The Future Of Ecommerce Technology Innovations

🌶️ SPICY TAKE: Websites are becoming an outdated eCommerce tool That's because #AI is shifting the web from human-centered browsing to agent-led buying (More details here: https://lnkd.in/gCxTJKSv). As we move to machine-to-machine (M2M) commerce, #CRO and #A/B testing are likely to look very different In the near future, I envision a landscape where websites are no longer the primary touch points for shoppers Instead, I expect "websites" will be rich structured data snippets, hyper-personalized to the individual user, based on past AI agent-assisted searches and buying behavior The interface will likely be through an AI app, bot or GPT tool -- not a website or landing page From this vantage point, it's tempting to think CRO is imploding from the inside out. . . But, for forward thinkers, there are definitely opportunities. #Experimenters will be needed more than ever. Just in new places Here are the top-3 ways I anticipate experimenters will be able to reposition themselves in an M2M, AI-driven world: 1️⃣ OPTIMIZE FOR AGENT-FRIENDLY DATA AND FEEDS ⚡ AI agents, GPTs, and AI shopping bots will likely become the main eCommerce tools They'll likely rely on structured, accessible, and interpretable data As a result, they'll be increasing need for experimenters to specialize in optimizing meta data, schema, and structured data for AI product catalogs EXPERIMENTATION OPPORTUNITIES: ✅ Test tagging to determine which data format is the most visible and preferred by AI agents 🙉 The KPI will be higher-rankings in AI result/recommendations 2️⃣ DESIGN & TEST AI PROMPTS ⚡ Shopping will become more prompt-based, like “find me the best wireless headphones under $200” EXPERIMENTATION OPPORTUNITIES: ✅ Test prompt responses to favorably influence AI outputs ✅ Optimize LLM interaction design to show the most compelling product attributes 🙉 The conversion goal will become seeding AI tools to recognize and prioritize the client's brands offerings, first 3. OPTIMIZE EMBEDDED INTERFACES ⚡ With shopping likely to happen inside smart AI assistants, they'll be need to focus on multi-modal optimization (image + voice + text) and new forms of engagement EXPERIMENTATION OPPORTUNITIES ✅ Think like an AI-UX designer. Determine the journey when the AI is the customer, not people ✅ Test micro-interactions inside AI chat UIs, AR overlays, or voice interfaces ✅ Create copy that persuades bots, not people with the right algorithm inputs to see how how changes in backend data or structure impact AI result visibility 🙉 Conversion metrics will likely be "SERP" rankings in engines powered by LLMs, not just traditional SEO YOUR TURN: 📣 What do you think the future of experimentation looks like in this new AI, M2M paradigm? Share your thoughts and speculations below. Will the web as we know it cease to exist? ⬇️

Every ecommerce leader I know is running on the same hamster wheel: growth targets keep rising, but the rules of the game are being rewritten under their feet. When you place a leader and later sit down with them to swap insights, you’re reminded why the right talent shapes entire industries. I had a great conversation with Julian Exposito-Bader (ex-Amazon, TAG Heuer) about what’s really shaping the future of ecommerce, and he boiled it down to four pillars every executive should have on their radar: 1. Tariffs & Supply Chain Disruption Tariffs are no longer background noise. They’ve reshaped global commerce. Chinese manufacturers are redirecting from the US into Europe, flooding marketplaces with B-brands and copycats. Leaders who win will be the ones who diversify sourcing, master customs optimization, and use bonded warehouses strategically. 2. Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage It’s no longer acceptable to send a small product in three layers of plastic. Lastmile innovation (bike couriers, drones, reusable packaging) is moving from “PR play” to “bottom-line differentiator.” Zalando is pushing hard here. Consumers are watching, and they notice who’s lagging behind. 3. AI-Powered Commerce Revolution Gen Z isn’t Googling “best running shoes”, they’re asking ChatGPT or Alexa. LLMs are the new storefront. The question is: do brands have a strategy to influence those models? Add in 10-minute delivery in Southeast Asia (coming soon to Europe) and AI-driven fraud vs. fraud detection… the entire purchase journey is being re-engineered. 4. Channel Strategy & ROI Focus Social commerce is expensive and messy, but TikTok Shop is where the next generation buys. DTC remains the highest margin, but demands world-class storytelling. Amazon gives you traffic, but only if you’re willing to pour money into ads. And let’s not forget the “lipstick effect”, beauty keeps outperforming even when wallets tighten. The takeaway? Ecommerce leaders aren’t just choosing a channel anymore, they’re orchestrating these four forces simultaneously. For me, it was also a reminder of why the right hire matters: leaders like Julian don’t just react to market shifts, they anticipate and shape them. I’m curious, in your markets, which of these four pillars is hitting hardest right now? #ecommerce #fmcg #trending

