"Consumers will increasingly discover and research products without clicking an organic listing. Commercial websites have experienced traffic declines for years. The trend will accelerate in 2026, as genAI platforms will research and recommend products based on shoppers' prompts. For instance, I queried ChatGPT with the prompt "best hiking boots for winter." The platform ran its own searches, identified the best options, and then compared products across multiple criteria, including snow, insulation, warmth, and price."
"The process could have taken me an hour or more searching, clicking, and then discovering each option. I would have read reviews and product comparisons. Instead, ChatGPT took less than a minute and required no additional clicks. The next genAI evolution is enabling users to purchase products in the chat dialog, i.e, without leaving the platform. ChatGPT does this with " Instant Checkout"; Google's version is " Agentic Checkout.""
Generative AI is rapidly transforming search results through AI Overviews and AI Mode, undermining many traditional SEO tactics. Consumers are beginning to discover and research products without clicking organic listings, accelerating traffic declines for commercial websites. GenAI platforms can run searches, compare products across multiple criteria, and synthesize recommendations in minutes. Chat interfaces are evolving to support in-chat purchases via Instant Checkout and Agentic Checkout, removing the need to leave platforms. Merchants face reduced visibility and weakened attribution, while lack of AI visibility data and unreliable third-party tools hinder optimization efforts. GenAI platforms are not yet profitable and will pursue revenue add-ons.
Read at Practical Ecommerce
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