AI is now adding a new layer of product discovery and decision-making.
What customers are asking AI
Instead of scrolling through search results or category pages, customers are turning to AI and asking questions like:
- What’s the best product for my needs?
- Where can I buy this?
- Compare these options for me.
- Which brand should I trust?
The old journey
Search results, shopping feeds, category pages, then product pages.
The new journey
AI summary, AI comparison, AI recommendation, then checkout (often with fewer clicks).
“AI-driven recommendations are already shaping how people make purchase decisions.” What we’re seeing as conversational search and AI assistants become part of everyday shopping research.
What Are Agentic Storefronts?
Agentic storefronts represent the next step in AI-driven commerce. At a basic level, they allow AI systems to understand, interpret, and recommend your products rather than simply linking to your website.
Simple definition
An agentic storefront is a setup where AI can reliably access your product info (attributes, pricing, availability, positioning) and use it to guide discovery and comparison inside a chat experience.
Basic vs advanced agentic experiences
- Basic: AI recommends your products with accurate details, then sends users to a product or collection page.
- Advanced: AI takes action on behalf of the customer by selecting products, comparing across brands, and (eventually) initiating purchases inside the AI interface.
Fully autonomous, end-to-end AI purchasing is still emerging. However, AI-led discovery, comparison, and recommendation are already happening today, and they’re changing how customers choose what to buy.
Why This Matters for Ecommerce Brands
AI is becoming a new surface where buying decisions begin. That means ecommerce brands need to think beyond traditional website traffic and rankings. To perform well in AI-driven environments, your products need to be:
- Clearly structured and consistently categorised
- Rich in meaningful attributes and specifications
- Written with intent and real buyer questions in mind
- Supported by accurate metadata and clean product data
This isn’t about replacing SEO
It’s about evolving it. Visibility now includes AI answers, conversational queries, and recommendation engines that summarise and compare products for users.
Getting Your Ecommerce Brand AI-Ready with Violet Bolt Media
We help ecommerce brands prepare for this shift by making sure product data and content are understandable, credible, and visible to AI platforms.
Our AI-readiness focus areas
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Structure product data so AI can interpret it Clear attributes, consistent naming, sensible variants, and tidy category logic.
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Create intent-led descriptions that match buyer questions Copy that answers “is this right for me?” without fluff.
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Keep categories, attributes, and messaging consistent So AI sees a coherent catalogue instead of conflicting signals.
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Optimise for AI discovery as well as search engines Because recommendations are becoming as important as rankings.
Want to see how your products show up in AI answers?
If your agency hasn’t talked to you about AI visibility, product structure, or how your brand appears in AI-driven environments, it’s worth a proper review.
The Bottom Line
AI isn’t replacing ecommerce websites. It’s changing how customers find and choose products. Agentic storefronts represent a shift towards AI-assisted and AI-driven buying journeys.
The brands that win will be the ones that make their products easy for AI to understand, compare, and recommend. Whether you want to explore AI opportunities or simply future-proof your online presence, Violet Bolt Media can help.
Quick FAQs
Do I still need SEO if AI is recommending products?
Yes. SEO still builds demand capture and authority. The shift is that visibility now includes AI answers and comparisons, not only rankings.
What’s the fastest way to become more “AI readable”?
Start with product data hygiene: consistent attributes, clear categories, clean variants, and descriptions that answer real buyer questions.
Is end-to-end AI checkout happening today?
It’s emerging. But AI-led discovery and comparison is already influencing decisions at scale, which is why being present now matters.
