For years, retailers have competed on price, product range and customer experience. Those things still matter, but they are no longer enough on their own. Increasingly, success depends on whether customers can discover a retailer in the first place.
That is becoming more difficult. AI-powered search, changing platform algorithms and rising advertising costs are reshaping how people shop online. Customers no longer follow a straightforward journey from search engine to website. Instead, they move between marketplaces, social media, review platforms and increasingly AI-generated recommendations before deciding where to buy.
