Agentic Commerce: What Does It Mean for Small Retailers?

Ok, we know what you’re thinking. What in the world is agentic commerce? You’re right to be a little confused by the jargon, and don’t worry, you’ve not missed out long. The term has only existed since about 2025, so it’s still a fairly new concept. Put simply, it’s when AI does the shopping for your customers. Instead of searching, scrolling, and comparing for themselves, shoppers ask AI to find what they need, check that it’s in stock and in the right size, and in some cases, even buy it for them.

So, what does that mean for you? Mainly, this phenomenon will change how online customers find your shop. Instead of typing into Google themselves, they’ll be trusting AI to find their next purchase. Fortunately, this doesn’t automatically take small retailers out of the game. AI tools don’t just go for the biggest names; they go for the shops they can actually make sense of, so if your stock’s accurate and your opening hours are right, you’ve got a real chance of being one of them.

And since it’s still early days in Ireland, most shops haven’t given any of this much thought yet. So, even if you make a few small changes now, you’ll already be a step ahead! Ready to dive in and get your shop AI-ready in a way that makes the most sense for you?

What is agentic commerce?

So how do you use an agent to do your shopping? Let’s dig deeper into the details. Odds are you’ve probably used an AI chatbot before, whether that’s ChatGPT or the little chat window on a shop’s website. You ask it a question, and it gives you an answer, but then it’s over to you to go and find the product and buy it. Sounds familiar, right? AI agents work similarly, but with a few notable differences.

An AI agent does the legwork. For example, ask it for a waterproof walking jacket under €140 that you can pick up this weekend, and it’ll search different shops, compare prices and reviews, check what’s in stock nearby and, in some cases, complete the purchase for you.

But hang on, at this point you might be wondering: what actually is an AI agent? The term agent may throw you off, but it’s actually already built into tools many people use, like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Mode and Gemini. In fact, Ireland is one of the keenest adopters of AI in Europe, ranking fifth in the EU for generative AI use, according to the European Commission. So your customers may already be using AI agents without even thinking of them as “agents”, and they don’t need to download anything extra to do it.

This is a phenomenon that big tech companies are getting very invested in. In fact, McKinsey estimates that by 2030, agentic commerce could orchestrate $3 trillion to $5 trillion in sales globally, and Google, OpenAI, Amazon, Microsoft and Shopify have all launched shopping agents, or the technology that powers them, over the past year.

Where things actually stand in Ireland

As we said earlier, it’s still very much early days when it comes to agentic commerce, so you’re not missing out yet. Right now, Irish shoppers can’t actually let an AI agent buy things for them in most cases. The tools that let AI pay for products on your behalf, like the ones from Google and Microsoft, are still only available in the US, and the big card companies are only just starting to test them in Europe.

Even in the US, it hasn’t all gone smoothly. ChatGPT let people buy products without leaving the chat for a while, but OpenAI pulled back on it in early 2026. Now, when someone finds a product in ChatGPT, they’re usually sent to the shop’s own website to pay, just like clicking a link from Google.

But here’s the thing: even if AI isn’t doing the buying yet, it’s already helping people decide what to buy. And what’s more, we all know how fast technology can evolve and develop, so it’s a good idea to be aware and prepared, wherever possible. For example, 69% of Irish adults now use at least one AI tool, and one in four has bought something after researching it with AI, according to research from Wolfgang Digital and Amárach Research. What’s more, around a quarter of Irish adults say an AI tool has recommended a brand, product or retailer they’d never heard of before.

So, the bottom line is this: more shoppers are turning to AI to help them decide what to buy, which means businesses need to think about how their products are found.

Why this matters more for small shops than you might think

You might be thinking this is all something for the big retailers to worry about, with giants like Etsy teaming up with Google and OpenAI, and Amazon building its own AI shopping assistant. But you don’t need a big partnership deal to be found. AI tools scour the web, from shop websites and online stores to Google listings, which means there are a few good reasons why this matters just as much for smaller, independent shops like yours. Here’s what you need to know:

Shoppers who come from AI are ready to buy. Research has shown that when someone finds your shop through an AI tool, they’ve usually already done their research, and they’re often pretty close to making a decision. In fact, over Christmas 2025 in the US, shoppers who clicked through to a shop’s website from an AI tool were 31% more likely to buy something than shoppers who arrived any other way.

AI tools don’t just pick the biggest shops. On a normal search engine, big brands with big marketing budgets often come out on top. But if someone asks an AI tool, “Where can I buy this board game in Galway today?”, it’s looking for the best answer, not the biggest name. So a local shop that clearly shows it has the game in stock could be recommended over a national chain.

