AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity are quickly reshaping how shoppers discover, compare and even purchase products. In this CommerceNext webinar, Michael Kors, Maxaroma, EyeBuyDirect and iAdvize came together to explore what happens as commerce moves into AI environments and what this means for brand websites, storytelling, data and trust.
What We Covered:
- The Rise of the “Shop for Me” Journey
- Why Brand Websites Still Matter in an AI-First World
- Reinventing Brand Storytelling for AI Assistants
- Designing Experiences for Both Humans and AI Agents
- Building Trust, Compliance and Measurement for AI Commerce
Speakers:
- Ann Marie Ippoliti, SVP Digital Commerce, Consumer Marketing & Global Analytics, Michael Kors
- Sunny Jiang, CEO, EyeBuyDirect
- Hamed Arefian, Co-Founder & VP, Maxaroma
- Mike de la Cruz, President, iAdvize
- Moderated by: Jenny Marlo, Head of Content, CommerceNext
The Rise of the “Shop for Me” Journey
iAdvize opened with the question on everyone’s mind: “If ChatGPT can handle discovery and instant checkout, what happens to the website?”
They shared early signals that the shift is already underway:
- AI-driven visits to ecommerce sites are still small (often between 0.2–2% of traffic), but growing fast.
- Adobe analysis of over a trillion visits shows explosive growth in AI-referred traffic year over year. The beginning number is small, but it’s trending towards the classic “small now, huge later” pattern.
- Beneath traffic reports is a bigger change: where journeys start and who shoppers ask to “figure it out” for them.
The good news? There’s still a big opening for brands. Over half of consumers do not yet trust AI to manage the entire end-to-end shopping experience. And shoppers are roughly 3x more likely to trust retail-owned AI tools than generic platforms, setting up a window for brands to become the trusted guide in this new “shop for me” journey.
Why Brand Websites Still Matter in an AI-First World
So if AI agents are handling more discovery and even checkout, do brands still need websites? The panel’s answer was clear: yes, but the role is evolving.
From the brand side:
- Maxaroma has seen AI referral traffic grow 195–200% this year, but most consumers still convert on-site after researching through AI tools.
- Michael Kors uses on-site AI assistants as a supplement—not a replacement—for traditional browsing, storytelling and brand immersion.
- EyeBuyDirect notices shoppers using AI to match eyewear to face shape, lifestyle or budget. But payments, customer service and post-purchase needs still depend heavily on brand-controlled environments.
Websites are becoming:
- A shared destination, alongside AI agents, marketplaces and social commerce.
- The source of truth for product accuracy, authenticity and pricing.
- The home of the brand’s emotional experience, which AI alone cannot deliver.
AI may influence the journey, but brands still need strong, trustworthy sites where customers feel confident completing the purchase.
Reinventing Brand Storytelling for AI Assistants
Michael Kors emphasized that emotional connection still matters, regardless of whether customers or an AI assistant clicks buy. Campaigns, social content, clienteling and service all create the desire that ultimately drives purchase.
EyeBuyDirect explained that brands must now “encode their essence” for AI. That means designing product data and descriptions so that AI can correctly interpret mission and values, key design features, fit and use cases, as well as differentiators that matter to real shoppers.
Maxaroma added that human connection still plays a vital role, especially for emotional or sensory categories like fragrance. AI may reduce bad purchases, but it will never replace authentic storytelling or expertise from real people.
Designing Experiences for Both Humans and AI Agents
Ecommerce teams used to design for humans and optimize for Google. Now they must optimize for humans and AI agents simultaneously.
How brands are adapting:
- EyeBuyDirect has noticed organic search impressions are strong, but clicks have declined—a sign that people still search but often click an AI answer instead of a link. As a result, they built a system of 120 AI-focused prompts to restructure product data and content for AI discoverability.
- Michael Kors is developing an expanded content supply chain: more editorial, how-to, comparison and Q&A content that AI systems rely on to generate meaningful recommendations.
- Maxaroma uses conversation data to identify content gaps. With 72,000+ AI-assisted chats this year, they now know exactly what customers ask and where PDPs or videos need improvement.
The new design principle: Design your experience for humans. Design your data for machines. When product structure, attributes and content are AI-friendly, both shoppers and assistants can navigate your catalog more effectively.
Building Trust, Compliance and Measurement for AI Commerce
As AI takes on more of the journey, the foundations of trust and compliance grow more important.
iAdvize and EyeBuyDirect emphasized that brands must treat AI as a sensitive data channel: embed privacy-by-design, evaluate vendors carefully, classify AI use cases under emerging regulations and ensure transparency.
AI-driven discovery requires new KPIs. Brands should track:
- AI-assisted referrals
- Conversation depth and sentiment
- Uplift in conversion or AOV
- Repeat interactions over time
Not every AI test will work, but experimentation and disciplined measurement will separate leaders from laggards.
CommerceNext Steps
We closed the session with four actionable CommerceNext Steps:
- Build Trust Through a Unified Brand Presence: Ensure messaging, storytelling and product guidance are consistent across AI platforms, social media and your own site.
- Strengthen Data and Digital Infrastructure for AI Discovery: Upgrade product data, metadata, content structure and integrations so AI agents can correctly understand, recommend and transact on your behalf.
- Design for Both Humans and AI Agents: Create experiences that delight real customers while making your catalog understandable and actionable for AI systems.
- Measure, Learn and Iterate Continuously: Track AI referrals, KPIs and customer behavior to adapt strategies as agentic commerce evolves.
Want more insights on what’s next for ecommerce and AI-powered retail? Join us June 23–24 in NYC for the 2026 CommerceNext Growth Show. Register now.
