Ever tried to shop online for a big event — a birthday party, holiday getaway or camping trip, for instance? Sounds easy enough, but it rarely goes smoothly.
Take camping: You end up entering separate searches for each item you need — “tent,” “sleeping bag,” “first aid kit.” The results? A jumbled mix of kiddie play tents, sleeping bags meant for indoors, and other gear that misses the mark. Frustrated, you find yourself coaxing the site’s search engine to finally get it.
Many shoppers know the feeling. Nearly nine in 10 (86%) say they’ve had to reformulate their queries to get useful results.
A change is here
Today, that process is starting to look very different. More and more retail sites allow shoppers to simply ask via search or chat: “What do I need for a family camping trip?”
Instead of relying on static keywords, an AI-powered agent can interpret intent, infer needs, and recommend a full set of products — tents, sleeping bags and supplies meant for camping — along with complementary content, like guides and maps.
This is the promise of conversational commerce: a shift from traditional, rigid search rules to natural, intuitive interactions that feel more like a real conversation — helping shoppers better find what they need.
The rise of AI in retail
Consumer behavior is changing quickly, and the data proves it:
- Just two years ago, only 29% of shoppers had tried generative AI tools.
- Today, that figure has more than doubled, with 64% having used platforms like ChatGPT in daily life.
- As consumers adopt conversational AI across work, education, and entertainment, they’re bringing that same comfort with natural language tools to ecommerce. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) say they’d feel comfortable engaging with conversational AI on a retail site.
This matters because consumer expectations drive retail innovation. Things that once felt futuristic — like searching in full sentences and getting logical, useful answers — are quickly becoming baseline expectations.
Enter: AI agents and assistants
This shift is important, especially since most shopping journeys begin with uncertainty. Constructor and Shopify’s latest State of Ecommerce survey report reveals that over three-fourths of shoppers (77%) come to retail sites unsure what to buy — perhaps they’re purchasing a gift, looking for gear for a new hobby, or planning that first-time camping trip.
They’re not just browsing. They’re looking for guidance, and that’s where AI agents enter the picture.
Unlike traditional keyword-based search engines, agents (often embedded in search or chat) engage online shoppers the way a knowledgeable in-store associate would — helping them define what they need, refine their options and decide with confidence.
Take these examples:
- Define: A couple planning a cross-country road trip doesn’t know where to start. An agent can guide them with popular essentials across multiple categories — from car accessories to coolers — tailoring recommendations based on trip duration, passenger age, climate, travel style and so on.
- Refine: A runner needs new shoes but isn’t sure what fits their foot type or training style. The agent can suggest specific options and highlight often-overlooked factors like toe box shape, heel drop or cushioning.
- Decide: A shopper comparing couches for a small apartment can ask “last-mile” questions like whether cushion covers are washable or if the hinges are built to last.
AI agents in action
Retailers are already investing in this shift: Think Amazon’s Rufus, Walmart’s Sparky, and Lowe’s Mylow, to name a few. Early adopters are pleased. Among shoppers who’ve used GenAI and agentic AI features on retail sites, 50% say the experiences are “always” or “often” helpful, with 86% noting they’re helpful at least sometimes.
It’s important to note that all agents aren’t created equal. For example, agents that have insight into past shopper engagement and merchandising strategies can provide more relevant recommendations than a generic agent that utilizes a ChatGPT wrapper relying solely on a product catalog and large language models (LLMs).
At Constructor, our AI Shopping Agent (ASA), unveiled in early 2024, is at the forefront of this transformation. Deployed globally, ASA:
- Understands natural language queries
- Integrates behavior signals across the shopper journey
- Delivers real-time product and content recommendations — in-stock, contextualized and tailored to the shopper at hand
- Feeds data back into Constructor’s broader platform — continuously enhancing personalization across search, browse, recommendations and more
The results speak for themselves: Some Constructor customers have seen add-to-cart rates and revenue from ASA users increase by more than 200% compared to non-users.
And this is just the beginning. By guiding shoppers from vague intent to confident purchase, ASA continues to reduce drop-off and build loyalty — creating experiences that feel less like transactions and more like conversations.
What’s next
If consumer adoption sets today’s baseline, generational comfort points to tomorrow’s direction.
- Younger shoppers — especially Gen Z and millennials — are the most eager to embrace conversational AI.
- For instance, although only 38% of Boomers say they’d feel comfortable engaging with GenAI on retail sites, that rises to 68% among millennials and 69% among Gen Z.
- And while only 16% of Boomers trust AI algorithms to get their tastes right, it’s 35% with Gen Z.
That generational readiness underscores a broader truth: AI agents are no longer experimental. They’re on track to become a standard feature of ecommerce experiences.
In the future, shopping agents will show up across many more digital touchpoints — embedded in search bars, chat modules, guides and so on — and even “nudge” shoppers at critical moments. It’s likely they won’t just respond to queries; they’ll detect hesitation and surface helpful suggestions, becoming real-time digital shopping companions.
The way we shop online is changing — and fast. In many circumstances, shoppers don’t want to wrestle with clunky keyword-based searches. They want conversations that clarify their needs and help them get it right the first time.
Retailers that lean in now have an opportunity to differentiate in an increasingly crowded market. By adopting AI agents, they can transform uncertainty into confidence, browsers into buyers, and transactions into lasting relationships. Conversational commerce isn’t just the future of shopping — it’s already here.
For more expert articles and industry updates, follow Martech News
Ara Gopal
vice president of partnerships at Constructor
Ara Gopal is vice president of partnerships at Constructor, which provides a leading, AI-powered platform for ecommerce search and product discovery. In his role, Ara helps retailers connect shoppers with the right products faster — through partnerships that amplify AI innovation at scale.
