Maria Jose Guerrero
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping e-commerce. With the launch of new tools by Google and OpenAI, the online product discovery, comparison, and purchasing process has entered a new era. These innovations position price as the central factor in consumer decision-making and compel brands and retailers to rethink their visibility and pricing strategies to remain competitive.
AI-Powered Price Tracking in the Online Purchase Journey
In a landscape marked by inflation, economic uncertainty, and regulatory changes, consumers increasingly demand price transparency and agility. Google and ChatGPT now incorporate systems that automate price tracking, enabling users to receive price drop alerts and access detailed, ad-free comparisons. This evolution cements price as the main decision-making filter in today’s ecommerce.
According to the Global Trends Report 2024 from NIQ GfK, consumers are placing greater value on the price transparency offered by digital channels, driving even those who previously favored physical stores to switch to online shopping.
The Rise of the Smart Shopping Assistant: Enter the AI Personal Shopper
The emergence of intelligent virtual assistants is redefining online shopping behavior. Consumers are no longer just searching, they’re receiving tailored recommendations, comparisons, and even automating purchases through AI tools acting as true digital personal shoppers. Google refers to this as agentic checkout, a mode where artificial intelligence executes purchases on behalf of users based on their preferences. This new level of automation represents both a challenge and a tremendous opportunity for pricing and strategy teams.
Google AI Mode in Online Shopping
At the Google I/O 2025 event, Google unveiled its new AI Mode integrated into the search engine, designed to guide users through the entire shopping journey. Key features include:
- Automatic price tracking with smart alerts
- AI-assisted purchasing (agentic checkout) based on user-defined criteria
- AI-driven product visualization that allows virtual try-ons before purchase
These features enable a more efficient, personalized, and proactive shopping experience.
ChatGPT Shopping: Smart, Ad-Free Product Comparisons
OpenAI has taken the lead by launching ChatGPT Shopping, an integrated experience within its AI assistant that provides:
- Product images, updated prices, and direct purchase links
- Ad-free comparisons based on structured data from multiple sources
- More neutral and comprehensive recommendations than traditional marketplaces
Its unique value lies in its objectivity and contextual richness, free from direct commercial interference.
Google AI Mode vs. ChatGPT Shopping: Key Features Compared
Below is a comparison of the most relevant functionalities of both platforms:
Adapting to the New AI-Driven E-commerce: A Matter of Strategy
Imagine you run an e-commerce store specializing in sports equipment. Even with effective marketing campaigns, you notice a drop in visibility and conversion. While traffic remains steady, users aren’t converting. After analyzing user behavior, you discover they’re comparing prices via Google AI Mode or ChatGPT Shopping, and your products aren’t consistently featured in top results.
This reflects a broader trend. E-commerce already represents over 20% of total retail in advanced economies and continues to grow at an annual rate of 8–10%, according to McKinsey and Statista. Moreover, 95% of consumers have changed their buying behavior due to price, and 36% have switched brands to find better deals, according to the NIQ Consumer Outlook 2025.
To stay competitive in this evolving landscape, you need a dynamic, data-driven pricing strategy. With Minderest’s Competitor Price Monitoring Solution, you can track your competitors’ prices in real time, receive automated alerts, and adjust your prices to stand out in AI-powered shopping environments.
In conclusion, the future of e-commerce is already here, and it’s being shaped by AI assistants that prioritize price as the main decision-making criterion. Brands that automate their pricing strategies and enhance their visibility across these platforms will gain a clear competitive advantage.
Find out how Minderest can take your business to the next level.
Contact our pricing experts to see the platform in action.
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