Agentic Commerce: How to Make Your Webshop Discoverable by AI Agents

Orange shopping cart on an illuminated AI data network as a visualization of agentic commerce
Summary
  • Agentic commerce went live in Q4 2025 in the US: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google offer consumers the ability to purchase directly within AI conversations
  • Shopify Agentic Storefronts is available today: with a single click, you can syndicate products to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot
  • AI agents compare based on data, not design: "100% organic cotton, 200 GSM" wins over "delightfully soft"
  • Structured data is the new foundation: JSON-LD for Product, Offer, and AggregateRating determines whether an AI agent recommends you or not
  • Europe will follow in 12 to 24 months: PSD3 and Bancontact integration delay autonomous AI purchases in the Benelux, but preparation starts now
  • Bain estimates 25% of e-commerce via AI agents by 2030: those who lay the data foundations now build a lead that is difficult to catch up with

Adobe Analytics registered a 4,700% growth in traffic from generative AI to US webshops in July 2025, compared to July a year earlier. Salesforce reported that AI and agents influenced 20% of all orders worldwide during Cyber Week 2025 through personalized recommendations and customer service. And in 2025, OpenAI launched a shopping feature that allows people to order products directly within ChatGPT, without ever visiting your website.

This is not science fiction. The customer journey is already changing today, and for Flemish webshops, it pays to position themselves now, before everyone else realizes it.

What is agentic commerce and why is it relevant for your webshop?

Agentic commerce is the model where an AI agent like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google Gemini independently searches for, compares, and purchases products on behalf of a user. The consumer gives instructions ("find the best leather backpack under 150 euros"), and the agent does the rest.

The fundamental difference from classic online shopping: the AI does not visit your webshop to browse. It retrieves information from structured product data, feeds, and APIs. Those who do not offer machine-readable data simply do not exist in that channel.

GEO-optimization, being discoverable in AI search engines, lays exactly the same technical foundation as agentic commerce. It is not a separate path; it is the same investment with a broader return.

Which AI platforms are already live for e-commerce?

In the final months of 2025, four concrete platforms were launched that fundamentally change the customer journey.

ChatGPT shopping: In 2025, OpenAI launched a shopping feature that allows Shopify and other merchants to make their products purchasable within ChatGPT conversations. The integration occurs via existing checkout infrastructure.

Perplexity Instant Buy (November 2025): Through a partnership with PayPal, merchants can sell products directly from Perplexity search results. Users pay without leaving the search interface.

Google Agentic Checkout (November 2025): Google Pay detects price drops and can complete purchases for products users have previously saved.

Amazon Rufus: Already active for some time, it processes hundreds of millions of search queries per month. It is the world's largest scaled AI shopping platform.

Sell your products wherever AI conversations happen, not just in your own store, but also within the AI tools your customers already use daily.
— Shopify, Winter '26 Edition

Is Shopify ready for agentic commerce?

Yes, and more so than most merchants realize. With the Winter '26 Edition (December 2025), Shopify launched three concrete tools.

Agentic Storefronts: A one-click setup that automatically distributes your product catalog to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. Once activated, an MCP endpoint automatically runs for your store.

Catalog API: AI agents gain access to your complete product data, including prices, stock, specifications, and return policy, via a standardized interface. Real-time and machine-readable.

ChatGPT checkout integration: Shopify products can be purchased directly from ChatGPT without the buyer leaving the chat interface.

An important nuance: Shopify Sidekick is different. Sidekick is a management tool that assists you as a retailer via AI for sales analytics, automations, and content generation. It is not a shopping agent for consumers. This confusion often leads to incorrect expectations.

Want to know more about how to optimize your Shopify webshop's performance? Check out our page on conversion optimization.

How do AI agents compare products, and what does that mean for your data?

AI agents do not read product pages like humans do. They extract structured data, weigh it based on user criteria, and make a decision in milliseconds. Vague marketing texts are ignored; specifications are compared.

Research by Semrush showed that a large portion of ChatGPT's product recommendations overlap with Google Shopping results. This has direct implications: your Google Shopping feed is now also your AI visibility feed. Those who don't have their feed in order will be missed in both channels.

Three factors determine whether an AI agent recommends you.

Data Quality: Specific, factual product descriptions with measurable properties. "300 GSM organic cotton, EU Ecolabel certified" wins over "premium quality".

Structured data: JSON-LD schemas for Product, Offer, AggregateRating, and MerchantReturnPolicy tell AI systems exactly what you offer, for how much, and under what conditions.

Reputation Signals: AI agents consider reviews from multiple sources. A low or missing review score means the agent won't even suggest you, regardless of price or quality.

