According to Salesforce data, AI agents drove 20% of all retail sales and accounted for $262 billion in holiday spend during the 2025 holiday shopping season. A survey of 80 brand, retailer, and agency respondents found that 90% are already using AI to improve consumer shopping experiences, with 70% experimenting with or actively deploying agentic storefronts. Agentic storefronts are AI-native, conversational experiences that guide shoppers from discovery through purchase on brand-owned domains, moving beyond static product grids and traditional search interfaces.
The shift addresses a critical commerce challenge: 70% of shoppers abandon sites without purchasing, often due to friction rather than price or indecision. More than half of respondents (56%) use internal agentic AI tools, while 33% work with third-party providers. Leading engagement tactics include AI-native conversational product discovery (46%), in-chat purchasing (46%), virtual try-on (41%), and personalized recommendations (39%). Data supporting these tools includes core product attributes (56%), review signals (54%), customer and payment data (45%), and real-time inventory (39%). Among brands with significant agentic investments, 62% prioritize improved brand discovery, 57% target increased conversions, and 56% focus on improved UX and personalization.
Key challenges include data requirements and ROI measurement (both 57%), cost concerns (46%), and consumer trust (53%). However, early adopters report compelling results: 2x conversion rates, 3x time on site, and 20% reduction in returns compared to traditional e-commerce sites. Major players including Google and Amazon have introduced similar capabilities, with Google rolling out price comparisons and virtual try-ons for Gemini and Amazon launching its AI-powered "Help Me Decide" feature in October 2025.