Just one in four UK retailers (27%) say their technology stack is connected and scalable enough to support autonomous, AI-driven shopping experiences – leaving most unprepared for the rise of agentic shopping, according to new research from integration platform Patchworks.
Patchworks’ findings come as major platforms move to standardise the data flows required for AI agents. Last week, we reported on Google’s newly introduced Unified Commerce Protocol (UCP), which aims to give agents consistent access to product, inventory and pricing data. Other similar protocols are also emerging. JD.com, for example, is pursuing its own path through commercetools’ Active Commerce Services (ACS).
Tech stacks unprepared for what’s to come
Agentic commerce, where AI agents discover, compare and complete purchases for consumers, is expected to grow sharply over the next decade. Patchworks’ Retail Integration Report, based on 200 UK retail technology leaders, shows that while 40% of retailers already use AI to automate or improve operations, foundational readiness remains low. Nearly one in three (31%) run fragmented systems and manual processes, while another 29% describe their integration as “reactive and fragile”. Only 27% meet the technology baseline needed to support agent-driven shopping at scale.
Jim Herbert, CEO of Patchworks, said retailers must address long‑standing integration issues before agentic AI can become commercially viable. “Agentic commerce sounds futuristic, but it relies on something very unglamorous. Clean, connected data,” he said. “If your stock, orders, customer data and payments don’t talk to each other reliably today, an AI agent will simply amplify those problems rather than solve them.”
Patchworks found that disconnected systems already have financial consequences. Sixty percent of retailers report losses tied to integration failures, with 1 in 10 losing more than £1m a year. Nearly half (48%) rely on temporary fixes to stay operational during peak periods.
Herbert warned that the coming wave of AI‑enabled shopping could widen the competitive gap. “AI agents will soon be buying trainers before your current pair wears out, reordering household staples automatically, or booking last‑minute outfits based on your calendar,” he said. “Retailers with modern, connected platforms will benefit from that shift. Those running on brittle, patched‑together stacks risk being invisible to the machines doing the buying.”
Retailer readiness lagging behind hype cycle
However, despite the hype about agentic commerce, InternetRetailing columnist Colin Lewis is among retail experts cautioning that widespread behavioural adoption is still unproven. “In 2026, let’s keep an eye on our shoppers and see if they are really using agentic commerce en masse or will it still remain the remit of the sort of consumer who bought the first iPhone, the first Tesla and the first Google Glasses,” he said.
His comments point to a hidden truth: retailer readiness is lagging behind the hype cycle. Despite industry momentum, evidence including the Patchworks study suggests the UK market is still in the early-adoption phase of agentic commerce, not the mass-market stage. Retailers who are not yet fully on board with agentic shopping need not panic. Nonetheless, being an early adopter of a mass-market disruptor can bring significant early-mover and financial advantages. Retailers who do not have agentic commerce on their radar risk losing out.
Stay informed
Our editor carefully curates two newsletters a week filled with up-to-date news, analysis and research. Click here to subscribe to the FREE newsletter sent straight to your inbox. Why not follow us on LinkedIn to receive the latest updates on our research and analysis?