There's a quiet revolution happening in the world of content and discovery, and we're barely talking about it. 🚨 SEO as we've known it is quickly becoming obsolete. AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok, and Claude are reshaping how buyers research, especially in high-involvement e-commerce sectors like consumer tech. Andrej Karpathy recently highlighted this perfectly: "It’s 2025 and most content is still written for humans instead of LLMs. 99.9% of attention is about to be LLM attention, not human attention." Imagine a buyer exploring a high-value product—say a premium smartwatch or a flagship smartphone. Rather than sifting through dozens of links, they're now simply asking: "Which smartwatch is better for health tracking: Fitbit Sense or Apple Watch Ultra?" This isn't hypothetical; it's happening right now. AI assistants are increasingly trusted as expert advisors that simplify complex product comparisons. For brands, this changes everything: ✅ Traditional SEO and "ranking #1 on Google" is no longer enough. ✅ AI agents handle the discovery process, dramatically shortening the consumer journey. ✅ Businesses must now optimize their content not only for human eyes but also for AI interpretation. (As Erik Wikander put it beautifully) A few eye-opening shifts already happening: 📉 Review platforms like G2 and StackOverflow have lost significant traffic post-ChatGPT. (Elena Verna) 📉 Big players like HubSpot, Figma, and Canva are seeing declining organic traffic as AI directly answers user queries. (Oliver Molander) 📉StackAI now receives more inbound from ChatGPT & Perplexity than from Google (Antoni Rosinol) The implications for Ecommerce and consumer tech brands are massive: Your product content must become "AI-native," meaning it's structured clearly enough for AI tools to pull and recommend. Content needs precise differentiation and expert-level detail because the AI gatekeepers are getting smarter at recognizing genuine value vs. fluff. As Tomasz Tunguz has highlighted, expect the emergence of AIO (AI Optimization)—the next evolution of content strategy where you're optimizing not just for search engines but for a multitude of personalized AI assistants serving diverse ICPs. In short, the future belongs to those who understand how to capture the attention of AI agents first, and users second. Traditional SEO is fading. We're entering a world where personal AI agents will act as gatekeepers, curating hyper-relevant content tailored exactly to individual needs and preferences. This demands a radical reimagining of CX tech stacks, particularly around product discovery, comparison, and commerce journeys. At Swirl®, we're addressing precisely this challenge by building specialized AI Agents—transforming customer experience into dynamic, personalized, and AI-optimized experiences. If your brand is navigating this shift and looking for ways to stay ahead, let's talk. #artificialintelligence #Ecommerce #AIO #SEO

In 2025 I believe the e-commerce game will shift in ways Amazon sellers can’t afford to ignore. Here’s what I think is coming, and how you can ride the wave: 𝗔 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿’𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Imagine running a multi-million-dollar business ... alone. Thanks to AI agents, this won’t just be possible—it’ll be common. From product research to marketing and logistics, AI agents will handle the heavy lifting. Sellers who learn to orchestrate these “digital employees” will become the new norm. 𝗔𝗜-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗿𝗻 The first brands designed entirely by AI will emerge. These aren’t just about AI-driven marketing; they’re built with supply chains and products designed by predictive consumer behavior. Real-time insights will craft what’s needed, where it’s needed, and when. