Tech Trailblazers vs. Digital Laggards: The AI Divide in Ecommerce

AI is transforming ecommerce, but not all retailers are keeping pace. While early adopters fully integrate AI into their operations, hesitant retailers are missing out on growth opportunities. This divide shapes the competitive landscape and creates clear winners and losers.

According to recent research, 96% of ecommerce retailers use AI in some capacity. Those classified as “tech trailblazers”—businesses that deeply integrated AI into logistics, marketing, and customer experience—saw three times the growth of their competitors. “Digital laggards,” however—businesses that resist adopting AI—struggle to keep up in an increasingly data-fueled marketplace.

Let’s explore the AI gap in ecommerce—why some retailers succeed with AI while others fall behind—and how your company can bridge the divide and stay competitive.

What Sets Tech Trailblazers Apart?

Tech trailblazers use AI to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience, increasing revenue. The businesses leading the AI revolution share some common characteristics:

• AI-driven logistics: Products are always in stock and delivered on time with enhanced inventory management and predictive analytics. Automated warehousing and smart routing help reduce fulfillment costs and improve delivery speed.
• Personalized marketing: AI customer behavior analysis produces highly targeted promotions and recommendations, improving conversion and click-through rates.
• Dynamic pricing strategies: By analyzing customer pricing, seasonal trends, and demand fluctuations, AI adjusts pricing in real-time. These retailers remain competitive while maximizing profits. 
• Automated customer service: AI chatbots and virtual assistants handle inquiries, freeing human agents to focus on complex issues. Leading retailers have reduced response times by over 50% while maintaining high customer satisfaction scores.

 “The biggest differentiator today isn’t just access to AI—it’s the ability to act on it. Trailblazing brands are already using AI to orchestrate advertising, online experiences, and fulfillment into a cohesive strategy that drives results. Those still debating where to start are already falling behind.” – Matt Crawford, Vice President of Strategic Business Development at BigCommerce, during the Ecommerce Unfiltered webinar

With full AI integration, tech trailblazers have reduced costs, improved decision-making, and enhanced customer experiences, leading to better customer retention and higher revenue.

The Risks of Falling Behind

Digital laggards often struggle with inefficiencies, higher operational costs, and customer churn. Businesses slow to buy into AI face several challenges:

• Slower decision-making: Without AI-powered insights, laggards rely on outdated data and gut instincts, missing opportunities and losing customers to more agile competitors.
• Higher costs: Manual processes and inefficient inventory management inflate expenses. Without AI-driven forecasting, they may inadvertently overstock unpopular items or understock high-demand products, risking lost sales and increasing storage costs.
• Poor customer experience: Lack of personalization and slow response times frustrate customers and push them toward competitors who offer AI-enhanced service. Modern consumers prefer brands that personalize their shopping experience, so AI-propelled customization is essential.
• Declining sales growth: As competitors use AI for smarter marketing and operations, laggards lose market share. Ignoring AI-driven customer insights, they miss emerging trends and lose audience engagement.

Bridging the AI Divide

Closing the gap requires a step-by-step approach for businesses that have been slow to adopt AI.

1. Start Small

Implement AI in one high-impact area, such as customer support automation or personalized recommendations. Retailers using AI chatbots for customer inquiries often see a drop in service costs while improving response times.

2. Leverage Existing Tools

Many ecommerce platforms offer built-in AI-powered analytics and automation tools that require minimal investment. Google and Shopify provide AI marketing and inventory optimization tools businesses can adopt without significant upfront costs.

3. Train Employees

If employees don’t understand AI’s capabilities and limitations, they won’t be able to use it to its maximum potential. To integrate AI successfully into daily operations, train employees on your chosen AI’s capabilities and limitations. 

For example, a retailer implementing AI-driven customer support can train staff to manage chatbot escalations, interpret AI-generated insights, and refine automated responses to better meet customer needs. Hands-on workshops and continuous learning can keep employees confident and proactive in using AI.

4. Monitor and Adapt

AI evolves and improves over time with data and refinement. Analyzing AI-driven insights helps fine-tune strategies for better success.

The Future Belongs to AI Adopters

The ecommerce industry is moving toward an AI-powered future, and retailers that embrace these technologies will lead the way. 

Learn how to start on your journey towards being a tech trailblazer with insights from our 2025 Benchmark Report. Download your copy here.