Traffic from AI agents is starting to appear in e-commerce analytics. It’s just not moving the numbers significantly yet, according to Dell’s head of e-commerce.
Dell is seeing more visits from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude, according to Breanna Fowler, head of global consumer revenue programs. The increase is notable, but inconsistent and relatively small in terms of impact.
The company is still in testing mode regarding integration with LLM-based shopping. Efforts are focused on preliminary proof-of-concept work, along with internal discussions about the role these systems should play in the long term.
So while the traffic is there, it hasn’t translated into a clear performance story.
Agentic AI sends traffic but does not generate results
Dell receives more sessions from AI-powered sources, but those sessions don’t convert at the same level as other channels.
Fowler described the growth as measurable but not “earth-shattering,” which is in line with what many teams are seeing. There is curiosity and early engagement, but not enough consistency to rely on as a revenue driver.
This gap between traffic and results suggests that AI agents are still at the top of the funnel, influencing discovery more than transactions. It also explains why companies are still experimenting instead of committing to a defined strategy.
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AI agents are more like aggregators than storefronts
Right now, agent AI acts more like a layer that sits on top of existing e-commerce systems. Fowler compared it to aggregation platforms, where users explore options and narrow down their choices before completing a purchase elsewhere. This pattern manifests itself in how people use these tools today.
AI agents are good at summarizing options and guiding initial decisions, but they are not yet reliable environments for completing transactions. This dynamic is unlikely to change quickly, especially for high-consideration purchases.
Despite all the attention on AI, the fundamentals haven’t changed. Fowler cited site search as the most important factor in e-commerce performance. If customers can’t find products quickly and easily, everything else becomes secondary.
“If I can’t find your products easily and effortlessly, I don’t have a lot of content and setup features — no one really gives a damn about that stuff,” he said Digital Commerce 360.
This is true whether the entry point is a search engine, a direct visit, or an AI-generated recommendation.
The discovery of artificial intelligence can reward different signals
Dell’s performance in AI-based sensing surfaces adds an interesting twist.
The company fares well in these environments despite not being a major e-commerce player, suggesting that AI systems may prioritize different signals than traditional search.
This could include how product data is structured, how content is presented, or how often a brand is mentioned externally. For marketers, it introduces a new level of optimization, even if the fundamentals of discoverability remain the same.
