E-commerce enters 2026 under a new logic of competitiveness. If, in recent years, price and assortment led the buying decisions, now they are instant service, brand reputation and real-time conversion capability who determine who grows and who loses space in digital retail.In an increasingly fragmented environment between marketplaces, WhatsApp, social networks and virtual stores, the conversational experience becomes the center of strategy.
According to Tiago Vailati, CEO of Loopia, an AI-powered Chat Commerce platform, customer service is now seen as a strategic part of the sales funnel, and the logic is simple: whoever answers first sells. .“The customer chooses the best channel to buy, the one that is most convenient, that provides the best experience, combining price, delivery and convenience.And in this scenario, speed, context and relationship are decisive”, says the executive.
From the analysis of consumer behavior, the operation of hundreds of e-commerce and the evolution of the use of AI in digital retail, Tiago mapped four trends that are expected to shape e-commerce in 2026. Check.
1. Instant service ceases to be differential and becomes a basic requirement
In 2026, the wait will be synonymous with abandonment. The multichannel consumer 'Works between WhatsApp, marketplaces and social networks 'WAits for answers in seconds, not minutes. Operations that do not work continuously, 24 hours a day, tend to lose sales, often without even realizing it.
2. Chat Commerce consolidates itself as the main conversion engine
The buying journey is no longer linear and becomes conversational. Instead of browsing the site alone, the consumer buys by talking to human sellers, or with AI agents trained to sell, ask questions and guide decisions.
This movement turns the service into an active sales channel, able to directly impact indicators such as conversion rate, average ticket and repurchase. Operations that treat chat only as SAC tend to lag behind.
3. Reputation is built in real time
Reviews, private messages, comments on social networks and conversations in marketplaces weigh as much as ads and institutional campaigns. Each interaction becomes a point of contact that builds or destroys brand reputation.
4. Artificial Intelligence evolves from automation to sales intelligence
In 2026, AI ceases to act only as operational support and becomes intelligence applied to conversion. intelligent agents take on functions such as prioritization of calls, identification of purchase intent, product recommendation, abandoned cart recovery and after-sales.The difference will be less in the presence of AI and more in the way it is trained and integrated into the complete journey. operations that use AI only reactively tend to lose efficiency against smarter, more proactive models.
For Loopia, the 2026 e-commerce will be defined less by isolated technology and more by ability to turn conversations into sales, with intelligence, speed and context. .“The service ceases to be cost and becomes a strategic asset. Who understands this now, arrives more prepared in 2026”, concludes Tiago Vailati.
