#57 Zero-Click Commerce and the End of the Retail Funnel with Carina Lamb (EMARKETER)
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No Clicks, No Store, No Loyalty: The New Reality of Retail in the age of AI?
What happens to retail when customers no longer visit your website?
The rules of engagement are shifting. Shoppers no longer start their journey on a search bar. They start in a chat window.
In this episode of The Retail Reality Show, we discuss this together with Carina Lamb, Senior Analyst at EMARKETER and one of the most respected voices in retail intelligence.
The discussion moves beyond buzzwords to explore how generative and agentic AI are reshaping not only how consumers shop, but where those purchases now happen. Search traffic is declining. Zero-click commerce is rising. The once-linear shopper journey is now being compressed into a single AI-driven conversation.
The collapse of the funnel
Platforms like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews can already research, recommend, and even purchase products, all without sending a shopper to a brand’s website.
This isn’t just a marketing metric issue; it’s a strategic shift that redefines how value is created.
Fewer clicks mean fewer chances for upselling, retail media monetisation, and brand storytelling.
But according to Lamb, the success of agentic shopping isn’t a foregone conclusion. Trust issues must be overcome, and the industry must collaborate on issues such as payments before adoption becomes mainstream. Consumer trust and industry collaboration are required for widespread adoption. Consumer trust and industry collaboration will be required for widespread adoption.
And even then, people won’t abandon their old habits altogether. While agentic shopping appeals for routine purchases, people still enjoy the experience of shopping themselves for items such as fashion and furniture.
Podcast recording with Yael, Nino and Carina
Looking beyond the hype
AI is opening the doors for hyper-personalization, and retailers are rushing to launch their own AI assistants and chatbots
But according to Lamb, the real ROI of AI in retail currently lies behind the scenes:
Smarter inventory forecasting and demand planning
Faster, data-driven fulfilment optimisation
Post-purchase automation that improves customer experience and reduces service costs
While many retailers are still experimenting with chatbots, the biggest efficiency gains are happening in logistics, operations, and customer service.
From generative to agentic AI
Lamb explains the evolution from generative AI, systems that create content or recommendations, to agentic AI, a new phase where intelligent agents can act autonomously.
These AI agents can manage entire tasks:
Checking for product availability
Changing a delivery address
Completing payment
All without human input.
It’s convenient for consumers but introduces a new challenge: trust.
Retailers must ensure secure payments, transparent policies, and consistent communication to remain part of the AI-driven transaction.
Fix the friction before chasing the hype
One of Lamb’s most important insights:
AI success starts with solving real problems, not showcasing flashy tools.
Brands should focus on removing friction from the customer journey, and getting the basics right.
That includes addressing delivery speeds and costs, which are currently the biggest barriers to online shopping.
Prepare for the shift in search
With zero-click searches already on the rise, brands and retailers must ensure their digital assets are AI-discoverable.
That means:
Structured product data and accurate meta tags
Clean product feeds and machine-readable content
Redefining SEO into AI-era discoverability (AIO)
In a future where agentic AI may complete a checkout without the shopper ever landing on your site, machine readability will be as critical as creative branding.
Why Europe’s retailers should care now
Across European markets, AI pilots are already transforming fulfilment centres, support workflows, and localisation processes. As consumer patience shrinks and delivery expectations rise, AI-enabled post-purchase support, from real-time delivery updates to automated returns, could prove more impactful than the latest chatbot trend.
This episode of The Retail Reality Show offers a grounded look at where AI in retail truly adds value and where it merely adds noise.
🎧 #57 Zero-Click Commerce and the End of the Retail Funnel with Carina Lamb (EMARKETER) is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Discover why the brands that master data, trust, and fulfilment will lead the next wave of AI-driven retail.