But AI can only recommend what it can find. The thing is, AI can only work in your favour if your information is out there, detailed and accurate. In other words, your online shopfront needs to be in tip-top shape. But what does a good online shop look like now?

The new rules of being found

At its core, agentic commerce changes what it means to be seen online. You’re not just trying to get to the top of Google anymore; you’re trying to be the shop an AI agent trusts enough to recommend. And trust us, agents can be pretty fussy. Here’s what they look out for:

Accurate, detailed product information: AI agents read product information much more literally than people do. A person might work out that “navy jumper, M” is a medium-sized blue knit. An agent needs it spelled out: the material, the colour, the size, the price, and whether it’s available. The more complete your product listings are, both online and in your POS, the easier it is for an agent to match you with the right customer.

Live stock levels: This is where small retailers can really stand out. Shoppers are increasingly asking AI tools whether something is available nearby, today. If your stock levels are accurate and visible online, you can answer that question better than a warehouse that’s three days away. But accuracy matters. Customers have little patience for AI that gets things wrong, so recommending a product that turns out to be out of stock reflects badly on everyone involved. With an Epos Now POS system, your online and in-store sales sync to one master stock list, so what agents see matches what’s actually on your shelves.

Clear policies and up-to-date details: Agents pull together everything a customer might want to know before recommending a shop: delivery options, click and collect, returns policies, opening hours and payment methods. Make sure these are easy to find on your website and your Google Business Profile, and that they’re consistent everywhere.

A way to buy online: Even though most agents currently send shoppers to your website to finish their purchase, they still need somewhere to send them. If you don’t have an online shop yet, now is a good time to think about one, and our guide to getting your business online is a good place to start.

Where your physical shop fits in

If you run a physical shop, you might be wondering where all this leaves you. Happily, your shop still has a big part to play.

For a start, plenty of Irish shopping still happens in person, with 83% of Irish adults saying they still prefer buying groceries in-store, according to KPMG. And shoppers aren’t ready to hand everything over to AI just yet, with only 8% of Irish consumers saying they’d trust an AI agent to buy a product on their behalf, according to EY Ireland.

What’s likely to change is the reason people come through your door. A 2026 report from McKinsey and ICSC found that as AI takes over more of the research, shopping trips are becoming more purposeful, and they tend to fall into one of two camps: convenience or discovery. Convenience trips are about getting something quickly and knowing it’ll be there, with being in stock one of the top things shoppers look for. Discovery trips are about the experience, like browsing, getting advice and finding something you didn’t know you wanted.

It’s also worth knowing that AI is especially handy for purchases that take a bit of legwork, like comparing prices across lots of shops or checking sizes and specs. Think finding the best deal on a new laptop, or tracking down a pair of walking boots in the right size. If that’s the kind of thing you sell, having accurate stock and product details online can help AI point those shoppers straight to you.

Most independent shops do a bit of both convenience and discovery, and that’s a real strength. Just because agentic commerce is growing doesn’t mean you should give up on your bricks-and-mortar shop. It just means being clear about what makes it worth the trip, and making sure customers (and AI tools) can see that before they even walk through the door.

What should small retailers do now?

We’re aware that things are changing fast, and that this is likely all brand new territory for you. We’re here to tell you that you’re not alone, and you definitely don’t need to be a tech expert to keep up. There’s no need to overhaul your business or understand every new piece of technology, either. Instead, take everything one step at a time, and you’ll quickly find yourself in a much stronger position. Here are a few ideas:

1. Tidy up your product data: Make sure every product in your POS and online shop has a clear name, description, and price, plus the size and colour where relevant. Include photos and any extra details necessary.
2. Keep stock levels accurate: Regular stock counts and a system that updates every time you make a sale mean agents (and customers) can trust what they see. Our guide to the 8 most useful reports you can run in Epos Now is a good place to start.
3. Check your online presence: Ask an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Gemini about your shop and see what comes back. It’s an easy thing to do and gives you an insider glimpse into what’s missing.
4. Make it easy to buy from you online: Even a simple online shop with click and collect gives agents somewhere to send customers.
5. Double down on what makes you human: At the end of the day, it’s expertise, service and community that keep people coming back, however they first found you.

What agentic commerce means for you

Right now, AI tools are still learning which shops to trust, and the shops they get to know now are the ones they’re likely to recommend later on. That’s why it pays to start early. When AI-powered buying does arrive in Ireland, the shops with a track record of accurate stock and up-to-date details will be the ones ready to make the most of it.

That’s where your POS system comes in. With Epos Now, your stock, sales, and online store all live in one place, so the information customers and AI tools see is always up to date.