Shopify, our top-rated ecommerce builder, now enables merchants to sell directly through AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, AI Mode, and the Gemini app. With an increasing number of shoppers treating AI as their personal shopping assistant, this product update will help sellers appear in front of high-intent customers.
I’ll explain how you can take advantage of Shopify’s Agentic Commerce rollout and start reaching new customers today.
- Shopify merchants can sell their products through AI agents, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google’s AI Mode
- For existing Shopify merchants, products will be discoverable through AI agents by default
- Sellers outside of Shopify can subscribe to its Agentic plan, enabling them to upload their products to Shopify’s Catalog and get them featured in AI chatbot conversations
- Store owners won’t be charged for using Shopify’s Agentic Commerce, but will need to pay third-party payment processing fees for each transaction (from 2.9% + 30¢)
- Shopify’s Agentic Commerce feature can help you maximize your store’s online presence and sales across different AI channels
How Does Shopify’s Agentic Commerce Work?
To display items to shoppers using AI chatbots, Shopify organizes merchant items in its Catalog API. This is essentially a huge database that stores product data in a way that AI assistants like ChatGPT and Copilot can easily understand. This means that when users are shopping online, the AI can recommend specific items from the database that are tailored to their needs and wants.
How Can I Get My Products To Show in AI Channels?
Both existing Shopify merchants and sellers outside of the platform can sell via its Agentic Commerce offering. Here’s how you get your products seen depending on where you’re selling online:
- Shopify merchants – Shopify merchants have access to these AI selling opportunities by default, so you don’t need to set anything up yourself. You can also head to the Shopify admin in your dashboard to manage your settings. That said, merchants can opt out from appearing in AI channels if they’d like to.
- Merchants outside of Shopify – External sellers can sign up to Shopify’s Agentic plan to make their products shoppable across AI channels. Though it’s a free subscription plan, you will need to pay third-party transaction fees whenever a customer completes a purchase through an AI channel. Card rates per purchase typically begin from 2.9% + 30¢.
Is Shopify’s Agentic Commerce Worth it?
If you’re already selling via Shopify, Agentic Commerce is worth it. Not only is the feature included with all Shopify plans, but it’ll help you maximise your visibility across different AI agents and acquire new customers.
Merchants selling on other platforms will also find Shopify’s Agentic Commerce worthwhile. Shopify acts as a middleman between your store and numerous AI agents, so you’re able to reach wider audiences without having to migrate your entire storefront. All you need to do is sync your product catalog to Shopify to get started.Most importantly, embracing agentic storefronts can help your store adapt to emerging shopping trends. By diversifying your store’s traffic sources, you can guide new customers to your products and optimize conversion rates. The stores that are slow to adapt will be left behind, so the prime time to optimize your ecommerce strategy is now.
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