Mirakl and Merkle have released a comprehensive playbook to help enterprises prepare for AI-powered commerce, as 70% of enterprises struggle with unclear AI success metrics. The guide comes as 60% of consumers already use AI for shopping, highlighting a widening gap between consumer expectations and enterprise capabilities.
TL;DR
- Mirakl and Merkle's playbook aims to bridge the gap between consumer AI shopping expectations and enterprise capabilities.
- The guide outlines a three-step action plan focusing on product data, contextual enrichment, assortment strategy, and direct LLM connectivity.
- Marketplaces are highlighted as having a structural advantage in the agentic commerce era.
What happened
Mirakl and Merkle have collaborated to create a playbook designed to help enterprises prepare for the shift towards AI-powered commerce. The playbook is based on new research and aims to address the growing disparity between consumer expectations and what enterprises can currently deliver.
The guide is structured around four pillars: product data, contextual enrichment, assortment strategy, and direct LLM connectivity. It provides a three-step action plan that includes auditing the foundation, preparing for LLM-based discovery, and building organizational readiness in parallel.
The playbook also highlights that marketplaces and dropship models are structurally built to win in the agentic era, giving them a competitive advantage.
Why it matters
For developers, the playbook offers insights into the technical requirements for AI-powered commerce, including the need for direct LLM connectivity and contextual enrichment of product data.
Startup founders can leverage the guide to understand the structural advantages of marketplaces and how to position their businesses for the agentic commerce era.
Investors can use the research to identify enterprises that are well-prepared for AI-powered commerce and those that may struggle, providing valuable insights for investment decisions.
Key facts
- 70% of enterprises struggle with unclear AI success metrics.
- 60% of consumers already use AI to shop.
- The playbook is based on research involving 2,500 consumers.
- Four pillars of agentic commerce success: product data, contextual enrichment, assortment strategy, and direct LLM connectivity.
- Three-step action plan: audit foundation, prepare for LLM-based discovery, build organizational readiness.
- Marketplaces and dropship models have a structural advantage in the agentic era.
Context
The shift towards AI-powered commerce is driven by the increasing use of AI agents for shopping, which research, compare, and buy on behalf of consumers. This shift requires enterprises to align their product data, assortment, and operations to meet new consumer expectations.
The playbook from Mirakl and Merkle provides a practical framework for enterprises to close the gap between what buyers expect and what brands can deliver. It emphasizes the importance of direct LLM connectivity and contextual enrichment of product data to ensure that enterprises can effectively engage with AI agents.
As the AI commerce landscape continues to evolve, enterprises that fail to adapt risk falling behind competitors who are better prepared for the agentic era.