Context: Amazon has been accused of listing products from independent retailers without their permission, reigniting questions around accountability, transparency, and who consumers are really buying from as agentic commerce models emerge.
Chris Jones, managing director, PSE Consulting: “Agentic commerce will have a bumpy road if it weakens the basic link between buyers and sellers. When something goes wrong in eCommerce, consumers need to know who they’ve bought from and who is responsible for fixing the problem. That clarity isn’t optional – it’s foundational to trust.
Innovation in commerce only works if accountability is clear. Sellers need visibility and control to manage issues as they arise, and buyers need a clear point of contact when things don’t go to plan.
The reason global payment networks like Visa and Mastercard have endured is simple: everyone understands the rules, and everyone knows where responsibility sits. Agentic commerce risks disrupting those established expectations at its peril.
That’s why approaches like OpenAI and Stripe’s ACP are compelling. They preserve existing commercial roles rather than inserting artificial ‘merchant of record’ layers that obscure responsibility. Innovation should make commerce clearer and safer for consumers, not more confusing.”
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