3 ways AI is impacting how consumers shop

As AI changes the digital landscape, it impacts everything we use technology for.

It is influencing the way that we work, the way we search for information and even the way we shop.

Stats suggest that more than one quarter of purchases are made online. At the same time, customers are more discerning than ever and expect user experience to match their expectations, providing a smooth and accessible ecommerce journey that makes it simple to find what they’re looking for, in as few clicks as possible.

AI is becoming a significant part of this journey and helping brands meet these expectations.

This article explore 3 ways that AI is impacting the way that we shop and how brands can keep up with the changes to stay relevant and in touch with their consumers

1. Chatbots

Chatbots provide an easy way for customers to get answers fast onsite.

Using chatbots can help users navigate your site and find what they’re looking for as soon as possible, as well as responding to frequently asked questions, freeing up your customer service team to manage more specific enquiries. Clarins is a great example of an ecommerce site with an onsite chatbot - aptly named Clara.

They can also help to bridge language barriers, and to support users off-site - increasingly customers now look for customer service by reaching out to companies’ social media pages.

Businesses can invest in chatbots that work through all the most common social media channels, such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as through WhatsApp.

2. AI search

AI has changed how we search for information.

Now any Google search provides a summary at the top, whilst some users are choosing answer engines like ChatGPT over traditional search engines.

This provides a new way for brands to reach their customers - and a new challenge. AI transforms the kind of information search engines - and answer engines - are looking for.

Alongside traditional SEO, brands should be aware of AEO (answer engine optimisation) and think about how they optimise their sites to appear in AI summaries and responses. Maratopia Digital Marketing are an expert agency who specialise in optimisation for AI, with a wealth of knowledge.

3. Augmented reality

AR tools have been around for a while, allowing users to virtually ‘try on’ items before buying.

For example, with AR, you can see how a piece of furniture would look in your home, what a lipstick might look like on you or try on an item of clothing.

These features are not new but they are constantly evolving and improving. Google has introduced highly advanced new try-on features which not only superimpose the image of the item onto the user, but also actually adjust the appearance of the preview image based on the cut and fabric, to give the most realistic indication of how the image will look.

And as smart glasses grow in popularity, users will be able to shop digitally for items they encounter in the real world as well as preview products in online shopping environments.

These are just three of the ways that AI is changing how customers shop, and how you can get ahead of the curve to bring the experience consumers expect in the digital age.