What is Agentic Commerce? Online Shopping via AI Chatbots

In today’s rapidly evolving online shopping landscape, Agentic Commerce has become a significant player in e-commerce by integrating AI power with online shopping experiences. CIPHER , a leader in IT Solutions and Digital Marketing , is ready to help your business stay ahead of this trend. This article will introduce you to Agentic Commerce and its future benefits for online businesses.

What is Agentic Commerce?

Agentic Commerce is an online commerce format that uses AI as an agent to work on behalf of users or businesses. It goes beyond merely answering questions or recommending products—it can help make decisions and conduct transactions on behalf of humans. AI doesn’t just tell you what products might interest you; it can help you search, compare, recommend, and complete purchases successfully.

The importance of Agentic Commerce isn’t limited to convenience—it’s transforming online businesses, increasing sales efficiency, and creating more personalized experiences for customers.

How is Agentic Commerce Different from Traditional AI or Chatbots?

If you’ve used ordinary chatbots, you know they merely respond to commands. Agentic Commerce goes much further. The main differences include:

Reactive vs Proactive: Traditional chatbots only respond when commanded, but AI Agents can analyze, plan, and initiate tasks independently.
Deep Operation: Common chatbots work step-by-step following commands, but AI Agents understand the overall context and can perform multiple steps automatically.
Learning and Adaptation: Agentic Commerce can learn from user behaviors and preferences, then adjust its services accordingly.

For an easy comparison, a chatbot is like an employee waiting for orders and following them step by step, while an AI Agent is like a personal assistant who understands your needs and can think and make decisions for you within defined boundaries.

Key Components of Agentic Commerce

Agentic Commerce has 5 key components that enable it to function effectively:

1. Roles

Roles are the functions we assign to AI Agents, such as product search assistant, fashion advisor, or inventory manager.

2. Data

Data refers to information the AI Agent can access, such as product details, prices, inventory, customer order history, and personal preferences. The more data an AI Agent can access, the more effectively it can work.

3. Actions

Actions are the capabilities an AI Agent possesses, such as searching for products, comparing prices, creating promotions, or processing payments.

4. Guardrails

Guardrails are boundaries and limitations set for safety, such as spending limits, decision-making boundaries, and conditions requiring human intervention.

5. Multi-channel Integration

Agentic Commerce can operate across various platforms—websites, applications, chat platforms, or even IoT devices. This multi-channel connectivity helps users access services anywhere, anytime, and creates a continuous experience regardless of which device they use.

New Features Connecting Users and Merchants

ChatGPT Instant Checkout is one of the latest examples of Agentic Commerce recently launched by OpenAI. This feature allows users to search for and purchase products directly through conversations with ChatGPT without leaving the application.

When users ask shopping-related questions like “best running shoes under 2,000 baht” or “gifts for fitness enthusiasts,” ChatGPT will display relevant products from across the web. If a product supports Instant Checkout, users can click the “Buy” button, confirm order details, and complete payment immediately without leaving the chat.

This system works through the Agentic Commerce Protocol, an open-source protocol developed by OpenAI AI Commerce in partnership with Stripe, allowing stores to safely connect and receive orders from AI Agents.

Agentic Commerce Strategies for Businesses

Agentic Commerce can be applied to businesses in various ways:

ChatGPT Instant Checkout and Chat-based Shopping

ChatGPT Instant Checkout is a clear example of current Agentic Commerce implementation. Users can search for products and complete payments without leaving the conversation, making the purchasing process much easier and faster. This service currently supports Etsy stores and will soon support over a million Shopify stores.

Using AI Agents for Marketing and Inventory Management

AI Agents benefit not just consumers but also help entrepreneurs manage their businesses by:

Analyzing sales and automatically creating promotions for underperforming products
Managing inventory and alerting when products are running low
Creating engaging product descriptions suitable for SEO for online stores
Analyzing consumer behavior and recommending appropriate marketing strategies

Personalized Shopping Customer Experience

Agentic Commerce makes shopping experiences more personalized. AI Agents learn from user behaviors and preferences, then present products that better match their needs. For example, if you’re planning a camping trip in the northern region, you can simply tell the AI Agent, “I’m going camping in the north. Please recommend necessary equipment and clothing within a budget of 5,000 baht,” and the AI will recommend products suitable for your needs and budget.

Automated Customer Support

AI Agents can answer questions, solve problems, and assist customers 24 hours a day, from tracking order status (WISMO – Where Is My Order) to handling returns and order modifications, providing immediate assistance without long wait times.

