# Getting Started with Agentic Commerce
source: https://developer.mastercard.com/merchant-cloud/documentation/tutorials-and-guides/ai-revolution/15/index.md

## Your Next Steps {#your-next-steps}

You do not need to rebuild your entire business to start with agentic commerce. You do not need to build a dedicated agentic interface. You can begin today with what you already have.

The key is to take practical steps now. Start small. Learn as you go. Build momentum over time.

## For Business Leaders {#for-business-leaders}

Ask your teams these questions:

* Are customers mentioning ChatGPT or AI assistants in support conversations?
* Do you see unusual, automated traffic on product pages or during checkout?
* Are marketplace partners like Shopify enabling AI shopping on your behalf?

These signals tell you where agents are already touching your business.

### Set a clear goal for the next 12 months {#set-a-clear-goal-for-the-next-12-months}

Keep it simple and measurable. For example:

* AI agents can find our top products and understand our basic policies.
* AI agents can complete a standard purchase without errors.
* AI agents can answer common questions like "Where is my order?" using our data.

Pick one goal that matters most to your business right now.

### Connect with your partners {#connect-with-your-partners}

Talk to the people who support your commerce operations:

* Your payment provider about Mastercard Agent Pay and Visa Intelligent Commerce
* Your security provider about Web Bot Auth and how to recognize trusted agents
* Your technology team about what changes are needed

You do not need to implement everything at once. You need to know what is possible.

### Track what matters {#track-what-matters}

Add agent-related metrics to your existing reports:

* How much traffic comes from AI agents
* How often agents complete purchases successfully
* How many support contacts come from agent-related issues

When you measure something, you can improve it.

## For Product and Marketing Teams {#for-product-and-marketing-teams}

Your job is to make your business easier for agents to understand. Here is where to focus:

### Make your information clear and consistent {#make-your-information-clear-and-consistent}

AI agents need well-structured and consistent data. They should not have to guess. Provide them the clarity they need.

Review these areas first:

* Product names, descriptions, and prices
* Shipping costs and delivery times
* Return policies and warranty terms
* Stock availability and product identifiers

Make sure this information is easy to find. Make sure it is the same everywhere it appears.

### Remove obstacles in key customer journeys {#remove-obstacles-in-key-customer-journeys}

Pick two or three important paths through your site:

* Buying your most popular product
* Signing up for a subscription
* Starting a return or exchange

Walk through each path and ask:

* Is every step clear and simple?
* Are there pop-ups or security checks that might confuse an agent?
* Can an agent find the buttons and forms it needs?

Small improvements here help both agents and people.

### Simplify your checkout process {#simplify-your-checkout-process}

Your checkout should be as clean as possible:

* Remove fields you do not truly need
* Use clear labels that explain what you are asking for
* Show the total price, including fees and shipping, before the final step
* Keep your policies visible throughout checkout
* Implement clean flows for authenticated agents

The fewer obstacles you have, the more purchases you will complete.

### Start measuring agent activity {#start-measuring-agent-activity}

Work with your analytics team to track:

* Where automated sessions get stuck or drop off
* What errors happen most often
* When customers mention AI assistants in support tickets

This data shows you where to focus your efforts.

## What Success Looks Like {#what-success-looks-like}

You will know you are making progress when:

* More purchases complete without errors
* Fewer customers abandon their carts
* Support teams handle fewer repetitive questions
* Customers mention smooth experiences with their AI assistants

Success does not happen overnight. It builds gradually as you make improvements.

## Resources to Help You Move Forward {#resources-to-help-you-move-forward}

You are not alone in this transition. The infrastructure is maturing rapidly:

### Payment networks are building the foundation {#payment-networks-are-building-the-foundation}

Mastercard Agent Pay helps agents make secure purchases.
Tip: Learn more: [Mastercard Agent Pay](https://www.mastercard.com/global/en/business/artificial-intelligence/mastercard-agent-pay.html)

Visa Intelligent Commerce provides the trust layer for agent transactions.
Tip: Learn more: [Visa Intelligent Commerce](https://developer.visa.com/use-cases/visa-intelligent-commerce-for-agents)

American Express ACE provides developer tools for integrating Amex payments with AI agents.

Tip: Learn more: [American Express ACE](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/company/agentic-commerce/)

<br />

### Standards are emerging to help everyone work together {#standards-are-emerging-to-help-everyone-work-together}

Web Bot Auth --- now an official IETF Working Group effort --- lets you verify trusted agents and distinguish them from harmful bots.

Tip: Learn more: [Web Bot Auth on Cloudflare](https://developers.cloudflare.com/bots/reference/bot-verification/web-bot-auth/)

<br />

Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) provides an open-source standard for end-to-end agentic commerce.

Tip: Learn more: [Universal Commerce Protocol](https://ucp.dev/)

<br />

### Detailed technical guidance is available {#detailed-technical-guidance-is-available}

Tip: For deeper implementation details, read our full guide: [Agentic Commerce Guidance](https://static.developer.mastercard.com/content/merchant-cloud/documentation/tutorials-and-guides/ai-revolution/agentic-commerce-guide.md)

## The Most Important Step {#the-most-important-step}

Start now. Pick one area where you can make a difference today.

Maybe it is turning on Web Bot Auth with your infrastructure provider (CDN). Maybe it is clarifying your return policy. Maybe it is removing an unnecessary form field. Maybe it is just tracking where agents are visiting your site.

Every improvement you make helps both AI agents and human customers. That is the beauty of this shift. Better experiences for agents mean better experiences for everyone.

The merchants that move early will capture the most value. They will build the relationships. They will earn the trust. They will win the business.

Your opportunity is right in front of you.
>
> #### DISCLAIMER {#disclaimer}
>
> All products, services, platforms, and examples mentioned in this article are provided for informational purposes only. Their inclusion does not constitute any endorsement, recommendation, or guarantee of suitability. Merchants and readers are solely responsible for independently evaluating the appropriateness, reliability, and compliance of any solution for their specific business needs before adoption or implementation.