A merchant selling pet accessories online for three years has just lost a quarter of its conversions in a few months. The cause is neither its product nor its price, but a poorly configured chatbot that does not comply with the new European transparency rules. This concrete situation illustrates what is really changing for online businesses this year: regulatory, logistical, and technological constraints are reshaping the models that work.
AI Act and chatbots: the regulatory constraint that online shops underestimate
The European regulation on artificial intelligence (AI Act, regulation (EU) 2024/1689) makes its provisions on the transparency of general-purpose AI systems applicable since August 2026. For any online shop or digital service using a chatbot, Article 50 now imposes a clear obligation: the customer must know that they are interacting with AI, not a human.
In practical terms, this means a banner or an explicit mention at the start of the automated conversation. Marketing content generated or modified by AI must also be indicated. Ignoring this obligation exposes one to sanctions, but especially to an immediate loss of trust if a customer discovers the deception.
Entrepreneurs relying on conversational agents for customer service, product recommendations, or order taking must audit their setup. Detailed analyses can be found on business on legrandformat.com that decode these regulatory developments applied to digital commerce.
What changes for an online business in practice: it is no longer enough to install a generic chatbot. The configuration must include the transparency mention, and visuals or texts produced by AI in product sheets must be identified. This is a configuration cost, not a barrier to the model, but those who ignore it take a real legal risk.
Delivery and cart abandonment: the real lever of profitability in e-commerce
We often talk about marketing, content, SEO. But the DHL report on e-commerce trends 2026 points out a fact that many online sellers overlook: delivery is now the primary criterion in the purchasing decision. Delivery options (timing, costs, flexibility of pickup points) have become the main reason for cart abandonment.
For an entrepreneur launching an online shop this year, this means that the choice of logistics provider weighs as heavily as the choice of sales platform. Offering only standard home delivery is no longer sufficient. Customers want pickup points, real-time tracking, and flexible time slots.
Three logistical adjustments to test right now
- Negotiate with multiple delivery partners to offer at least two options (home and pickup) with clearly displayed timelines on the cart page.
- Display the delivery cost right on the product sheet, not just at the payment stage. Opinions vary on this point, but the clear trend is towards early transparency.
- Integrate a parcel tracking tool directly in the customer area rather than redirecting to the carrier’s site, which reduces inquiries to customer service.
A profitable online business in 2026 is not just about a good product with affiliate marketing. It’s a calibrated logistics chain that doesn’t drive the buyer away at the last click.
Agency commerce and selling on social networks: two rising models
Agency commerce refers to purchases made by AI agents on behalf of consumers. We are not yet at mass adoption, but the signals are concrete: major platforms are integrating functions where AI compares, selects, and pre-orders products based on the customer’s recorded preferences.
For an online seller, this changes the game regarding product sheets. An AI agent does not read a catchy slogan. It analyzes structured data: price, availability, technical specifications, verified reviews. Optimizing product data for AI agents becomes a competitive advantage even before discussing traditional SEO on Google.
Social selling: selling where the audience spends time
TikTok Shop has changed the logic of the sales funnel. Entertaining content triggers purchases without the customer leaving the platform. For entrepreneurs selling fashion, beauty, accessories, or food products, this channel generates significant sales volumes among a young audience.
But social selling is not limited to TikTok. WhatsApp is establishing itself as a channel for conversational commerce, especially for selling services and customer follow-up. We are moving from a model where the customer comes to the shop to a model where the sale is integrated into the customer’s daily conversation.
Skills and online training: the business that withstands cycles
The sale of online training remains a solid model, provided it moves away from the generic. The formats that work this year target specific operational skills: mastery of a professional tool, regulatory compliance, digital skills enhancement for field employees.
The guided group course, halfway between a MOOC and group coaching, attracts an audience willing to pay more than for simple video access. The key is specialization: a training program on cybersecurity for artisans or on managing an online shop with the constraints of the AI Act has much more perceived value than a general course on digital marketing.
The B2B second-hand market (used professional equipment) and online repair services are also gaining strength, driven by circular economy obligations. These niches require little initial investment and meet a growing structural demand.
Launching an online business this year means choosing your terrain with precision. The models that hold are those that integrate regulatory compliance from the start, logistics designed for the end customer, and a sufficiently sharp positioning to avoid drowning in the mass of generalist shops.
