Retailers are increasingly automating core merchandising functions through AI agents that manage inventory decisions, vendor communication, and negotiation. Companies like Duvo.ai, Relex Solutions, Gain, and Zenline AI have emerged or expanded to handle tasks such as reading supplier emails, analyzing pricing proposals, and developing category strategies. Walmart launched Wally, a GenAI-powered assistant that automates data entry, root-cause identification, and advanced calculations for merchants, while Target unveiled Trend Brain, a trend intelligence platform for private brands.
The pitch centers on replacing manual analysis and email-based vendor negotiations with AI agents that operate with human oversight. Duvo.ai analyzes commodity costs, manufacturing expenses, labor rates, and supplier margins to generate purchase recommendations and respond to price proposals on behalf of retailers. Gain's AI co-workers, including Natalie for category strategy and supplier negotiation, operate via Teams and Outlook and have worked with major retailers and CPG companies. Walmart uses negotiation agents from Pactum to extend payment terms across thousands of suppliers. For commerce teams, this means merchants can shift focus from tactical, repetitive work to strategic vendor relationships and assortment decisions—but regional labor-market conditions and regulatory environments shape adoption rates, with European and Middle Eastern retailers moving faster than North American counterparts due to labor availability and stricter employment laws.