Retailers are racing ahead in agentic commerce while most consumer brands are st
By Ethelbertwilliams · November 11, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Retailers are racing ahead in agentic commerce while most consumer brands are still figuring out how to win in market.
And the pace of change is accelerating.
🛒 Amazon introduced text-to-shop with Alexa, turning conversations and recipe photos into shopping carts.
🤖 Walmart is advancing its Agent Gateway, creating pathways for AI agents to shop on behalf of consumers.
📊 Google and NielsenIQ announced a collaboration connecting AI-powered product discovery, availability intelligence and marketing measurement.
In 2027 the next battle for market share will increasingly happen before consumers ever see a traditional search result or digital shelf.
I’ve had the opportunity to shape digital commerce, retail media and commercial growth for iconic brands including Gatorade, Pepsi and Doritos, while building enterprise capabilities across PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson and Boston Beer.
One lesson stands out: Winning requires more than great marketing. It takes connected product intelligence, consumer insights, technology and flawless commercial execution.
Agentic commerce raises the stakes.
Here are five priorities I’m recommending to brand executives right now:
Audit AI visibility. Understand when agents recommend your products, competitors or neither.
Strengthen product intelligence. Make product attributes, claims, pricing and availability accurate and AI-accessible.
Own the occasion. Connect products to the recipes, routines, needs and replenishment moments consumers describe to AI.
Rethink retail media. Explore how investments influence AI-assisted discovery, recommendations and conversion.
Build enterprise accountability. Align commerce, marketing, insights, technology and supply chain around shared growth outcomes.
Through my board experience and executive advisory work, I’m helping organizations translate these shifts into practical operating models, stronger capabilities and measurable growth.
The winners of 2027 won’t simply have the biggest budgets or the most AI pilots. They’ll be the brands that earn the recommendation, secure the purchase and deliver on the promise.
I’ll be continuing this conversation next March at the 2027 Commerce Media Brand Summit.
Learn more and join us here 👇🏾
https://lnkd.in/gFb5TjTn
#TheNextBasket #AgenticCommerce #CommerceMedia #RetailMedia #EnterpriseAI