As subsequent reports have shown, executives who fail to implement solutions based on artificial intelligence in their organizations are at risk of potential market decline. It is slowly becoming a fact that ignoring AI in the long run will do more harm than good. The same can be said for the e-commerce sector, which continues to enjoy strong Customer interest, but also faces ever-increasing buyer demands.
Online shopping sites need to move with the times and improve for consumers who want a convenient, fast, and hassle-free online shopping experience. Customers are excited about AI-powered tools that assist them in their daily use of virtual stores. Shoppers are eager to use AI-powered chatbots and shopping recommendations provided by artificial intelligence, while a significant portion of them have already used virtual shopping assistants. The vast majority of sellers have seen an increase in revenue from their online store after adopting AI technology.
Therefore, it is worth getting to know the possibilities of this technology and the solutions that can bring huge profits to business owners. In this article, you will learn about some of the AI-powered tools that are used in cutting-edge e-commerce websites.
Virtual fitting rooms
One important element in enhancing the positive shopping experience of Customers is tailoring the product to their needs. This applies to clothing, vehicles, interior design items, and even architectural elements. Artificial intelligence offers the ability to virtually try on clothes, “preview” furniture or wall colors for a selected interior, or visualize the upholstery of a personalized car. All thanks to augmented reality (AR) technology. The matching of items can be done online, without leaving the buyer’s home. This makes shopping more convenient, increases Customer satisfaction, and reduces the number of post-purchase returns. It is worth noting that artificial intelligence also allows for three-dimensional or “live” previews – using a camera on a stationary or mobile device.
Personalized shopping suggestions
Customers increasingly expect their favorite stores to know their preferences and predict what products will interest them. With so many options to choose from, shoppers do not want to waste time searching for an item that meets their needs. Instead, they look for sites that offer a selection of products tailored to their expectations. Tools equipped with artificial intelligence offer such capabilities.
AI-powered sales site building systems allow companies to achieve much better financial results. They enable in-depth analysis of vast amounts of Customer data, which can then be used to make predictions about inventory levels or buying trends. Some of the data that artificial intelligence can analyze within these systems includes: items added to the shopping cart, demographic information, frequency of site visits, or purchase history at a particular store. Such support from AI tools improves the quality of the Customer shopping experience and, as a result, accelerates revenue growth for the organization. Additionally, enhancements using artificial intelligence allow e-commerce businesses to better target their marketing efforts.
Visual search engines
E-commerce sites, especially those owned by retail giants, often offer a huge selection of items. As a result, Customers have a wide range of products to choose from, many of which may meet their needs. However, this variety can also be a challenge for shoppers, so it pays to invest in tools that make it easier for them to find what they want. This is what visual search engines are for. They use image recognition algorithms based on artificial intelligence. The Customer does not have to use text to find a specific item. Visual search engines recognize specific features of the uploaded image and generate product suggestions that match it. This can significantly speed up the shopping process, especially if the searcher does not know the name of the product but has a photo of it.
Smart product search
In an era of increasingly convenient shopping, many Customers find it extremely frustrating to spend too much time searching for products or to receive inaccurate search results. Shoppers are quickly turned off by sites whose search engines are outdated and do not meet their needs. This often leads to shopping cart abandonment. The number of consumers who abandon their purchases in such online stores is as high as 20%. In this case, email reminders to continue shopping may not help because the Customer is already disappointed with the experience of interacting with such a site.
In this regard, artificial intelligence offers improvements to search engines by predicting users’ purchase intent and the context of their actions. Tools equipped with this technology allow precise searches for items based solely on keywords entered by the user. Another advantage of AI-powered search engines is that they can be used to gather, store, and analyze information about the preferences of specific Customers, which in the future could lead to more personalized shopping offers.
Voice search engines
The capabilities of voice search engines are currently cutting edge and most commonly used by Customers in the US. However, it is a tool that is growing in popularity and there is a good chance that it will be adapted to the conditions of other countries around the world. This solution allows buyers to save a lot of time previously spent on searching. It is a so-called “hands-free” solution, which means that it does not require any operation other than voice control. If you want to use voice search, you need a smart speaker, such as those offered by Apple, Google, or Amazon. This feature is especially useful for users of e-commerce sites as they go about their daily tasks. In times of constant rush, such search engines can give buyers a lot of satisfaction. Their ease of use is a great advantage, and the fact that they can be operated by people with disabilities is an added benefit that greatly enhances the comfort of their daily lives.
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Sources:
https://www.coveo.com/blog/product-search-vs-product-discovery/
