What E-commerce Players Should Do: A Three-Phase Action Plan for the Agentic Commerce Era

The emergence of agent-driven commerce is no longer a theoretical shift—it’s here, scaling fast, and rewriting the rules of digital trade. With 700 million weekly ChatGPT users, Google’s AI Mode scaling billions of queries, and new transactional protocols competing for dominance, merchants face both an existential threat and an unprecedented opportunity.

The key is timing. The window is open now, but it won’t stay open long. Merchants who act in the next 12 months will gain algorithmic advantages and customer access that late movers will struggle to replicate. Those who delay risk exclusion from agent discovery altogether.

Here’s a phased roadmap for merchants to navigate the agentic commerce transition.

Phase 1: Immediate Actions (Next 30 Days)

The first month is about survival. Before merchants can think strategy, they must ensure their data and infrastructure are compatible with AI agents.

1. Audit Data InfrastructureReview Schema.org markup for completeness.Ensure variant-level specifications (size, color, material, GTIN).Check feed accuracy and update frequency.Identify data gaps and fix them immediately.

If agents can’t parse your product, you don’t exist in the AI commerce era. This is the non-negotiable baseline.

2. Apply for Merchant ProgramsOpenAI merchant portal application.Google Merchant Center verification.Perplexity merchant signup.

The priority is to get in the queue now. Early integration means early exposure to algorithmic learning cycles. Waiting even 30 days could mean competitors secure positioning advantages you can’t claw back.

3. Integrate Payment ProtocolsStripe merchants: implement ACP with 1-line code integration.Others: evaluate Shared Payment Token API for ACP.Google Pay integration for AP2.Test API-first checkout flows end-to-end.

This ensures merchants are not just discoverable, but also transactable—a key distinction in agentic commerce.

4. Test AI Agent DiscoverySearch for your products in ChatGPT.Test Perplexity product queries.Try Google AI Mode shopping flows.Document what surfaces (and what doesn’t).

Think of this as SEO in fast-forward. The data collected now will reveal gaps and opportunities.

Critical Urgency: Merchants who delay more than 30 days will miss early positioning benefits and algorithmic learning cycles.

Phase 2: Strategic Decisions (Next 90 Days)

With infrastructure stabilized, the next step is strategic positioning. The goal is to balance adoption with caution, testing allocation and pricing strategies while planning for a multi-protocol future.

1. Protocol Adoption StrategyDecide whether to support ACP, AP2, or both.Evaluate engineering resources required.Factor in customer platform preferences.Assume a multi-protocol future—plan accordingly.2. Channel AllocationDecide what percentage of inventory to allocate to AI agents.Start conservatively: 20–30% allocation.Scale up or down based on performance data.Test across product categories to see where AI discovery performs best.3. Pricing StrategyModel transaction fees and their impact on margins.Adjust pricing specifically for AI-mediated channels if needed.Balance CAC savings vs. protocol fees.Test different product mix strategies—AI discovery may favor unique SKUs over commodity products.4. Data Investment RoadmapPrioritize: real-time feeds first, variant-level specs second, rich media third.Build a 6-month improvement timeline.Don’t wait for perfect data—start with good enough and iterate.

Strategic Insight: Imperfect data that’s live beats perfect data that’s absent. Get moving, then refine.

Phase 3: Long-Term Positioning (Next 12 Months)

Once merchants are integrated and experimenting, the focus shifts to building resilience. The challenge is to leverage AI distribution without becoming dependent on a single platform.

1. Hybrid Channel StrategyUse AI agents for acquisition.Maintain owned-property relationships for retention.Don’t become dependent on one protocol or platform.Build email lists and customer databases from AI-acquired customers.

Think of AI agents as the new top of funnel, not as replacements for direct customer relationships.

2. Quality Signal OptimizationPrioritize reviews and ratings—agents weigh trust heavily.Build expertise signals (content, guides, authority markers).Emphasize uniqueness over price.Remember: agents reward relevance, not aggressive discounting.3. Test-and-Learn CultureRun rapid experimentation cycles.Compare AI-mediated behavior vs. traditional channels.Document which queries drive purchases.Build compounding advantages through early data feedback loops.

The winners will be merchants who treat AI commerce as an iterative system, not a one-time integration.

4. Cross-Platform PresenceSupport both ACP and AP2 to avoid lock-in.Ensure presence on ChatGPT, Google, and Perplexity.Maintain optionality and negotiating power.Avoid single-platform dependency at all costs.The End Game

The winners of the agentic commerce transition will be those who:

Move early—capturing algorithmic advantages before the crowd.Invest in data infrastructure—ensuring they remain discoverable and transactable.Adopt hybrid strategies—using AI distribution without ceding full control.Stay multi-protocol—avoiding dependence on a single rail.

The message is clear: the window is open now, but it won’t stay open long. Merchants who hesitate will miss the compounding advantages of early adoption.

The agentic web rewards speed, precision, and adaptability. Those who embrace the transition today will define the next decade of digital commerce.

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