Agentic Commerce: Is retail ready for the $1 trillion shift?

Ecommerce has long relied on technology that requires a lot of human input. But with the emergence of agentic AI, the rules are starting to change.

This new wave of technology adds an intelligence layer that can anticipate, understand, and act across both merchant workflows and consumer journeys, helping teams operate more efficiently while enabling more intuitive and relevant shopping experiences.

Agentic commerce is often discussed as the next big trend. But it would be a mistake to see it as just that. The shift is already taking shape. Nosto’s consumer research shows that 72% of shoppers now expect AI agents to help them shop online.

So what does agentic commerce actually look like in practice, what opportunities does it unlock for retailers, and how can they start making this shift today?

What is Agentic Commerce?

Agentic commerce uses autonomous and proactive AI agents for businesses and consumers. 

AI agents possess “autonomy”, the ability to reason, plan, and execute tasks. In an online shopping context, these agents can proactively suggest products, engage in natural conversations, negotiate prices, and manage complex post-purchase tasks like returns or exchanges.

For ecommerce teams, AI agents streamline operations by anticipating inventory needs and automating every step of the process to create frictionless, proactive experiences. (Mastercard, 2025)

Between ecommerce platforms like Shopify’s Sidekick to search and personalization providers like Nosto’s Huginn, AI agents are becoming key players in the tech stack, enabling retailers to use these capabilities in their day-to-day work and improve customer experiences.

What Makes Agentic Commerce Different from Generative AI

What are the different types of agentic commerce?

According to McKinsey & Company, agentic commerce generally falls into three distinct categories based on how the technology interacts with the ecosystem:

1. Agent to site: Independent AI agents work directly onsite to create personalized experiences. 

Example: A shopper asks a query like, “Find me a summer outfit for a beach wedding under $200,” directly into the search bar. The AI agent doesn’t just show results; it interprets the “wedding” context, applies price filters, and returns a fully styled product bundle (dress, shoes, and bag) that is in stock in the user’s size.

2. Agent to agent: Agents connect into your brand’s tech stack, working in tandem to eliminate manual “admin” tasks.

Example: Imagine connecting Nosto’s AI agent, Huginn, to tools like Klaviyo and Shopify Sidekick. In this kind of setup, when Huginn detects a sudden drop in conversion rate on a specific product, it wouldn’t just surface an alert, it could collaborate with Sidekick to suggest a theme layout adjustment, while prompting a Klaviyo workflow to trigger a time-sensitive offer to high-intent segments, helping retailers quickly regain momentum.

3. Brokered agent to site: A third-party intermediary agent (like ChatGPT or Google Gemini) navigates multiple sites simultaneously to find the best value for a consumer.

Example: A consumer tells an LLM, “Get me the best-rated waterproof hiking boots in size 10 for under $150 and have them delivered by Friday.” The brokered agent scans your site along with your competitors, evaluates shipping times and return policies, and presents the consumer with a single “Buy Now” button that initiates a secure checkout directly through your Shopify Agentic Storefront.

Why Brands Should Pay Attention

1. Consumer readiness is high

The “readiness gap” is closing. Two-thirds (66%) of consumers say they’ve either tried or would be open to shopping with a conversational AI assistant, with over a third (34%) having already done so. (Nosto, 2026)

2. Revenue opportunity

The financial stakes are staggering. Research indicates that by 2030, agentic commerce could generate $1 trillion in retail revenue. (McKinsey, 2025)

3. Trust

Early adopters report that interacting with high-functioning AI agents actually increases brand trust (Nosto, 2026). When an AI agent accurately predicts or understands a need, it demonstrates a deep understanding of the customer.

Warning: Execution is everything. Get it wrong, and 69% of customers will bounce after receiving irrelevant products (Nosto, 2026).

4. Solving the “Paradox of Choice”

Nosto’s latest research shows that product discovery and decision making are where consumers would find the move value from AI. (Nosto, 2026)

By filtering through thousands of SKUs, brands can offer hyper-personalization. Online stores can present only the most relevant options and deliver better experiences with a fraction of the manual effort. AI agents reduce decision fatigue and increase conversion rates, moving the consumer from “scrolling” to “deciding.”

5.  Infinite Scalability

For brands, agentic AI offers a new level of operational efficiency and ability to grow, with 90% of businesses viewing agentic AI as a potential competitive edge through efficiency, enhanced decision-making, or scalability. (World Economic Forum, 2026)

In fact, some estimates predict that agentic AI could generate $3 trillion in corporate productivity gains globally over the next decade. (KPMG, 2026)

Conclusion:

The shift to agentic commerce is a fundamental redesign of the relationship between brands and buyers. As we move away from the “search-and-click” era, the retailers that thrive will be those that transition from being passive vendors to becoming active partners in the consumer’s journey.

The data is clear: consumers are ready, the revenue potential is staggering, and the technology is already capable of moving beyond simple conversation into true autonomous action.

Want the full breakdown of how 2,000+ consumers in the US and UK are actually using AI agents? Get the exclusive Nosto research study to discover where consumers find the most value and how to avoid the execution traps that drive shoppers away.

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