Act Now: Merchants' 30-Day Race to Prepare for Agent-Driven Commerce
In the next 30 days, merchants are urged to prepare for the rapidly evolving world of agent-driven commerce. This new era, powered by AI agents like ChatGPT and Gemini, is transforming digital trade at an unprecedented pace. With 700 million weekly ChatGPT users and billions of queries on Gemini, merchants face both threats and opportunities they must address promptly.
To navigate this shift, merchants should audit their data infrastructure, apply for merchant programs with leading AI platforms such as OpenAI, Google Merchant Center, and Perplexity. Integrating payment protocols and testing AI agent discovery are also crucial steps. However, time is of the essence. The window for merchants to gain algorithmic advantages and customer access is open for the next 12 months, after which the opportunity may close.
To build resilience and stay competitive, merchants should focus on building a hybrid channel strategy, optimizing quality signals, fostering a test-and-learn culture, and maintaining a strong cross-platform presence in the next 12 months. In the following 90 days, merchants should decide on their protocol adoption strategy, channel allocation, pricing strategy, and data investment roadmap. Speed, precision, and adaptability are vital in this agentic web, where early adopters can define the next decade of digital commerce.
The rise of agent-driven commerce is undeniable, with AI agents like ChatGPT and Gemini reaching hundreds of millions of users. Merchants must act swiftly in the next 30 days to secure their place in this new landscape. By auditing their infrastructure, applying for merchant programs, and strategizing for the future, merchants can turn this existential threat into an unprecedented opportunity.
