Get your webshop ready for AI in 5 steps

Laatst bijgewerkt: October 6, 2025

From dream to reality: a practical plan

You’ve read about the future of AI shopping and you’re convinced. But then comes the question: “Where do I start?” It might seem like a huge technical mountain to climb, but in practice, it’s not that bad. You can break down the preparation into five clear, logical steps.

Think of it as preparing your restaurant for a new, influential critic (the AI assistant). You want to make sure they can find everything, that the kitchen (your technology) is in order, and that the bill is correct.

Let’s get started.

Step 1: Create a perfect menu (your product list)

The AI assistant can only sell what it can ‘read’. Your product list (or ‘feed’) is its menu. If it’s unclear or incomplete, it can’t order anything.

So, make sure you have a crystal-clear menu with for each product:

• The basics: A clear name, description, price, photo, and link.
• The details: The more info, the better the assistant’s advice. Think of brand, color, size, and unique product codes.
• Up-to-date stock: Is it still available? Make sure your stock status is always correct. Good news: if you use a platform like Shopify, this is often handled for you automatically.

Step 2: Open a special entrance for the ‘waiter’ (your API)

The AI assistant is the customer’s personal waiter. It needs a special entrance to pass the order to the kitchen. In the tech world, such an entrance is called an API.

Through this API, the assistant can create an order, check its status, and complete the payment. Building such an API is a technical job, but again: are you using a large platform like Shopify? Then there’s a good chance they’ve already built this entrance for you.

Step 3: Install a good lock and alarm system

You wouldn’t leave the door of your restaurant unlocked. The same goes for your digital entrance. Security is crucial. Two things are essential here:

• A good lock: Make sure you know for sure that the ‘waiter’ placing the order is really who they say they are. This is done with a kind of digital signature.
• An alarm system against double orders: Your system must be smart enough to recognize a duplicate order, so a customer never accidentally pays twice.

Step 4: Connect your existing cash register

You don’t need to buy a new cash register system. You can simply connect your existing, trusted payment provider (such as Stripe, Adyen, or Mollie) to the new API entrance. The payment will then run through the route you already know.

Step 5: Hang up the “Welcome AI” sign

When everything is ready, you still need to let the AI assistants know that they are welcome to shop with you. You do this by placing a digital ‘signboard’ on your website. These are two small technical adjustments that ensure assistants can find your ‘menu’ and ‘special entrance’.

And that’s it. With these five steps, your business is no longer a dot on the horizon, but an active player in the future of e-commerce.

Sources

• Sell on ChatGPT - Shopify (on the automation of feeds and APIs)