Shopping agents may automate tasks consumers want to do themselves

Shop Pay makes online checkout quick, but that does not mean consumers want personal agents to take over shopping. One view is that browsing, researching products and comparing options can be enjoyable, and shoppers may prefer to make choices themselves—including which flight to book, based on delays and seat preferences.

A proposed marketing approach is to focus on specific problems, such as handling returns or getting money back, rather than pitching personal agents as a way to boost productivity.