Specialized knowledge will define winners in the new retail landscape.
Just as the media landscape now thrives with niche creators, e-commerce will follow the same path. Retail brands focusing on knowledge that general LLMs don’t yet have will succeed, similar to how specialized bloggers like Ben Thompson emerged in media. The winners will embrace specialization, personalization, and advisory power. Two and a half years ago, when LLM hype started, I predicted the future would be indie, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing with retail brands now. Not everyone needs to be Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy.
— The End Of Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy? AI-Driven Retail Unbundling · Forbes