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗖𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗰𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 Think competition is tough now? Soon products will be cloned instantly using AI. But here’s the twist: being copied will add value. The original creators—the "product DJs"—will win by remixing ideas and launching them at the perfect moment. Timing and distribution will be your superpowers. 𝗔𝗜-𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰 “AI-free” products will be the next “organic” label, catering to consumers craving authenticity. Sellers who build trust and prove genuine human involvement will have an edge. 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 Execution has always been the bottleneck for big ideas. AI fixes a lot of that. From streamlining supply chains to optimizing marketing strategies, sellers will focus more on what to build than how to execute. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 Authenticity will dominate. AI-generated content will flood social media, making it harder for influencers to stand out. The winners? Real humans with genuine proof of their product’s value. Sellers should focus on building strong, relatable communities. 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 Your everyday tools—browsers, AI-driven extensions—will turn into powerful e-commerce hubs, reshaping how you engage with customers. Adapt early to these platforms for a competitive edge. 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 Sales teams? Customer service reps. Social media and PPC ad managers. Product development teams? They’ll all shrink. AI will handle much of the work, leaving humans to oversee and strategize. Sellers will need to think like 80% product managers, 20% engineers—focused on building valuable solutions. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 + 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 + 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 + 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 = 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 Sellers who embrace these AI-driven changes will not just survive—they’ll thrive. Are you ready to become a "product DJ" and orchestrate the future of e-commerce?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the e-commerce landscape. Here’s a deep dive into how AI is already changing the e-commerce industry: 📊 Personalisation at Scale - Amazon: Amazon's recommendation engine, powered by AI, is responsible for 35% of its total sales. This system uses machine learning algorithms to analyze browsing and purchase history, thereby personalising the shopping experience for millions of users. __ 🤖 Enhanced Customer Service AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are transforming customer service. - Alibaba: During the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, Alibaba's AI chatbot handled millions of queries, achieving a resolution rate of 97%. Of course, this significantly reduced the need for human intervention. __ 📦 Inventory Management and Forecasting AI helps e-commerce businesses manage inventory more effectively by predicting demand and optimising stock levels. - Zara: They use AI to analyze customer feedback and sales data, enabling them to forecast trends and manage inventory accordingly. This approach reduces overstock and stockouts, enhancing operational efficiency. __ 🖼️ Visual Search and Recognition - Pinterest: Pinterest’s visual search tool, "Lens," lets users search for items by uploading photos. This AI-driven feature enhances product discovery, making it easier for users to find exactly what they’re looking for. __ 💸 Dynamic Pricing Strategies - Uber: Uber’s surge pricing algorithm adjusts fares based on demand and supply. This AI-driven strategy ensures optimal pricing, balancing rider demand with driver availability. __ 🔐 Fraud Detection and Prevention AI enhances security by detecting fraudulent activities and transactions in real-time. - PayPal: PayPal uses machine learning models to analyze transactions and detect fraud patterns. __ 📈 Market Insights and Analytics AI tools provide deep market insights and analytics, helping businesses make informed decisions. - Shopify: Shopify’s AI-powered analytics platform provides merchants with valuable insights into customer behaviour, sales trends, and marketing effectiveness __ The Numbers 📊 - Revenue Impact: According to a McKinsey report, AI could potentially create $1.4 to $2.6 trillion of value in marketing and sales alone. - Adoption Rates: A Gartner survey indicates that 37% of organisations have implemented AI in some form, with e-commerce being one of the leading sectors. - Customer Preference: Salesforce reports that 62% of consumers are open to AI improving their shopping experiences, reflecting growing consumer acceptance. AI is not just a trend; it’s a game-changer in the e-commerce industry. As AI continues to evolve, its impact on e-commerce will only grow, offering even more innovative solutions and opportunities. Picture - Soloway

