Author：Wall Street CN

AI platforms are replacing traditional search as a new entry point for e-commerce traffic, forcing brands and retailers to restructure their digital strategies.

At the recent Shoptalk Retail Summit in Las Vegas, Goldman Sachs analysts Brooke Roach and Kate McShane pointed out that...The starting point for consumer shopping is undergoing a structural shift, with AI platforms evolving into a new entry point for commercial transactions.

Over the past few months, the trend of consumers initiating their shopping process outside of brand websites or search engines has accelerated. American apparel retailer GAP revealed that...Consumers from AI-powered agent channels have stronger purchasing intentions and higher conversion rates, prompting the company to proactively enter the market rather than remain on the sidelines.

This trend puts double pressure on brands and retailers:It needs to quickly establish an AI presence while simultaneously addressing the challenge of declining consumer trust in AI-generated content.Brands that are the first to complete their AI channel deployment are expected to gain an advantage in the new round of traffic restructuring.

Traffic entry point migration challenges the position of search engines

At the Shoptalk conference, many retailers and consumer brands reported that consumers' shopping journey is shifting from traditional search engines to AI platforms, and this shift has accelerated significantly in recent months.

GAP positions itself as an early adopter and has joined Google's Universal Commerce Protocol early partner program.This protocol allows merchants to directly embed membership systems, promotional activities, and shopping cart functionality into a large language model environment.Instead of redirecting to a generic external page, this preserves the integrity of the brand experience in AI-interactive scenarios.

For retailers,The rise of AI channels means that traditional traffic logic is facing a restructuring.The competitive advantage previously gained through Google search rankings and Amazon shelf placements risks being reshaped in the AI-driven shopping landscape.

Brands are accelerating the deployment of AI shopping tools

Several consumer brands have disclosed the progress of implementing AI shopping tools.

Beauty retailer Sephora announced the launch of a dedicated app within ChatGPT.Users can link their accounts to receive personalized beauty recommendations based on their skin type, shade matching, and other personal information. Management stated that the company is experimenting with the ecosystem, using AI as a new channel to extend its core positioning as a "trusted beauty consultant."

Paint brand Behr partners with Google Gemini to launch paint visualization toolThis helps consumers who are doing their own home renovations overcome difficulties in choosing colors and boosts their confidence in making purchasing decisions.

Home improvement retailer Home Depot launches Magic Apron, a shopping agent that provides consumers with quick answers to home improvement projects.Lowe's uses its AI assistant, MyLow, to provide personalized recommendations for store employees and customers. Management points out that consumer expectations have changed—they are no longer satisfied with keyword-matching search results, but expect comprehensive answers.

Goldman Sachs analysts point out that building brand relevance in a large language model environment presents a completely different challenge than traditional search engine optimization. LLM crawlers crawl content differently than classic search crawlers and are blocked more frequently, meaning...Brands need to develop entirely new content strategies for AI platforms..

Authenticity has become a scarce asset, and consumers have doubts about their trust in AI content.

Despite the rapid popularization of AI shopping toolsConsumer trust issues regarding AI-generated content have begun to emerge.This became a key topic of discussion among the participating brands.

Reddit pointed out at the conference that consumer trust in online information is steadily declining. Users are becoming increasingly resistant to AI-generated content that tends to simply repeat information from other sources, and are instead seeking answers based on genuine user experience.

American Eagle Outfitters emphasized the need for continuous testing of marketing ideas and attention to consumer feedback. The company stated that AI-generated content must be clearly labeled on the platform to avoid consumers perceiving the brand as misleading, thereby maintaining brand integrity.

In AI channel deployment, the balance between the speed of technology implementation and consumer trust management will become a key variable determining the actual conversion effect.