Benefits of Agentic Commerce

Agentic Commerce offers numerous benefits to both consumers and businesses:

Increased Convenience and Speed in Transactions

No more time wasted searching for products across multiple websites , comparing prices, or repeatedly entering payment information. Agentic Commerce reduces these steps to a simple conversation with AI, saving time and reducing the complexity of purchasing products.

Personalized Customer Experiences

AI E-Commerce can remember customer preferences and behaviors, using this information to recommend products and services tailored to each customer, increasing conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

Reduced Business Operating Costs

Businesses can reduce personnel costs by having AI Agents handle various tasks, from answering questions to recommending products or managing routine orders, giving employees more time for complex and creative work.

Building Trust Through Verification and Security Systems

The Agentic Commerce Protocol developed by OpenAI and Stripe prioritizes safety and transparency. Users receive verification at every step before proceeding, payments are highly secure, and shared information is limited to only what’s necessary.

Growth Trends in E-Commerce

The arrival of ChatGPT Instant Checkout from OpenAI may transform online businesses, shifting power from major search and e-commerce platforms like Google and Amazon to AI chatbots that serve as intermediaries for search, recommendations, and payment processing.

Additionally, competitors like Perplexity, Microsoft, and Google are developing similar technologies, creating competition that will drive rapid development of Agentic Commerce.

Partner with CIPHER — Services to Prepare Your Business for Agentic Commerce

Cipher Company Limited is one of the fastest-growing companies in IT Solutions and Digital Marketing, ready to help your business keep pace with Agentic Commerce technology through various services.

E-Commerce Design & Development Services

Cipher has experience in developing E-Commerce websites on various platforms, including Magento, WooCommerce, and Shopify—platforms that will support the Agentic Commerce Protocol and ChatGPT Instant Checkout in the near future. We can help you develop or improve your online store to prepare for this new technology.

Website Development

Beyond E-Commerce websites, Cipher also offers general website design and development services, focusing on user-friendly UX/UI design and responsive display on all devices—essential foundations for future AI Agent connectivity.

SEO and Digital Marketing Services

Making your website and products discoverable by AI Agents is crucial in the Agentic Commerce era. Cipher can help you plan SEO strategies that not only increase visibility on Google but are also designed to make it easier for AI Agents to access and understand your product information.

Software Development, Marketing Automation, and CRM Training Services

Cipher has a leading software development team that can help you create automated systems and connect with Agentic Commerce technology. We also offer CRM training services to help you manage customer data efficiently—a key factor in creating personalized experiences through AI Agents.

Conclusion

Agentic Commerce is a new trend transforming online shopping by integrating AI with e-commerce, making buying and selling more convenient, faster, and more personalized. ChatGPT Instant Checkout from OpenAI AI Commerce is just the beginning of this major transformation.

Businesses wanting to keep pace with technology and seize opportunities from Agentic Commerce should start planning and improving their infrastructure to accommodate it. Cipher Company Limited is ready to be your partner, helping your business move forward confidently in the AI E-Commerce era.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Agentic Commerce?

Agentic Commerce is an online commerce system that uses AI as an agent working on behalf of users or businesses. It doesn’t just answer questions or recommend products but helps make decisions, search, compare, and complete transactions successfully on behalf of humans.

How is Agentic Commerce different from traditional E-Commerce?

Agentic Commerce uses AI Agents that work proactively, capable of planning, making decisions, and conducting transactions for users. This differs from traditional E-Commerce where users must search, select, and order products themselves at every step. AI Agents can recognize your preferences and automatically perform multiple steps, from product searching to payment.

How secure is ChatGPT Instant Checkout?

ChatGPT Instant Checkout is designed with security as a priority. Users must confirm every step before proceeding, payments are encrypted, and only verified stores and amounts are authorized. Only information necessary for ordering is shared with merchants. The system works through the Agentic Commerce Protocol, designed to emphasize security and minimal data disclosure.

How should businesses prepare for Agentic Commerce?

Businesses should develop websites that support the Agentic Commerce Protocol, improve product information to make it easily accessible and understandable to AI Agents, prepare payment systems that connect with Stripe or other providers supporting this protocol, and develop marketing strategies suitable for AI-based searches. Most importantly, AI should be viewed not just as a sales channel but as an assistant working with your business.

What benefits will customers gain from AI E-Commerce?

AI E-Commerce provides a more convenient, faster, and personalized shopping experience. Customers save time searching or comparing products across multiple websites, receive recommendations that better match their needs, and can purchase products more easily through natural conversation. Additionally, AI Agents can track order status and provide after-sales service 24 hours a day.

Agentic Commerce: What Is It? Online Shopping Through AI Chatbots

Table of Contents

What is Agentic Commerce?

How is Agentic Commerce Different from Traditional AI or Chatbots?