AI agents are becoming paid customers. Don't shut them out

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Happy Monday to 9,482 ecom gladiators!

Ada here, back with another 5-minute email to help grow your Shopify store by 1% this week (yes, even in August).

Here’s what’s inside this week:

• AI agents are now paying “customers”

• Growth Hack: Turn customer feedback into conversions

• Weekly Challenge: Launch your first AI-Powered re-engagement flow

• Trending: Mofusand Blind Boxes (And How to Cash In on the Cute)

Let’s dive in 👇

Improve ROAS Before October’s Prime Day

Your Q4 budget is likely set. Now it’s time to make it work harder.

Now’s the time to reallocate part of your Amazon ad budget. The Affiliate Shift Calculator models how affiliate marketing can improve ROAS without raising total ad spend.

Built for $5M+ sellers, our calculator delivers a custom forecast based on your data. Don’t wait, start preparing now for Q4 and Amazon’s upcoming Prime Day.

See Your Affiliate ROAS Potential

AI agents are also paying customers… Is your store letting them in?

Here’s something that flew under the radar last week (but might shape the future of online shopping):

Google’s John Mueller reshared a fascinating LinkedIn post by ecommerce expert Malte Polzin. Malte had tested whether ChatGPT’s AI agent could actually shop on the top 50 ecommerce sites in Switzerland. Many passed. But some didn’t.

This matters because AI agents (e.g ChatGPT’s with browser access) are already helping real people shop… comparing products, reading reviews, and even completing checkouts. This means that your next customer may not be a person. It might be a bot shopping for a person.

The research showed that AI agents were blocked by: CAPTCHA or Cloudflare Turnstile blocking bots, maintenance pages, bot defense mechanisms…. and some sites just broke entirely.

To not miss out on AI “customers”, you need to:

• Test your store with ChatGPT’s browser-enabled version or similar AI tools

• If you’re working with an SEO, add Agentic AI Testing to your next site audit

• If you're using a third-party app that adds CAPTCHA, check if it’s bot-blocking your checkout process

It’s early.. but just like mobile optimization 10 years ago, those who adapt first will win later.

GROWTH HACK: Turn Customer Feedback Into Conversion Gold

You know what’s better than guessing what your customers want? Letting them tell you …and then using their exact words to build products, emails, ads, and loyalty. Stores like yours are cashing in by combining customer feedback + chatbots to create AI-powered marketing fuel.

You already have one of the most powerful CRO tools: your customer data. Here’s your playbook to do the same and turn unfiltered customer feedback into targeted sales.

Step 1: Collect the chatter

Spend a few hours/month collecting:

• Weird-but-honest ad comments

• Support ticket complaints

• DMs on Instagram

• Post-purchase survey replies

• Product reviews and returns feedback

Step 2: Feed the Chaos to ChatGPT

Drop it all into ChatGPT with this prompt:

Now you’ve got:

• Real objections you need to address

• Messaging that converts

• Unexpected trends

Step 3: Use the Data Like a Mad Scientist

Now remix it into real strategy.

1. Use it to handle objections… in their words

If customers keep saying:

“This smells weird at first, but works like magic after a week!”

Then your copy should say:

“Yep - it smells funky at first. Then it fixes your skin. Give it 7 days.”

You’re not hiding the objection… you’re owning it. That builds trust.

2. Use it to find your real buyers

You think your anti-anxiety bracelet is popular with stressed-out college students. But your reviews say:

“I got this for my husband who can’t sit still during Zoom calls.”

Suddenly, you're marketing to remote-working adults with executive anxiety. Whole new angle. Higher LTV.

3. Use it to build an engagement loop

Customers say:

“Loved it, but forgot to reorder.”

Time to launch a cheeky, AI automation sequence on social media using a tool like ManyChat:

• Subject: “Your product misses you.”

Your customers are literally writing your next marketing campaign… you just need to ask and organize.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Build Your First AI-Generated engagement flow

This week, take 60 minutes to create your first feedback-powered automation using the steps above.

Here’s your to-do list:

1. Copy/paste 50+ pieces of customer feedback into ChatGPT

2. Ask for common themes, top complaints, and best testimonials

3. Pick ONE issue to solve e.g. delivery anxiety

4. Get Manychat and go to “Automation”

5. Type “engagement” into the search bar and pick a template of your choice

6. Tweak, and you’re done! Not only will this reduce support tickets — it builds brand loyalty. And it works on autopilot.

eCom Trend: Mofusand Blind Boxes

Mofusand Blind Boxes are tiny collectible cat figurines… dressed as shrimp tempura, sharks, or jellyfish. Yup, seriously.

🧸 Origin:

Created by a Japanese illustrator in 2017, Mofusand (translation: soft and fluffy) blew up on Japanese social. And now adults around the world are hooked with the search volume for “Mofusand” tripling in 2 years

How to ride this trend:

1. If you sell collectibles or kawaii-adjacent goods, test stocking Mofusand boxes

2. Bundle with other impulse buys (think enamel pins, desk toys, journals)

3. Create unboxing content on TikTok/IG Reel

Former Zillow exec targets $1.3T market

The wealthiest companies tend to target the biggest markets. For example, NVIDIA skyrocketed nearly 200% higher in the last year with the $214B AI market’s tailwind.

That’s why investors are so excited about Pacaso.

Created by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso brings co-ownership to a $1.3 trillion real estate market. And by handing keys to 2,000+ happy homeowners, they’ve made $110M+ in gross profit to date. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

No wonder the same VCs behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay also invested in Pacaso. And for just $2.90/share, you can join them as an early-stage Pacaso investor today.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

That’s a wrap for this week, team.
As always, small actions, big compounding gains. One percent better each week = ecommerce dominance in a year.