# Visa: Small Merchants Can Speed AI Shopping Adoption

> Small merchants may outpace large rivals in AI shopping by pivoting faster on product data and checkout.
- Title: Visa: Small Merchants Can Speed AI Shopping Adoption · Pymnts
- Summary: Small merchants may outpace large rivals in AI shopping by pivoting faster on product data and checkout. SMBs can close the AI readiness gap by optimizing…
- Keywords: visa, small merchants, product data, checkout, fraud controls, agent-ready, digital sales, smb, seattle, nfl, pymnts, Small
- Source: Pymnts — https://pymnts.com/smbs/2026/visa-says-small-merchants-could-move-faster-on-ai-shopping
- Author: PYMNTS
- Published: 2026-09-22T08:00:20+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: visa, ai, small merchants, product data, checkout, fraud controls, agent-ready, digital sales, smb, seattle, nfl, pymnts
## Agent Readiness Gap
Small merchants trail large ones on agent readiness at 11% vs 19%, but can close the gap faster with AI.

> Small businesses have a distinct ability to pivot faster, to move faster.
## Product Data Needs
Merchants need precise product descriptions, inventory, prices, and payment options for AI agents to function.
## AI Traffic Growth
68% of merchants expect AI agents to drive at least 5% of digital sales within two years, but only 15% have structured product data.
## Checkout Focus
Merchants are prioritizing checkout, payments, and fraud controls over features like voice ordering or kiosks.
## App Performance
57% of merchants saw app sales grow, with apps outperforming websites on 11 of 14 payment capabilities.
## Fraud Challenges
60% of merchants want better fraud protection as AI transactions increase, requiring distinction between legitimate and automated activity.
## Checkout Improvements
87% of merchants say their checkout needs improvement, but AI focus risks overshadowing basic customer experience fixes.
## Data for AI
Product data helps merchants appear in AI searches, while transaction data shows AI-driven purchases and fraud patterns.
## Sara Craven's View
Visa's general manager says SMBs can learn faster with AI and must optimize product data before checkout.

> Small businesses have a distinct ability to pivot faster, to move faster.
## Key takeaway

SMBs can close the AI readiness gap by optimizing product data for agents, not just improving checkout.