Who Does The Agent Work For?

Last week I asked who carries the downside when the AI’s pick is wrong.

I checked.

The shopper first. The seller second. The platform last.

Shoppers give it orders. Sellers pay its wages. The platform writes its job description.

What it is paid for shapes what it optimizes.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Amazon has billed sponsored prompts in its shopping assistant per click since March. A wrong pick can still earn the fee.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞, 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Hotels booked through Doubao pay only when the booking completes. About 12%, against 8% before.
One test found the same rooms up to RMB80 pricier through Doubao. Another found prices mixed.
Doubao says nobody can buy its ranking.

𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭.
Alibaba has not said publicly how its shopping agent will earn. Its AI unit lost RMB13.9bn in the June quarter. Someone pays later.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩, 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐭.

Ask your platform which model you are paying for.

Same test as September: an agent’s pick is worth what its owner loses when it is wrong.

Today, not much.

What sellers can do now: send your platform three questions.

Can any seller pay to change what your agent recommends in my category? If so, is it labeled as an ad?

On AI orders, do you charge per click, per sale, or per kept sale? Is the fee refunded on returns?

Can I see AI-channel orders, returns, and complaints separately?

Then make one move you control: carry part of the downside yourself.

A guarantee with a cap. One category, a fixed window, a fixed budget.

Some Tmall beauty brands already do this: a 60-day allergy-return promise.

Then honor it. A broken guarantee costs more than none.

Has your platform answered any of the three?

China settled a version of this once, for search. More in the first comment.

#AIAgents #ChinaRetail #Ecommerce #MarketplaceStrategy #ConsumerTrust

Contact

bruno.gentil@sherpaconsultingasia.com

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