According to Inc, the rise of AI search has fundamentally collapsed the traditional multi-step online shopping funnel, where consumers used to research and compare features before buying. Now, shoppers can jump directly from awareness to purchase, forcing a major shift in how product pages are designed. Modern strategies must adopt an awareness-first approach, using educational storytelling and lifestyle framing, as seen with cookware brand Caraway. Furthermore, with AI optimization rules changing daily, the advice is to watch and emulate major retailers like Amazon, a tactic health tech company Oura employs by constantly updating its page architecture. The current lack of transparency in AI optimization is seen as temporary, but until platform maturity arrives, brands must be patient and avoid anyone claiming to have all the answers.
The New AI Shopper
Here’s the thing: we’re not just talking about a new tool. AI has effectively created a new type of customer. The old model was built on the assumption that the shopper would do the work—they’d Google their problem, read a bunch of articles, compare specs on three different tabs, and then maybe decide. Product pages were basically digital spec sheets. That whole process? It’s getting compressed into a single query. Someone asks an AI, “What’s the best non-toxic cookware for a small kitchen?” and bam, they get a direct answer, possibly with a link to buy. The entire middle of the funnel—consideration—just vanishes. So if your content is still just listing features and technical details, you’re speaking a language this new shopper might never even hear.
Awareness Is The New Battlefield
So what replaces the feature-comparison page? Storytelling. Context. You have to win at the awareness stage, because that might be the *only* stage. Look at Caraway. They’re not just selling pots and pans. They’re selling material science, a safety narrative, and a specific aesthetic lifestyle. They’re answering the “why” before the customer even fully forms the question. This is content designed to be lifted by an AI as the authoritative, holistic answer. It’s not about having the most bullet points; it’s about owning the entire narrative around a problem. Basically, you need to become the source an AI would quote.
Copy The Giants And Stay Nimble
Now, the rules for this are insanely unstable. What works today might not work next month. Inc’s advice is pretty pragmatic: when in doubt, see what Amazon is doing. They have the most to gain from AI-driven sales and the most data to figure it out. Oura, with its smart ring, is a masterclass in this. They structure their content with clear segmentation, case studies, and problem-led comparisons—all optimized for high scannability, not just for humans but for AI crawlers. But the real key? They treat their product pages as “living infrastructure.” They’re constantly tweaking and updating, not treating the website as a one-and-done design project. In a world where search patterns shift on an AI’s whim, agility is your only sustainable advantage.
The Waiting Game
It’s frustrating, right? Everyone wants a concrete playbook, but the platforms themselves are still figuring it out. The article suggests this opacity won’t last forever—eventually, the tools and metrics will mature. But until then, it’s a game of observation, experimentation, and patience. And you should probably be deeply skeptical of any consultant or agency promising you a foolproof, permanent AI SEO strategy. That just doesn’t exist yet. The best move is to build a flexible, story-driven foundation, keep your eyes on the biggest players, and be ready to pivot. After all, if you’re in the business of selling physical products—whether it’s cookware, wearable tech, or even specialized industrial panel PCs—the fundamentals of clear problem-solving and authoritative storytelling still matter. They just matter in a completely new and unpredictable way.
