The Dawn of Agentic Commerce
Agentic AI refers to autonomous artificial intelligence agents acting on behalf of consumers to make purchasing decisions. As these AI agents increasingly handle shopping tasks, traditional consumer behavior is evolving rapidly. This shift signals an end to the era of performance marketing centered around clicks and transactions. Instead, retail media must adapt to influence AI-driven decision-making processes.
From Transactions to Preferences
In an agentic commerce environment, the focus moves beyond immediate sales toward “preference programming.” Humans no longer buy products directly but issue instructions to AI agents, such as “buy durable noise-cancelling headphones.” These agents select brands based on embedded preferences and prior signals. Brand loyalty and mental real estate become invaluable as they influence AI choices long before a transaction happens.
Retail Media’s Unique Brand-Building Advantage
Retail Media Networks possess a distinctive edge by controlling the experiential environments where consumer preferences are shaped. Through both physical stores and digital touchpoints like online marketplaces and apps, RMNs interact with consumers at the inspiration moment—before AI agents finalize decisions. This places retail media at the strategic heart of brand influence, moving brand building to the forefront over last-click performance metrics.
Preparing for Retail’s Strategic Future
Brands and retailers must recognize that shaping agent instructions through consistent, long-term brand engagement is essential for future success. This involves investing in retail media strategies that foster preference programming, securing mindshare in the AI-driven consumer journey. Retail media is poised to become an indispensable tool for brand building in an increasingly agentic commerce landscape.
