Don’t Google It
3 Min Read
Don’t Google It
Your Next Customer May Never Visit Your Website.
AI agents are changing how customers discover, compare and buy. What sports leaders need to know, and three actions to take before finalising your 2027 plan.
Your next customer may ask an AI assistant to find a ticket, choose a product or research a technology supplier.
That assistant could prepare the shortlist before anyone visits your website or speaks to your sales team.
Will your business make the list?
As you prepare for 2027, here is what is already happening, where it could affect your revenue and how to test your readiness in 30 days.
First, a story.
“We trust the Royal Mail.”
When I was building my company in London, I hired an experienced salesperson named Trevor.
He told me about selling fax machines in the 1980s.
“Amir, we had two problems. First, hardly anyone had a fax machine at the other end.”
Then came the response from his British customers:
“We trust the Royal Mail.”
Their existing system worked. They understood it. They trusted it.
As a young salesperson, I used the Yellow Pages to find businesses and potential customers. Later, websites became essential. Google became part of the buying process.
Companies learned to compete for search rankings, clicks and conversions. Entire budgets grew around getting customers onto a website.
Now customers can delegate parts of that journey.
They describe what they need. Their assistant searches, compares and helps narrow the options.
Some of the competition for your customer may happen before they reach your website.
Put yourself in the customer’s seat
Imagine a parent asking:
“Find me a game in London this Saturday. Two children. Seats together. Easy public transport. Maximum £250 altogether.”
Your club might have the perfect package.
Can the assistant find it, establish the total cost and confirm that it meets those requirements?
A runner could ask:
“Find me running shoes for three training sessions a week. Under £150. Available in my size, with easy returns.”
The assistant needs enough information to assess your product against that person’s needs.
For companies selling technology to sport, imagine a stadium executive asking an assistant to research suppliers with comparable installations and a credible route to a pilot.
Relationships, procurement and human judgment remain central to those decisions. AI-assisted research could influence who gets invited into the conversation.
This is already taking shape
On 13 October 2026, Shopify announced tools that allow compatible agents to search a catalog of more than a billion products, build carts and complete checkout after the customer confirms the purchase. (shopify.dev)
Ticketmaster describes integrations that let fans discover events and compare ticket options through AI platforms. One example is finding Denver Nuggets tickets within a specified budget. Several integrations then direct fans to Ticketmaster to complete the purchase. (blog.ticketmaster.com)
A smaller Shopify update reveals how easily a business can miss this shift.
On 9 October, Shopify began sharing comparison prices with agents so they could recognise markdowns. Previously, those agents received the current price without the comparison price displayed in the storefront. (changelog.shopify.com)
Your customer could see the promotion. Their assistant might never know it existed.
Consider the equivalent in your business: a family package, a delivery promise, an accessibility feature or a customer result that helps someone choose you.
Is that information available wherever the assistant looks?
Your website gains another audience
A June 2026 research paper proposes a web that serves both people and agents: human interfaces alongside information and services structured for agents to use. It describes a possible architecture, with adoption still developing. (arxiv.org)
The commercial implication is easy to picture.
Your customer talks to their assistant. Your systems supply product details, availability, conditions and the ability to act.
Your website and connected systems could remain essential to a sale, while the customer never sees your homepage.
Alongside evaluating design and conversion rates, leaders now have another question to ask:
Can our business serve a customer who delegates the browsing?
What this means for sport
At HYPE SPORTS, we work with sports organisations and companies seeking to sell into the industry.
Both sides need to establish commercial fit. Buyers need evidence that an offer meets their requirements. Suppliers need to make that evidence accessible and credible.
AI introduces another participant into that process.
For sports brands, accurate information about fit, intended use, stock, delivery and returns helps an assistant assess a product.
For clubs, leagues and venues, packages need clear total prices, seating details, restrictions and an explanation of what is included.
For companies selling to sport, case studies should explain the customer, the implementation and the measured result.
An assistant researching suppliers needs material it can find and verify. Human decision makers need the same.
Three actions for the next 30 days
Start with one offer. Assign one person to lead the exercise.
1. Find out who gets recommended.
Write five realistic customer requests. Include budgets, requirements and constraints.
Test them across several AI assistants without mentioning your company.
Record which businesses appear, which sources support the recommendations and whether the information is accurate. Repeat the tests to identify patterns.
The deliverable: a short list of who appears and the evidence supporting their inclusion.
2. Fix one customer journey.
Choose a product, ticket package or service.
Check whether an assistant can find it, understand who it suits and help a customer take the next step.
Review pricing, availability, conditions and proof. Ask your commerce or ticketing provider which agent connections it supports.
The deliverable: three specific gaps, each with an owner and a date for correction.
3. Measure what improves.
Repeat the exercise after making the changes.
Track recommendation accuracy, identifiable referrals, enquiries and purchases where attribution is possible.
An appearance in an AI answer is an early signal. Customer progress and commercial results help establish its value.
The deliverable: a brief report on what improved and what to test next.
Final Thoughts
Before you sign off your 2027 plan
Trevor’s customers trusted the Royal Mail. The fax machine had to earn its place through usefulness, availability and trust.
AI agents face their own version of that test. Adoption will vary across customers, markets and types of purchase.
You can begin learning now.
Choose one offer. Follow the customer journey through an assistant. Give your team 30 days to identify and address the gaps.
If your next customer sends their AI agent to find a solution, what will give it a reason to recommend you?
Run the test. Share what you discover with me, especially who appears and where the journey breaks down.
With Love for Sports and Innovation,
AR
CEO, HYPE Sports Innovation
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