Marcus Rossato, head of marketing APJ, Klaviyo
The end of the year always sparks a shopping frenzy, overflowing carts, last-minute orders, and the ping of endless marketing emails. But 2025 showed that the biggest wins didn’t come from chasing every click, they came from understanding how shoppers are evolving.
Shoppers aren’t scrolling endlessly anymore. They’re talking to LLMs like ChatGPT, which discover, compare, and even complete purchases in a single conversation. Just as ecommerce, mobile and social transformed retail in previous years, AI is already redefining how brands connect with customers.
The data speaks for itself. In 2025, Shopify reported AI-driven traffic grew sevenfold, while AI-attributed orders jumped eleven times. And Klaviyo’s BFCM data showed Australian and New Zealand retailers saw 14% revenue growth, with repeat buyers outpacing new customers nearly two to one.
Yet, Aussie brands still left some untapped potential. So where did they miss the mark and what should they focus on in 2026 to drive even further revenue growth?
Post-purchase engagement
Despite the rise in how and when consumers use AI, many brands are still missing the mark with their own AI usage. Right now, most are counting on it for pre-purchase marketing, enticing consumers to browse, recommending products, and running campaigns. While that’s great, it’s only half the picture.
In fact, 88% of Aussies are open to AI managing their post-purchase order needs (from tracking orders to handling returns), and 81% are open to personalised reorders. So, the real competitive advantage will go to brands that connect AI-driven discovery to their owned channels, email, SMS, and mobile push, turning curiosity into conversion, and one-off purchases into long-term engagement.
Deepening the value of repeat buyers
While brands have been missing a trick with AI, they’ve also been missing a trick by assuming revenue growth comes from new customers alone. Acquisition matters, but too often marketers overlook loyalty and lifetime value. True growth comes from encouraging existing customers to spend more over time.
In Klaviyo’s report with James Hurman, we found that higher retention rates don’t always translate into healthier revenue. Many brands were retaining customers, but often bargain hunters loyal only to discounts, rather than high-value, emotionally connected shoppers.
The brands that grew fastest weren’t keeping the most customers; they were increasing the value of the customers they did retain. Those that focused on deeper engagement and higher spend grew more than three times faster than brands that prioritised sheer retention numbers.
This is exactly where agentic commerce becomes transformative.
If Australian brands continue to treat post-purchase engagement as an afterthought, they’ll miss the opportunity to engage effectively with high-value customers. With AI handling post-purchase support, from quick answers to personalised reorders, brands finally have a way to turn everyday transactions into real connections that keep customers coming back.
Global early adopters are showing the way
Brands like Target, Glossier, SKIMS, and others are already linking AI-powered discovery directly to their owned ecosystems. Even smaller brands are creating shoppable experiences inside AI environments without heavy technical lifts. Those who act now aren’t just capturing sales, they’re learning more about their customers, building loyalty, and setting themselves up for year-round growth.
The lesson from 2025 is clear: brands that integrate AI thoughtfully across the entire customer journey, from discovery to post-purchase, while building emotional connection, will not only drive immediate results but also create long-term growth and loyalty this year and beyond.