Forrester Predicts Shift In Digital Commerce Trends
Digital commerce is entering a post-click era, with consumers and businesses changing how they shop and buy, according to Forrester. This shift will impact how companies approach online sales and customer interactions.
Original reporting · forrester.com
Original: “Predictions 2027: Digital Commerce Enters Its Post-Click Era”
Read “Predictions 2027: Digital Commerce Enters Its Post-Click Era” at Forrester →
How this was written. Content Memory wrote this article with a language model from Forrester’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Forrester’s report
- Digital commerce is entering a post-click era, with consumers and businesses changing how they shop and buy.
- A significant number of consumers will replace traditional shopping with conversational product discovery and autonomous agents.
- B2B buyers will take more control of the purchasing process, using AI systems to research and negotiate.
- Commerce service providers will launch platforms to support agentic commerce, enabling autonomous purchasing and security.
- Companies will need to adapt their strategies to account for the changing behaviors of consumers and businesses.
For decades, digital commerce has focused on optimizing the customer journey and conversion rates, but this approach is becoming outdated. Forrester reports that in 2027, consumers will start to shop through conversations and delegate decisions to artificial intelligence. This change will push digital commerce into a new era, where the traditional click-based model is no longer the primary focus.
A significant number of consumers in the US and UK will replace traditional shopping with conversational product discovery, with some even using autonomous agents to make purchases. These agents will be able to compare prices, choose timing, and complete transactions, making the shopping experience more automated. As a result, retailers will need to adapt to recognize customers who are represented by AI shopping agents.
In the B2B sector, buyers will take more control of the purchasing process, using AI systems to research suppliers, compare alternatives, and negotiate terms. This shift will lead to a decrease in B2B selling budgets, as influence moves into the buyer's systems. Companies will need to prioritize making their products and services easily discoverable and comparable for buyer-controlled systems.
Commerce service providers will play a crucial role in this new era, with many launching platforms to support agentic commerce. These platforms will enable the infrastructure for autonomous purchasing, including security, data monetization, and payment processing. However, service providers will need to demonstrate how their platforms protect customers and keep businesses in control.
The commerce journey is becoming more complex, with consumers and businesses interacting with multiple touchpoints before making a purchase. By the time a customer reaches a traditional commerce site, much of the discovery and decision-making may already be complete. Digital leaders will need to prepare for a world where visibility and influence extend beyond their owned experiences.
To succeed in this new era, companies will need to earn trust, influence machines, and measure success across a broader buying journey. They will need to adapt their strategies to account for the changing behaviors of consumers and businesses. Forrester clients can access the full Predictions 2027 report to learn more about these trends and how to prepare.
The post-click era of digital commerce will require companies to rethink their approach to online sales and customer interactions. With consumers and businesses increasingly using autonomous agents and AI systems, companies will need to prioritize automation, security, and data monetization. By doing so, they can stay ahead of the curve and succeed in this new era of digital commerce.
Questions and answers
What is the post-click era of digital commerce?
The post-click era refers to a shift in digital commerce, where consumers and businesses interact with multiple touchpoints before making a purchase, and the traditional click-based model is no longer the primary focus.
How will B2B buyers change their purchasing behavior?
B2B buyers will take more control of the purchasing process, using AI systems to research suppliers, compare alternatives, and negotiate terms, leading to a decrease in B2B selling budgets.
What role will commerce service providers play in this new era?
Commerce service providers will launch platforms to support agentic commerce, enabling the infrastructure for autonomous purchasing, including security, data monetization, and payment processing.