The next wave of eCommerce isn’t a channel shift—it’s a mindset shift It’s not about adding more SKUs. It’s about deploying agents to do the work for you. And Amazon just showed us what that future looks like. Here’s the quiet rollout everyone should be watching: Amazon’s “Buy for Me” feature just launched. No commission. No inventory risk. No need to leave the app. Just AI agents shopping on your behalf—across Amazon and 3P sites. This isn’t a feature drop. It’s a signal: The shopping journey no longer ends with Amazon—it starts with Amazon’s agent. Let’s break it down for the kids in the back.. The Old Way of Thinking Consumers browse → compare → check out. Retailers fight for the last click. The New Playbook AI agents collapse that path. They find, compare, and transact for the user. Amazon is becoming the AI operating system for commerce—not just the store. Why it matters: (3) 1️⃣ AI is the new interface – It’s not just ChatGPT. It’s commerce. 2️⃣ This expands reach without SKU risk – Amazon grows without holding inventory. 3️⃣ It positions Amazon as the most valuable first step – Because the agent starts there. What I’d do if I were a brand: (3) → Design (A/B test) your PDPs and product content for AI agents, not humans. → Don’t obsess over last-click. Obsess over first-query. → Rethink what “distribution” means in a world where AI does the browsing. This is the beginning of agentic commerce. It’s early 2025 (April). We’re just getting started. Ways to reach us: Pattern® (eCommerce accelerator) The CPG View (podcast) The Retail eCommerce Club (community) The eFramework (eCommerce MBA) Subscribe to The Retail Media View: 👇🏼 https://lnkd.in/etsfcm-S #amazon #aiagents #ecommerce #retailmedia #digitaltransformation #cpg #shoppinginnovation #retailtech #pattern #retailecommerceclub

First, we optimized for search. Now we optimize for answers. You may already know the new shopping feature just dropped inside ChatGPT. And it's not just a nice upgrade. It's the future of e-commerce. You type “I'm looking for running shoes for daily training,” and suddenly you're seeing curated options with visuals, links, and product details from multiple retailers, right there in the chat. It’s fast. It’s visual. And it’s contextualized. But here’s the part sellers and agencies should be watching closely: These are not paid placements (yet?) They’re not ads. They’re AI-curated product picks based on metadata like reviews, pricing, style, and even the intent of the user. These are AI-driven recommendations based on what’s relevant to the intent and its memory of previous conversations (aka user preferences) That means your product is either chosen… or ignored in the conversation experience. And you won’t even see it coming. Because ChatGPT has a lot of context. It knows the user prompt. It knows a part of them. It knows what “most people” are searching for. Unlike Amazon’s Rufus, ChatGPT doesn’t have purchase history, browsing patterns, or what you clicked and abandoned last week. That level of personalization is what Rufus has.  And that’s what makes Rufus a real personalized shopping assistant. ChatGPT? It’s still a powerful discovery tool. But it doesn’t have true shopping data yet. The real wildcard? Shopify. If this ChatGPT x Shopify integration starts feeding purchase data back into the system… we’re looking at the early foundation of a new kind of retail loop. One that doesn’t just guess what you want. It learns it. For sellers, this is the moment to start thinking about the whole customer journey and build content to feed context to ChatGPT. Similar thing of what you should do on Amazon but on EVERY single retail outlet you sell into. Because in this world, your listing either becomes the answer… or it disappears. Structured content. Strong context. Clean metadata. And relevance that connects with real intent. That’s the new playbook. We’re not reacting to change anymore. We’re building for it. If you’re still thinking in keywords, you’re already a step behind. #EcommerceStrategy #AIinRetail #OnlineShopping #ChatGPTUpdates #ProductDiscovery #ConversationalCommerce #TechTrends #DTC #RetailInnovation