Characteristic Classic (2023) Agentic commerce (2026)
Starting point Google search query AI prompt
How decisions are made Humans compare visually AI compares data
Number of steps 10 to 14 clicks 1 to 2 confirmations
Visit to webshop Mandatory Optional or not required
What convinces Design, UX, copy Data, specs, reviews
Payment On webshop In AI interface
Starting point
Classic (2023)
Google search query
Agentic (2026)
AI prompt
How decisions are made
Classic
Humans compare visually
Agentic
AI compares data
Number of steps
Classic
10 to 14 clicks
Agentic
1 to 2 confirmations
Visit to webshop
Classic
Mandatory
Agentic
Optional or not required
What convinces
Classic
Design, UX, copy
Agentic
Data, specs, reviews
Payment
Classic
On webshop
Agentic
In AI interface

What are the 5 steps to make your webshop AI-proof today?

Here's what you, as a Flemish webshop owner, can specifically do, without overhauling your entire architecture.

1. Implement structured data Add JSON-LD schemas for Product, Offer, AggregateRating, and MerchantReturnPolicy. These are the fields that AI agents consult first. On Shopify, this can be done via apps like Schema Plus or through theme adjustments. Read more about structured data and Google to understand which schemas have priority. SEO and GEO share the same data foundations: what's good for Google is good for AI agents.

2. Optimize your Google Shopping feed Ensure your Shopping feed is up-to-date, contains accurate titles with product specifications, and includes GTIN/EAN codes. What's listed here is also read by AI agents. This is not an extra task; it's the same feed you should already be optimizing for your performance marketing campaigns.

3. Rewrite product descriptions factually Replace vague qualifications with measurable specifications. Not "superior high-quality leather" but "full-grain cowhide, 1.8 mm thick, tanned without chrome salt." AI agents can compare that; marketing language cannot.

4. Activate Shopify Agentic Storefronts If you use Shopify: go to your Admin, find Agentic Storefronts via the Winter '26 Edition updates, and activate them. It takes minutes and automatically distributes your products to ChatGPT and Perplexity. More about the possibilities of Shopify for Belgian merchants. Not yet on Shopify? Check out our startup and migration page.

5. Structure FAQ, shipping policy, and return policy to be machine-readable AI agents check return policies and shipping costs before recommending a product. Ensure this information is clear, complete, and structured on your site, not hidden in a PDF or image. This seamlessly integrates with your AI chatbot for consistent customer service, and with a solid maintenance and support contract to keep your Shopify environment up-to-date.

Agentic AI could account for approximately 25% of US e-commerce revenue by 2030, fundamentally changing how consumers discover and purchase products online.
— Bain & Company, e-commerce and AI agents research report 2025

What do SMEs not need to do yet?

The hype surrounding agentic commerce gives the impression that every webshop needs to overhaul its entire architecture tomorrow. That is not the case.

Building your own AI agents: platforms like Shopify, Mollie, and Stripe build the transaction infrastructure. You provide the data foundations. A custom AI agent for purchases is an enterprise solution that most SMEs do not currently need.

Developing MCP servers yourself: if you work with Shopify, you already have them. Shopify automatically generates an MCP endpoint for each store via the Winter '26 API updates.

Adding an llms.txt file: this protocol has limited adoption and no official support from major LLM providers. Google's John Mueller confirmed that AI services do not consult this file in practice. Focus your initial attention on structured data.

For those who want to know how marketing automation connects to this evolution: the patterns are similar. Also compare this with how GEO evolved in relation to SEO: the fundamentals are the same, the application gradually shifts. Those who have their basics in order will follow the evolution effortlessly.

When is agentic commerce coming to Europe and Belgium?

The current platforms are all active in the US. The European rollout is delayed for concrete reasons: PSD3 regulation, Strong Customer Authentication requirements, and the fragmented payment market with Bancontact, iDEAL, and SOFORT.

Mollie, active in the Benelux, confirms in their agentic commerce FAQ that the payment infrastructure for Europe is under active development and will go live for selected merchants in 2026.

"The infrastructure for agentic payments is live in the US and is being actively developed for European markets. PSD3 compliance and local payment methods such as Bancontact and iDEAL are our priority for the European rollout."

Mollie, Agentic Commerce & European Payments FAQ Source: mollie.com/growth/agentic-commerce-european-payments-faq

The realistic timeline for Belgian merchants: 12 to 24 months for a broad rollout of autonomous AI purchases. But the preparation time is now. Those who wait until it's live will start a year too late and miss the first-mover advantage in AI search citations.

Also check out our analysis of zero-click and its importance for Belgian webshops, as agentic commerce significantly accelerates this trend.

In agentic commerce, it's not the brand with the largest advertising budget or the most beautiful landing page that wins. It's the merchant with the most accurate, structured, and reliable product data, because that's what AI agents can actually evaluate.
— Kevin Indig, Growth Memo

Why is GEO optimization the bridge to agentic commerce?

