How Edible Brands Is Preparing for the AI Traffic Revolution in Ecommerce
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept in the world of digital retail — it is actively reshaping how consumers discover, research, and purchase products online. For Edible Brands, the parent company behind the popular gifting and treats retailer Edible Arrangements, this shift is already showing up in their web traffic data. And according to their chief digital officer, the smartest move any ecommerce brand can make right now is to start preparing before AI-driven commerce becomes the dominant force it is clearly destined to be.
AI Traffic Is Small but Growing at an Exponential Rate
Currently, less than 10% of web traffic to Edible Brands' websites originates from AI platforms. That number might sound modest, but it tells only part of the story. Erica Randerson, chief digital officer of Edible Brands, has made it clear that the trajectory of that figure is what demands attention — not its current size.
"What we've noticed is, while the traffic we're getting from a ChatGPT or a Claude or Perplexity may still be a small percentage, it is growing at an exponential rate," Randerson told Digital Commerce 360. "And it's only going to continue. So we're really always looking for ways where we can tap into AI."
This kind of forward-looking perspective is exactly what separates digitally mature brands from those that will struggle to adapt when the AI-commerce tipping point arrives. Platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are increasingly acting as discovery engines — consumers ask these tools where to buy flowers, gifts, or cupcakes, and the AI responds with brand recommendations. If your brand is not optimized to appear in those answers, you are already falling behind.
What Is Agentic AI and Why Does It Matter for Ecommerce?
One of the most significant concepts shaping the next phase of digital commerce is agentic AI — AI systems that do not just answer questions but actively take actions on behalf of users. Think of an AI assistant that not only recommends a gift basket but also adds it to a cart, applies a discount code, and completes the checkout without the user ever visiting a website directly.
Randerson recalled being at a conference in early 2025 where this concept stopped many attendees in their tracks. "The room was just trying to figure out: What does that mean?" she said. "We all were thrown this new buzzword and what are we even dealing with, much less how are we optimizing for it?"
That moment of collective uncertainty has since given way to strategic investment for Edible Brands. The company is now making significant commitments to its technology and data infrastructure, recognizing that agentic AI's role in ecommerce is not hypothetical — it is unfolding right now.
Replatforming as a Foundation for AI-Ready Commerce
One of the most concrete steps Edible Brands is taking is replatforming — overhauling the technical foundation of its ecommerce presence. This is not merely a cosmetic upgrade. Replatforming in the context of AI-readiness means building a backend that can communicate effectively with AI agents, serve structured data that AI systems can interpret accurately, and deliver consistent, reliable product information across every channel where a consumer or AI might encounter the brand.
For ecommerce retailers considering a similar path, the connection between clean data infrastructure and AI visibility cannot be overstated. When an AI platform like Perplexity or ChatGPT surfaces a product recommendation, it draws on structured information — product descriptions, pricing, availability, reviews, and more. Brands with well-organized, machine-readable data are far more likely to be cited accurately and favorably than those with fragmented or outdated information scattered across legacy systems.
Expanding the Definition of Omnichannel
Randerson has also articulated a vision for omnichannel that stretches beyond its traditional boundaries. Historically, omnichannel retail meant connecting physical stores, websites, mobile apps, and social media into a seamless customer experience. For Edible Brands, the new definition now extends into AI platforms as well.
Ensuring that omnichannel "doesn't just stop in the historical definition of the word" means treating AI assistants and agentic platforms as genuine retail touchpoints — places where brand voice, product accuracy, and customer experience must be deliberately managed, not left to chance.
This expanded view of omnichannel has important implications for any brand's content strategy, SEO approach, and technology investments. It means asking not just "how do customers find us on Google?" but also "how does ChatGPT describe us when a user asks for a gift delivery service?"
What Other Ecommerce Brands Can Learn From Edible Brands
Edible Brands' approach offers a practical blueprint for ecommerce businesses of all sizes navigating the rise of AI-generated traffic. Several key lessons stand out.
- Monitor AI-sourced traffic now. Even if the percentage is small, tracking referrals from ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and similar platforms gives you an early baseline and alerts you to acceleration before it becomes urgent.
- Invest in data infrastructure before you need it. Structured, accurate, and machine-readable product and brand data is the currency of AI-driven commerce. Cleaning and organizing that data now pays dividends when AI agents begin making purchasing decisions on behalf of consumers.
- Think beyond traditional SEO. Optimizing for AI platforms requires a different mindset than optimizing for search engines. Conversational, authoritative, and well-structured content that directly answers common customer questions is increasingly important.
- Treat agentic AI as a channel, not a trend. The brands that will thrive in the next phase of ecommerce are those that build deliberate strategies around AI platforms today, rather than scrambling to react once adoption hits a critical mass.
The Bottom Line: Prepare Now or Play Catch-Up Later
Edible Brands ranks No. 182 among North America's largest online retailers by annual ecommerce sales, according to the Digital Commerce 360 Top 2000 Database. The fact that a brand of this scale is already treating AI-driven traffic as a strategic priority — and investing heavily in its infrastructure to accommodate it — signals how seriously the broader industry should take this shift.
The window to get ahead of agentic AI in ecommerce is open right now, but it will not stay open indefinitely. Brands that act early, as Edible Brands is doing, will have a meaningful advantage when AI-assisted shopping becomes the norm rather than the exception. The question for every ecommerce leader is no longer whether to prepare for AI-driven commerce — it is whether they will start preparing today or wait until they are already behind.