AI agents from Gain, Pactum, and others automate retail vendor negotiations and inventory planning

A wave of AI agents is transforming retail merchandising by taking over product selection, inventory management, and even vendor negotiations. Companies like Duvo.ai, Relex Solutions, and Gain have introduced tools that automate tasks once done manually by buyers. Gain's digital co-workers—Natalie for category strategy and negotiating with suppliers, and Ben for retail operations—communicate via Teams and Outlook. Walmart has developed Wally, a GenAI assistant for merchants that handles data entry, root-cause identification, and operational queries, while also using Pactum's negotiation bots to extend payment terms with thousands of suppliers. Target debuted Trend Brain in 2025, a trend intelligence platform that analyzes visual and written data to guide private label assortments.

The pitch is clear: instead of manually sifting through spreadsheets and email chains, retailers can let AI agents manage the tactical work. Guitar Center’s CTO Adolfo Rodriguez sees “meaningful opportunities” in AI for assortment planning, demand forecasting, and vendor collaboration, though the company still relies on purchase orders and advance shipping notices. Firms like Gain advise keeping a human in the loop until trust is built, then gradually granting more autonomy. As these systems mature, the role of retail buyers will shift from transactional tasks to strategic, human-centric activities like customer experience and supplier relationships.