Traffic from AI agents is starting to show up in ecommerce analytics. It’s not moving the numbers in a meaningful way yet, according to Dell’s ecommerce leadership.
Dell is seeing a lot of traffic from forums like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude, according to Breanna Fowler, head of global consumer benefit programs. The increase is noticeable, but inconsistent and relatively small in impact.
The company is still in experimental mode when it comes to LLM-driven mergers and acquisitions. Efforts are focused on initial proof-of-concept work, and internal discussions about what role these programs should play in the long term.
So while the traffic was there, it didn’t translate into a clear performance story.
Agent AI sends traffic but not driving results
Dell gets a lot of time from AI-driven sources, but those times aren’t changing at the same rate as other channels.
Fowler described the growth as measurable but not “earth-shaking,” which is consistent with what many groups are seeing. There is interest and early engagement, but not enough consistency to rely on as a revenue driver.
That gap between traffic and results suggests that AI agents are still sitting at the top of the funnel, influencing acquisitions more than purchases. It also explains why companies still experiment instead of committing to a defined strategy.
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AI agents look more like aggregators than storefronts
Currently, agent AI behaves as a layer that sits on top of existing ecommerce systems. Fowler compared it to aggregator platforms, where users explore options and narrow down their choices before completing a purchase elsewhere. That pattern shows how people use these tools today.
AI agents are good at narrowing down options and guiding early decisions, but they are not yet reliable places to complete transactions. That trend won’t change anytime soon, especially for high-consumption purchases.
For all the attention AI has received, the fundamentals have not changed. Fowler pointed to site search as the most important factor in ecommerce performance. If customers can’t find products quickly and easily, everything else becomes secondary.
“If I can’t find your products easily and effortlessly, there’s no amount of content and editing power — no one makes a mistake about those things,” he told Digital Commerce 360.
That applies whether the point of entry is a search engine, a direct visit or an AI-generated recommendation.
AI detection may leak different signals
Dell’s work in AI-driven environments adds an interesting twist.
The company ranks well in these areas even though it is not one of the major ecommerce players, suggesting that AI programs can prioritize different signals than traditional search.
That may include how product data is organized, how content is presented or how often the product is referenced externally. For marketers, it presents a new layer of optimization, even if the basics of discovery remain the same.
