The ecommerce reality check

Remember when online shopping meant typing something like “black dress” and scrolling through endless lists of options? That model is disappearing fast.

Today, shoppers don’t just look for products — they look for solutions. They ask, “What should I wear for a night out?” or “How do I set up an indoor garden?” This shift from product-driven to solution-driven shopping marks the beginning of a new phase in ecommerce.

Defining the shift: Agentic Commerce is here

This transformation is powered by Agentic Commerce — where AI doesn’t just assist your customers, it acts for them. Think of it as your customer’s digital shopping assistant: capable of comparing, deciding, and even completing a purchase with minimal human input.

And it’s already happening.

• Amazon launched Rufus, a generative AI assistant trained on its full catalog and web data to guide discovery and research. They’re also testing Buy for Me, which allows AI to complete purchases across retailer websites.‍
• OpenAI introduced Instant Checkout in ChatGPT,  enabling users to browse and buy directly within the chat — powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol.
• Walmart is partnering with OpenAI to create a contextual, multimedia shopping experience within ChatGPT.

The future isn’t coming — it’s here.

Adapting to the shift: why your data foundation matters more than ever

Structure before automation

AI can do incredible things, but only if the foundation it stands on is solid. Messy, inconsistent, or incomplete data? That’s a recipe for AI chaos. Instead of automating the mess, businesses need to focus on structuring the base — ensuring that product information is complete, validated, and ready to use.

In short: AI is only as smart as the data you feed it.

Step 1: Centralize and validate your data

Agentic Commerce depends on trust and precision. For AI to read, interpret, and act on your product data, it needs to be centralized and validated. That’s where a PIM system comes in — bringing all specs, descriptions, and classifications into one single source of truth.

Step 2: Enrich for solution-driven shopping

AI thrives on context. Shoppers no longer ask for “winter jackets,” they ask for “gear to stay warm while golfing in cold weather.” Your product data must be rich, categorized, and descriptive enough to help AI connect your products to those real-world needs. The more structured and complete your product information, the better your brand performs in contextual and intent-based searches.

Step 3: Build a smarter foundation

It’s not about putting AI inside your PIM — it’s about making your PIM AI-ready. A well-structured, connected, and validated product data foundation allows teams to easily connect their PIM with their favorite AI content tools — or specialized solutions built for product copy, translations, and enrichment.

The smarter your base data, the smarter your AI can be.

Preparing for the agentic future

Agentic Commerce isn’t a concept for tomorrow — it’s being deployed by the biggest names in retail right now.

The success of these AI-driven experiences won’t depend solely on algorithms, but on the quality and structure of the product data behind them.

So before you jump into the next AI hype, make sure your foundation is ready.
A complete, validated, and centralized data model is the only way to ensure that AI acts as a powerful agent for your growth — not as an amplifier of chaos.

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Did you know? KatanaPIM connects directly with specialized AI tools, making it easy to generate, enrich, and optimize your product content right from your existing setup — no extra hassle, just smarter workflows.

Request a demo today and learn more!