A question in progress. This is a planned research outline, not a completed article. No findings or conclusions are presented.
This research is in preparation. The questions below define its intended scope; they are not findings or investment conclusions. A publication date has not been set.
The central question
If software agents increasingly act on behalf of buyers, where might bargaining power—and economic value—move along the commerce value chain?
Questions to investigate
- Consumer distribution: Who will own the customer relationship when an agent mediates discovery and purchasing?
- Commerce infrastructure: Which capabilities could become essential, and which could become interchangeable?
- Payments: How might delegated purchasing affect payment selection, authorization, and provider economics?
- Merchants: What could change in acquisition costs, pricing power, and access to customers?
- Risk management: Who would bear responsibility for identity, consent, fraud, and disputes?
Planned approach
Map the participants and their incentives, examine the underlying technical constraints, and distinguish observed evidence from scenarios. Any eventual claims, estimates, and conclusions will need supporting sources and explicit assumptions.
Publication status
The completed analysis, references, and conclusions will be added when the research is ready. Until then, this page is a research outline only.