Will agentic commerce push more merchants into marketplaces? (www.techradar.com)

Agentic commerce has gained significant traction, with ChatGPT managing approximately 50 million shopping queries daily and a remarkable 400% increase in AI-referred traffic to US retail sites in early 2026. The growing preference for online marketplaces is notable, as they now account for the highest volume of AI-referred traffic—47 million visits over the past year. This trend suggests that marketplaces, with their extensive product catalogs and structured data, are becoming increasingly favored by consumers and AI algorithms alike, reinforcing their dominance in the e-commerce space. The implications for merchants are profound. While agentic commerce was initially seen as a potential democratizing force for smaller sellers, evidence indicates that larger marketplaces are capturing the bulk of consumer traffic. This synergy between consumer choice and LLM recommendations is driving a commercial reality where marketplaces not only offer consumer trust and convenience but also provide much-needed infrastructure for payment and verification, making it harder for smaller merchants to compete independently. As a result, many smaller retailers may find themselves increasingly reliant on these platforms for visibility and sales, highlighting a significant shift towards marketplace-driven commerce amid evolving consumer behavior.