Why Dell’s Agents Boost Ecommerce Traffic but Struggle to Convert — The Hidden Challenge Revealed
Ever wondered why your ecommerce site is suddenly getting curious visitors from AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude—but those clicks aren’t turning into sales? It’s like inviting a crowd to your party only to find they’re just hanging by the punch bowl, not buying the drinks. Dell’s head of global consumer revenue programs, Breanna Fowler, shares that while traffic from these AI agents is on the rise, it’s more of a gentle ripple than a tidal wave. Think of these AI platforms less as storefronts and more like savvy aggregators, guiding shoppers through the discovery phase without yet closing the deal. The real kicker? Even with all the futuristic AI buzz, the basics—like seamless on-site search—still reign supreme. Intrigued how AI is reshaping ecommerce without quite hitting the jackpot? Dive into the evolving dance between traffic and transactions, and see what this means for the future of online shopping. LEARN MORE.
Traffic from AI agents is starting to show up in ecommerce analytics. It’s just not moving the numbers in a meaningful way yet, according to Dell’s ecommerce lead.
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 noticeable, but inconsistent and relatively small in terms of impact.
The company is still in testing mode when it comes to integrating with LLM-driven shopping. Efforts are focused on early proof-of-concept work, along with internal discussions about what role these systems should play longer term.
So while the traffic is there, it has not translated into a clear performance story.
Agentic AI is sending traffic but not driving results
Dell is getting more sessions from AI-driven sources, but those sessions are not converting at the same level as other channels.
Fowler described the growth as measurable but not “earth-shaking,” which lines up with what many teams are seeing. There is curiosity and early engagement, but not enough consistency to rely on as a revenue driver.
That gap between traffic and outcomes suggests AI agents are still sitting at the top of the funnel, influencing discovery more than transactions. It also explains why companies are still experimenting rather than committing to a defined strategy.
The SEO toolkit you know, plus the AI visibility data you need.
AI agents look more like aggregators than storefronts
Right now, agentic AI behaves more like a layer that sits on top of existing ecommerce systems. Fowler compared it to aggregation platforms, where users explore options and narrow their choices before completing a purchase elsewhere. That pattern shows up in how people use these tools today.
AI agents are good at summarizing options and guiding early decisions, but they are not yet reliable environments for completing transactions. That dynamic is unlikely to shift quickly, especially for higher-consideration purchases.
For all the attention on AI, the basics have not changed. Fowler pointed to on-site search as the most important factor in ecommerce performance. If customers cannot find products quickly and easily, everything else becomes secondary.
“If I can’t find your products easily and effortlessly, no amount of content and configurator capabilities — nobody really gives a crap about that stuff,” she told Digital Commerce 360.
That applies whether the entry point is a search engine, a direct visit or an AI-generated recommendation.
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AI discovery may reward different signals
Dell’s performance in AI-driven discovery surfaces adds an interesting twist.
The company ranks well in these environments despite not being one of the largest ecommerce players, which suggests AI systems may prioritize different signals than traditional search.
That could include how product data is structured, how content is presented or how often a brand is referenced externally. For marketers, it introduces a new layer of optimization, even if the fundamentals of discoverability remain the same.
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Constantine von Hoffman is senior editor of MarTech. A veteran journalist, Con has covered business, finance, marketing and tech for CBSNews.com, Brandweek, CMO, and Inc. He has been city editor of the Boston Herald, news producer at NPR, and has written for Harvard Business Review, Boston Magazine, Sierra, and many other publications. He has also been a professional stand-up comedian, given talks at anime and gaming conventions on everything from My Neighbor Totoro to the history of dice and boardgames, and is author of the magical realist novel John Henry the Revelator. He lives in Boston with his wife, Jennifer, and either too many or too few dogs.
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