The article highlights the shift in commerce protocols with the rise of agentic commerce, where platforms like Shopify are evolving from open systems into aggregators. Unlike traditional internet protocols developed over time through consensus, these new protocols, such as OpenAI's Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) and Google's Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), have commercial partners involved from the start. This creates a scenario where platforms control much of the data and insights, leading to an imbalance. Merchants only see their individual sales data, while platforms gain a comprehensive view of cross-merchant performance, which they use to optimize their own revenue. Shopify’s role is central to this transformation. The company has positioned itself as a key player in both ACP and UCP, providing tools for catalog optimization and payment processing that integrate with AI surfaces like ChatGPT. However, this relationship raises concerns for merchants, as they risk losing control over their data and customer interactions. Recent changes to Shopify’s terms reflect this trend, mandating data sharing through features like Shopify Network Intelligence. Merchants who opt out face losing access to essential services, indicating a shift toward a more centralized system where the platform prioritizes aggregate performance over individual merchant success. The article warns that as Shopify continues to aggregate merchant data and products, the dynamics of visibility and competition will change. With features such as the Shop App, which allows multiple merchants to compete for visibility within a single marketplace, Shopify increasingly resembles Amazon. This aggregation trend is common in tech businesses, suggesting that platforms may eventually prioritize their own interests over those of individual merchants. If merchants are not careful, they may find themselves at a disadvantage, reliant on a system that doesn’t serve their best interests.