"This bifurcation, according to Stern, is at the separation of commodity buying and experience-based shopping. On the one hand, if someone wants a commodity item or a widely available brand, almost any store will do. A shopper might ask ChatGPT to order more Tide laundry detergent, and not care who sells it. What matters is getting Tide delivered quickly at a low price."
"On the other hand are the retailers that Stern's company serves: mom-and-pop operations on Main Street. These violin shops, wine boutiques, and pet stores offer a local experience. Shoppers talk to an expert in person or let a dog sniff out the right bone. And these companies are part of our local neighborhoods. The extent to which specialty merchants can transfer that shopping experience into agentic commerce is either an opportunity or a danger."
Agentic commerce accelerates a split between commodity purchasing and experience-driven shopping. Commodity items and widely available brands can be bought through AI agents prioritizing speed and low price. Specialty local retailers rely on in-person expertise, curated selections, tactile discovery, and neighborhood presence to attract customers. These retailers face both risk and opportunity as AI agents handle more purchases. Local shopping can be affected by external changes like parking costs that reduce foot traffic and sales. Specialty merchants can respond by translating unique experiences into agentic contexts or running targeted campaigns to retain customers.
Read at Practical Ecommerce
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]