The technical basis for agentic commerce is the same as for GEO optimization: structured data, machine-readable content, factual product information, and strong reputation signals. Those who correctly implement GEO automatically lay the foundation for agentic commerce.

Specifically: the structured data an AI search engine uses to cite you in an answer is the exact same data an AI agent needs to recommend your product. One investment, two direct returns.

At ClickForest, we combine GEO strategies with online marketing and e-commerce optimization. We help Shopify merchants structure their product data and content so that both traditional search engines and AI platforms correctly understand and recommend them. More about our approach via AI for growth.

Ready to make your webshop discoverable for AI agents?

We check your structured data, Shopping feed, and GEO optimization and provide you with a concrete action plan. Request a website audit or schedule a video call, no obligations, direct response from Frederiek.

Clickforest logo

🚀 More leads, higher conversion, better ROI

This article provided you with insights. Now it's time for action. Whether you want to build a profitable webshop, generate more revenue from performance marketing or SEO, or grow with AI marketing - we provide concrete support to help you move forward.

💬 Discuss your challenge directly with Frederiek: Schedule a free strategy consultation or send us a message

📧 Prefer to email? Send your question to frederiek@clickforest.com or call +32 473 84 66 27

Strategy without action remains theory. Let's take your next step together.

Frequently asked questions about agentic commerce

What exactly is agentic commerce?
Agentic commerce is the model where an AI agent like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google Gemini independently searches for, compares, and purchases products on behalf of a user. The consumer gives instructions, the AI agent conducts the research and completes the purchase. The buyer does not necessarily visit the seller's webshop in this process.
Is agentic commerce already available in Belgium?
Fully autonomous AI purchases are currently limited to the US. The expected rollout for Europe is 12 to 24 months, depending on PSD3 compliance and integration with Benelux payment methods such as Bancontact.
Is agentic commerce relevant for B2B webshops?
Yes, perhaps even more so than for B2C. B2B buyers are increasingly delegating comparison tasks to AI assistants. "Find the three best suppliers of industrial stainless steel with CE certification and delivery within 48 hours in Belgium" is exactly the type of request a professional buyer gives to an AI agent. Structured data with technical specifications, certifications, and delivery conditions are decisive in B2B.
How does Shopify Sidekick differ from Shopify Agentic Storefronts?
Shopify Sidekick is a management tool for merchants: it helps you manage your webshop via AI prompts for sales analysis, automations, and content generation. Agentic Storefronts goes the other way: it makes your products available to AI agents shopping on behalf of consumers. Both are relevant, but for agentic commerce, Agentic Storefronts is the most directly applicable.
How do I activate Shopify Agentic Storefronts?
In your Shopify Admin, go to the Winter '26 Edition updates settings. The Agentic Storefronts option is available via the Sales Channels section. After activation, Shopify automatically generates an MCP endpoint for your store and distributes your product catalog to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. Exact availability depends on your Shopify plan and region.
What is structured data and why is it essential for AI agents?
Structured data is encoded product information in JSON-LD format that search engines and AI systems can read directly. Where a human visually scans your product page, an AI agent processes the structured layer: price, availability, specifications, review score, and return policy. If this layer is missing, your product does not exist in the AI channel. The most relevant schemas are Product, Offer, AggregateRating, and MerchantReturnPolicy.
Do I need to add an llms.txt file to my website?
No, that is not a priority. The llms.txt protocol has limited adoption and no official support from major LLM providers. Focus your initial attention on structured data, Shopping feed quality, and factual product descriptions.
What is the connection between GEO and agentic commerce?
GEO optimization focuses on being discoverable in AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Agentic commerce goes a step further: not just being found, but also being the endpoint of an AI-driven purchase. The technical basis is identical. Those who correctly leverage GEO automatically lay the foundation for agentic commerce.
How do I optimize my product descriptions for AI agents?
Replace vague statements with measurable specifications. "High quality" means nothing to an AI agent; "1.4 mm full-grain leather, 300 GSM, water-repellent coating" can be compared. Always include: material composition, dimensions, weight, certifications, compatibility, and usage instructions.
What does it cost to make my webshop AI-proof?
Most adjustments are work, not software purchases. Implementing structured data via JSON-LD is a one-time technical investment. Shopping feed optimization can be done through your existing Google Merchant Center account. For Shopify merchants, Agentic Storefronts is included in existing plans. For an average Belgian webshop, I estimate the initial implementation to take 2 to 5 working days, depending on catalog size.
How do I know if my webshop is already being found by AI agents?
Test this manually: search in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini for your product category plus niche. Do you appear? Then use a website audit to check which structured data is missing. At ClickForest, we track LLM visibility for Belgian companies via SEranking.

Sources & References

Agentic commerce and AI platforms:

Market data and research:

Strategy and implementation:

Next
Next

JSON-LD for SEO: The Guide to Structured Data