ontap.daily (April 16th 2026)

In today's episode, host John unpacks a trio of Google developments that together signal a fundamental shift in how ecommerce merchants need to think about search visibility, AI-driven discovery, and digital advertising. From the highly volatile March 2026 core update to a new "Agentic Engine Optimisation" framework straight from a Google AI Director, the rules of the game are changing fast. The episode also covers a surprising force reshaping retail assortment planning, a heritage brand's AI-powered transformation, and new platform features merchants should be testing right now.- Google's March 2026 core update shifted nearly 80% of top results — what it means for ecommerce content strategy- A Google AI Director introduces "Agentic Engine Optimisation" and why structured product data is now critical- Dynamic Search Ads are being retired in favour of AI Max — what merchants should do before September- How GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are creating a "body transformation economy" that's disrupting retail planning- Levi's CEO on using AI to drive a strategic pivot — and the results to show for it- Shopify's new Posts feature turns the Shop app into a content-driven discovery channel- Magento community highlights including PCI DSS 4.0 compliance toolingFor more insights on ecommerce strategy, platform selection, and digital commerce trends, visit www.ontapgroup.com.