2026-01-09 20:25:08

Amazon tested a feature called "Buy for me" in a small-scale trial last April, and it blew up on social media this week.

Here's the story—many independent brands and small merchants have always refused to join Amazon, aiming to protect their profit margins and prevent large platforms from copying them. But Amazon's move is quite interesting; they directly launched the Agentic Shopping AI feature. Users want to buy any product not on Amazon? No problem, AI will help you purchase it. Then all transaction data, fund flows, and purchasing behaviors are locked in Amazon's database.

The underlying logic here is quite fascinating. Last year, some friends working on AI shopping discussed this idea—what if we could create a truly neutral AI shopping assistant that supports purchasing on behalf of users from any platform, with users paying directly in stablecoins? That would essentially force most global e-commerce platforms to adopt encrypted payment capabilities, while giving users full control over their data and fund flows.

The contrast in logic is quite stark, but this is the core imaginative space of Web3 shopping.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

8 Likes

Reward
8
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

GasWaster

· 12h ago

Wow, Amazon's move is really brilliant. If you can't block, just take everything.

View OriginalReply0

DegenRecoveryGroup

· 13h ago

Wow, Amazon's move is brilliant. On the surface, they say they help you buy, but in reality, they take over the entire transaction chain. If this were decentralized... well... that would be true free shopping.

View OriginalReply0

SnapshotLaborer

· 13h ago

Amazon's move is really clever—appears to help you buy on the surface, but actually harvesting your data. --- Wait, isn't this the opposite lesson of Web3 shopping? Centralized AI shopping agents are directly selling you out. --- Got it, Amazon is paving the way, and later they will definitely bundle more financial data. --- So the key to the Web3 version is decentralization + privacy; otherwise, it's just the same old Amazon tricks. --- This move is indeed ambitious—using AI to bypass small merchants' defenses, and data is the most valuable asset. --- Stablecoin payments are the core here; whoever masters this thoroughly will win. --- Amazon: I help you save trouble, and in the process, I get to know you thoroughly. --- Speaking of which, Web3 shopping really needs someone to do it; right now, it's a blue ocean.

View OriginalReply0

BoredApeResistance

· 13h ago

Wow, Amazon's move is really ruthless, it's completely cutting off the source of revenue. Amazon doesn't really care whether you buy their products or not; the key is to keep your data in their hands. Doing this in Web3 is the right way, but who has the strength to do it now? This logic is actually the way to defeat the platform. It feels like all the big companies will end up playing this way in the end.

View OriginalReply0

ser_we_are_ngmi

· 13h ago

This is the brutality of centralization—by bypassing barriers, it ends up locking you in.

View OriginalReply0

LidoStakeAddict

· 13h ago

Amazon's move is really clever; on the surface, it's helping you buy, but in reality, it's just draining your data blood. Speaking of which, if we could really develop a decentralized shopping AI that supports stablecoin payments, that would be a revolution. Amazon digging its own grave, but Web3 might actually fill it. Interesting. In fact, small merchants have wanted something like this for a long time, but no one has truly made it happen. Once this logical chain is connected, it feels like the entire e-commerce ecosystem will have to be reshuffled. Amazon doesn't understand Web3 at all, still using outdated tactics from the previous era. The potential is indeed huge, but no one can say for sure how it will actually play out.

View OriginalReply0