What should you ask before hiring an agency for agentic commerce?
Ask questions that force proof, not promises. The agencies worth hiring answer with specifics about your product data, their measurement, and results in real AI assistants. The ones to avoid answer with adjectives. Here are seven questions that reveal the difference fast.
1. How will you audit my product data?
Agentic commerce runs on structured data, so a real partner starts here. A strong answer covers your feed, your schema, and where facts are missing. If they skip data and jump to branding, that's a warning.
2. How do you measure AI visibility?
They should track whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews mention and cite you, over time. No measurement means no accountability. This is the single most revealing question.
3. What schema will you implement?
Expect a clear answer: complete Product schema with price, availability, GTIN, and reviews, plus FAQ and other relevant types. "We'll add some structured data" is not a plan.
4. How will you build third-party trust?
AI agents corroborate before recommending. Ask how they'll earn reviews, mentions, and roundup placements off your domain. Self-promotion on your own site isn't enough to convince an agent.
5. Can you show me before and after in a real AI assistant?
This is the test that ends the sales pitch. A confident agency will ask ChatGPT to recommend a product in your category and show you whether you appear, then commit to showing improvement later. If they dodge, they're guessing.
6. How does this tie to revenue?
Visibility for its own sake is a vanity metric. Ask how AI discoverability connects to traffic, conversions, and profit. The best partners frame everything in terms of what it earns you.
7. What happens when Shopify ships new agent features?
Shopify keeps expanding agent-ready commerce. Ask how they'll adapt when the next capability lands. A partner watching the platform closely will have an answer. One selling a static package won't.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask an agency about agentic commerce?
How they audit product data, how they measure AI visibility, and whether they can show before-and-after in a real AI assistant.
What's a red flag in these answers?
Vague "AI-ready" talk with no measurement. If they can't track AI visibility, they can't improve it.
Is agentic commerce worth preparing for now?
Yes. AI assistants recommend products today, and early preparation compounds into a lasting lead.
Want the audit that answers these questions for you? Start at wrkngdigital.com/agentic-commerce-landing-page.
By Steve Merrill · July 8, 2026
