The rise of AI agents that shop on users' behalf threatens Amazon's role as the first stop for product search and as an advertising platform, according to The Wall Street Journal as reported by PYMNTS. Amazon has blocked Meta's Muse agent, while Walmart and Shopify welcome such agents. CEO Andy Jassy said on 29 October that few consumers use them and that Alexa for Shopping will be the main agent for buying on Amazon. The company has added more than 100 new shopping actions to Alexa.
What it means: The clash is about who controls the moment of purchase. If an outside agent compares prices and completes the order, the shop loses its advertising, product suggestions and customer relationship, and becomes a mere supplier. Amazon is choosing to close the door and push its own agent, while Walmart and Shopify are betting on the opposite. The data cited by PYMNTS suggest that, for now, most AI-assisted purchases still end on Amazon. For Greek online shops the question will come soon: will they let agents read their catalogue and complete orders or not? Saying yes requires well-structured product data, real-time stock information and token-based payment methods that do not expose the card, while saying no risks leaving the shop out of comparisons. There are also questions of liability for wrong orders and of customer authentication under strong customer authentication rules. Payment providers offering agent-ready solutions will be the first people to talk to for shops that want to experiment.
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