Every SaaS demo I sit through these days follows the same script: “Our revolutionary AI engine leverages machine learning to deliver unprecedented personalization…”

Great story, but can you show me the A/B test results?

The AI gold rush has hit e-commerce hard. Every vendor from email platforms to inventory management tools has slapped “AI-powered” on their marketing materials. Most of it is basic algorithms dressed up in buzzwords.

But here’s the thing: some AI applications in e-commerce actually work. The trick is knowing which ones move your revenue needle versus which ones just move your vendor’s sales needle.

After working with dozens of brands scaling from $50M to $500M+, I’ve noticed a pattern: everyone’s obsessed with the next big thing (AI! Personalization! Omnichannel!), but most are missing obvious wins sitting right under their noses.

The irony? The flashy stuff gets the board meetings, but the unglamorous optimizations pay the bills.

Here’s what actually moves revenue when you’re operating at scale—not startup blog theory, but battle-tested improvements that work when you have real inventory, real stores, and real complexity.

If you’re a mid-size or enterprise brand leader tired of optimizing in all the wrong places, take these points to your next leadership meeting.