Automated shopping is already reshaping the way people buy. OpenAI has rolled out features that allow ChatGPT users to make purchases directly inside the app, where the platform takes a commission on sales. Meanwhile, Google and Perplexity are embedding shoppable results into their AI-driven search experiences.
The implications for retailers are enormous. Shoppers are no longer limited to browsing product pages or relying on traditional search engines. Instead, they are increasingly leaning on AI assistants to recommend, compare, and even complete purchases for them. For businesses, this means one thing: to protect revenue and stay ahead of competitors, adaptation must happen now.
From Search to Shopping Assistants
Where search engines once served as the gateway to online shopping, AI assistants are quickly taking their place. Asking ChatGPT for “the best pair of running shoes under $150” doesn’t just deliver a list of links; it can produce a personalized recommendation and a purchase option in seconds.
This shift introduces a new marketing discipline: generative engine optimization, or GEO. Much like SEO once dictated visibility in Google results, GEO will determine whether a brand’s site even appears in an AI’s curated product recommendations. And unlike search engines, generative platforms will not just prioritize content — they will also favor sites that are fast, reliable, and capable of delivering a seamless user experience.
Automated Shopping in Action
What sounds like a prediction is already playing out across the retail landscape. ChatGPT’s affiliate commerce model is live, enabling transactions within the app and generating commissions for OpenAI. Google and Perplexity are experimenting with AI-powered shopping recommendations that insert shoppable links directly into search results. And many retailers are building AI shopping concierges into their own sites, offering conversational assistants to guide purchase decisions.
The result is a shorter, more direct shopping journey. Instead of browsing multiple sites and reviews, consumers are beginning to rely on AI to handle the decision-making for them. The question is no longer “where do I shop?” but “which AI assistant do I trust to shop for me?”
The Hidden Cost of Slow Sites in the AI Shopping Era
For retailers, the opportunities of automated shopping come with a stark reality: AI won’t send traffic to sites that underperform. Consumers already abandon slow websites at alarming rates —pages that take longer than 4 seconds to load suffer bounce rates above 60%, according to Yottaa data. And speed isn’t just about keeping users happy. Poor Core Web Vitals lower search rankings and may determine whether AI engines will crawl and recommend a site at all.
This becomes even more critical as many eCommerce sites rely on dozens of third-party applications for personalization, chat, reviews, and analytics. While these tools enhance the shopper’s experience, they also introduce fragility. They slow load times, increase checkout failures, and can drag down overall site reliability. In an era where AI may direct a flood of high-intent shoppers to your storefront, performance bottlenecks can mean lost sales on a massive scale.
What Retailers Should Do Now
Adapting to this shift requires more than traditional SEO or content optimization. Retailers should begin with Core Web Vitals to ensure their sites meet modern performance standards. Streamlining third-party apps is another critical step; bloated tech stacks often create slowdowns and checkout issues that undercut conversions.
Equally important is automation. Real-time monitoring and performance optimization help brands catch issues before they cost revenue. And because a single mention in ChatGPT or Perplexity could send tens of thousands of shoppers to a site overnight, scalability must be part of the equation. If your site can’t handle the surge, those shoppers will move on.
The Competitive Edge in the AI Era
Retailers who embrace these realities early will gain a measurable advantage. Faster, more reliable sites are more likely to be included in generative search recommendations, convert more of the traffic AI tools deliver, and lower acquisition costs through better organic visibility. As research from Yottaa shows, performance improvements not only reduce bounce rates but also directly increase conversion and revenue by delivering the experiences shoppers expect.
Performance is no longer a backend IT issue — it’s a growth strategy. In an era of automated shopping, speed and reliability will separate the winners from the laggards.
AI Chooses What Shoppers See, Performance Chooses Where They Buy
The future of shopping will be shaped by AI, but the ability to win in that future will come down to site performance. Generative platforms will decide which products to surface, and performance will determine not only whether consumers complete the purchase, but also whether your site makes it into the AI recommendation engine at all.
The revolution is here. The businesses that thrive will be those that recognize that discoverability and speed are now inseparable. If an AI assistant sent 100,000 high-intent shoppers to your site tomorrow, would your site be fast enough to keep them?
