Top 10 Best Agentic AI Workflow Automation for Retailers in 2026
Discover the 10 best agentic AI tools for retailers in 2026. From n8n to Zapier, find affordable, easy-to-implement automation to boost efficiency and sales.
Running a retail business today feels like being in a fight with a hundred small fires. Where is my order? Is this back in stock? A competitor just dropped their prices. Sound familiar?
The problem is not a lack of hard work. The problem is that too much time gets eaten up by repetitive tasks. Checking inventory. Answering the same five customer questions. Manually updating spreadsheets. It’s exhausting - and it does not scale.
This is where Agentic AI comes in. Forget the hype about AI just writing content. Agentic AI is different. These are AI systems that act. They make decisions, execute multi-step tasks, and run processes autonomously. Think of them as digital employees who work 24/7.
The best part? You don’t need a massive budget or a team of developers to get started. I’ve put together 10 affordable, easy-to-implement agentic AI tools that any retailer can start using today.
1. n8n: The Best Customizable AI Agent Builder
What it is: n8n is an open-source workflow automation platform that lets you build powerful AI agents. Unlike simpler tools, it gives you full control over how your agents “think” and act.
Why we like it for Retail: n8n is perfect for retailers who need more than basic automation. You can build agents that automatically classify customer emails, search your knowledge base, and draft replies for your team to approve. Or create a workflow that monitors your inventory, calculates shipping options, and triggers reorders when stock runs low.
Because it’s open-source, you can self-host it for minimal cost (as low as Rs. 500-1500/month on a VPS). The cloud version starts at around Rs. 1,600/month.
Ease of use: Low-code. You will need some technical comfort, but there are plenty of templates to get started.
2. Zapier Central: The Easiest Entry Point for AI Teammates
What it is: Zapier Central is not your regular Zapier. It’s a new AI workspace where you can create “bots” that learn to use your existing Zaps and connected apps.
Why we like it for Retail: If you’ve ever used Zapier, this is the next level. You can describe what you want in plain English. “When a new order comes in, check inventory, send a confirmation email, and update my spreadsheet.” Central figures out which apps to use and does it. It connects to over 6,000 apps.
It’s the “easy mode” option for retailers who want powerful automation without touching code.
Affordability: Free plan available. Paid plans start around Rs. 3,110.20/month.
3. Tidio (Lyro): Best AI Support Agent for E-commerce
What it is: Tidio’s Lyro is an agentic AI chatbot specifically designed for e-commerce. It doesn’t just answer FAQs - it resolves customer issues autonomously.
Why we like it for Retail: Lyro learns from your help center content and can handle up to 70% of customer conversations by itself. It understands intent. If a customer asks “where is my order,” Lyro can check the status and respond with tracking details automatically. It also knows when to hand off to a human for complex issues.
For a small online store, this can save hours of support time every week.
Affordability: Starts at around $24.17/mo. for 50 AI conversations. Scales up as you grow.
4. Make.com: Best for Visual Workflow Automation
What it is: Make (formerly Integromat) is a visual workflow builder that excels at connecting different apps and automating complex processes.
Why we like it for Retail: Make is a great middle ground. If n8n feels too technical but Zapier gets expensive at high volumes, Make is your answer. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to visualize multi-step automations like syncing inventory across Shopify and your physical store, or automatically generating marketing reports.
It integrates with over 1,500 apps and its AI modules let you add smart decision-making to your flows.
Affordability: Free tier available. Paid plans start at around $9/month.
5. Manifest AI: Best Shopping Assistant for Shopify Stores
What it is: Manifest AI is a GPT-4 powered shopping assistant built directly for Shopify stores.
Why we like it for Retail: This is like having a personal shopper for every customer on your website. Manifest AI engages visitors, answers product questions, helps them find the right size or style, and even suggests complementary items. It runs 24/7 and can reduce customer drop-off by guiding them through the purchase decision.
It’s trained on your product catalog, so responses are accurate and brand-consistent.
Affordability: Free tier available for testing. I couldn’t find the pricing details in their website.
6. Browse AI: Best for Competitor Price Monitoring
What it is: Browse AI is a no-code web scraping tool that can track competitor websites, monitor prices, and alert you to changes.
Why we like it for Retail: Staying competitive on price is crucial. Instead of manually checking competitor sites every day, Browse AI builds “robots” that do it for you. Set up tracking on competitor product pages, and get alerts when prices drop or stock levels change. You can also use it to monitor market trends.
It turns hours of research into a hands-off automated process.
Affordability: Starts free with 50 credits per month, then $19/month onwards.
7. Retell AI: Best for Automating Phone Orders and Support
What it is: Retell AI lets you build AI voice agents that sound remarkably human. They can handle phone calls for orders, support, and more.
Why we like it for Retail: Many retail customers, especially in India, still prefer calling. Retell AI agents can pick up those calls, take orders, answer product questions, and even process returns. The AI handles interruptions and off-script conversations naturally.
It integrates with CRMs and inventory systems, so it can provide real-time order status or stock availability.
Affordability: Pay as you go plan, $0.07+/minute for AI Voice Agents.
8. Gumloop: Best for Web Scraping and Lead Enrichment
What it is: Gumloop is an AI-powered workflow platform with a focus on web scraping and data processing.
Why we like it for Retail: Need to build a pricing intelligence bot? Gumloop makes it easy with drag-and-drop. You can also use it for lead enrichment - scraping contact info for potential wholesale partners or local suppliers. It’s also great for sentiment analysis of customer reviews.
The AI copilot (Gummie) can even build automations from natural language descriptions.
Affordability: Free plan with 2,000 credits/month. Solo plan starts at around $37/month.
9. Relevance AI: Best for Multi-Agent Orchestration
What it is: Relevance AI is a platform for building and deploying teams of AI agents that can collaborate on complex tasks.
Why we like it for Retail: If you want to go beyond single-task automation, Relevance AI lets you create “agent teams.” For example, one agent could research market trends, another could analyze your sales data, and a third could draft a report. They work together autonomously.
It’s a powerful tool for retailers who want to leverage AI for strategic insights, not just operational tasks.
Affordability: Free plan available. Paid plans start around $19/month.
10. Lindy.ai: Best “Digital Employee” for Admin Tasks
What it is: Lindy.ai offers pre-built AI agent “identities” like an Executive Assistant, HR Aide, or Sales Rep that you can deploy in minutes.
Why we like it for Retail: If you’re a small retailer wearing many hats, Lindy can take some off your shoulders. Use it to sort and prioritize emails, schedule meetings with suppliers, or update your CRM after every customer call. It integrates with over 4,000 tools via Zapier and native connections.
The pre-built templates mean you don’t have to design agent workflows from scratch.
Affordability: Free plan available. Paid plans start around $50/month.
Wrapping Up: Start Small, Scale Smart
Agentic AI is a force multiplier for retail businesses. It’s not about replacing your team - it’s about freeing them from repetitive work so they can focus on what matters: serving customers and growing the business.
My advice? Start with one tool. If customer support is your biggest pain point, try Tidio’s Lyro. If you need flexible, custom automation, set up n8n. Once you see the time savings, you’ll be hooked.
The competitive advantage is real. Retailers who embrace these tools will operate faster, leaner, and smarter than those who don’t.
Looking to streamline your retail operations even further? Check out our Inventory Management Software and Billing Software to see how Zubizi can help you build a fully connected, automated retail business.
