John W. Hayes is a veteran marketing strategist and long-time friend of ChannelX.World. A familiar face at industry events and a published author on content, email and social media marketing, John recently joined Upland Adestra, where he continues to champion the power of email as a trusted and effective channel for marketers and publishers.
There never was a level playing field in online retail. Marketplaces like eBay and Amazon may have opened the door for sellers to reach customers – but they never let them own those relationships. Instead, sellers handed over their most valuable asset: customer data, in exchange for visibility. Even some of the biggest names in retail gave up control, choosing to play in someone else’s garden rather than plant their own.
Cloud-based ecommerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce might have helped retailers claw back some of that power. But to compete, they had to pay a king’s ransom to stay visible on search engines and social networks. Sure, some succeeded and built incredible businesses – but those unicorns were few and far between. The rest of us worked hard to pay the bills and keep the likes of Jeff Bezos in rocket ships.
And you know what? It’s about to get worse.
AI Will Change the Face of Retail (and Everything Else)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already disrupting how people search for information and products. You could argue that Google is now more of an “answer engine” than a “search engine” – and that’s completely shaking up how people engage with online content. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are increasingly dominated by AI-generated summaries, reducing the need for users to click through to individual websites.
Website visits are down. Clicks have fallen off a cliff. Marketers are scrambling to figure out what life looks like in this new age. It’s already had a significant impact on the media industry, and now AI is coming for ecommerce. Don’t just take my word for it. It’s all over the mainstream media, and respected ecommerce voices like Scot Wingo and his new venture, ReFiBuy, are tracking it closely.
AI-Enabled Shopping Isn’t the Future – It’s Already Here
Today, AI tools can help you research, discover, and even purchase products. Some will go as far as completing the checkout process for you. While this shift might not be obvious to the average shopper just yet, we’re on the cusp of a major transformation.
Within the next two years, we’ll see a seismic change in how people shop, and not long after, many will wonder how they ever bought anything without AI.
So, who’s likely to win the AI shopping arms race? Chances are, it’ll be one of five companies – three starting with “A” and two with “M.” Can you guess who they are?
This shift presents three immediate challenges for retailers:
- Declining brand visibility: As consumers increasingly rely on AI to recommend and purchase products, retailers risk becoming invisible. The AI becomes the intermediary, reducing the retailer to a faceless supplier rather than a trusted brand.
- Reduced profit margins: AI systems will favour suppliers offering the lowest prices and most efficient fulfilment. To stay competitive, retailers may be forced to slash prices and invest heavily in logistics – or outsource entirely.
- Platform dependency and rising costs: Just like the marketplaces before them, AI platforms will likely impose hefty fees for access, visibility, and integration. Retailers will once again find themselves paying to play.
Is There Any Good News?
Absolutely. Retailers are nothing if not resilient. Just look at how quickly the industry adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the threat posed by AI feels different. It’s not just a case of jumping from one channel (the high street) to another (online). It’s as if multiple doors are being shut at once.
Yet, one channel remains firmly in the retailer’s control: email.
When managed properly, your customer email data has always been a powerful tool for deepening relationships built on trust. Big business knows this. That’s why they invest millions into the channel. Even the companies leading the AI charge – the ones starting with “A” and “M” – prioritise email.
Do You “Do” Email Marketing?
Plenty of companies say they do email marketing. But how many actually do it well?
I’m talking about triggered campaigns, sophisticated automations, and highly personalised newsletters. These aren’t just about sending the right message to the right person at the right time. They’re about delivering real results.
And the best part? Retailers today are spoiled for choice when it comes to email marketing platforms.
Tools like Mailchimp and iContact are ideal for small to medium-sized businesses – affordable, easy to use, and quick to deliver results when deployed correctly. For those ready to level up, enterprise platforms like Upland Adestra offer deep data insights and targeting capabilities that make emails feel like they were actually created for the individual that receives it and not the masses.
Why I’m So Confident Email Will Survive the AI Apocalypse
We’ve been here before.
Nearly 14 years ago, Mark Zuckerberg predicted the death of email. He was wrong.
Not only has email survived, it’s thrived. It’s become one of the most resilient and adaptable marketing channels in the digital world. Here’s why:
- Email is a decentralised, owned channel
Unlike AI chatbots, search engines, or social platforms that can change the rules overnight, email is decentralised. No single company owns it. Marketers own their lists, their content, and their customer relationships. That kind of control is rare – and incredibly valuable. - Big Tech is still betting on email
Since Zuckerberg’s prediction, companies like Google and Apple have doubled down on email. They continue to invest in making the inbox smarter, safer, and more user-friendly. Email isn’t dying – it’s evolving. - Regulation has made email better
GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations have forced marketers to be more ethical and transparent. Far from killing email, these laws have made it stronger. Today’s lists are more engaged, more targeted, and more respectful of privacy. - AI is a tool and not a threat
AI is already enhancing email marketing. It’s helping personalise subject lines, optimise send times, segment audiences, and even generate content. Far from replacing email, AI is making it more effective and scalable. - Email is where business gets done
Despite the rise of messaging apps and social media, email remains the go-to channel for professional communication. It’s where deals are made, invoices are sent, and relationships are nurtured. - The inbox is a daily ritual
People check their email every day (often multiple times a day). That kind of habitual engagement is marketing gold. As long as people keep checking their inboxes, email marketing will remain a vital channel.
