How is artificial intelligence leveraging the ecommerce industry?

Unless and until, you’ve been burrowed deep underground for a couple of years, you’ve most probably heard of this phrase “artificial intelligence.†It’s the talk of the town for the last 2-3 years. It has progressed to a point where it has become a very important component of almost all the major industries. Be it using virtual filters on our face when taking pictures or using face ID for unlocking our phones, the auto correct function while typing text in a document, or the chat bots available on the websites nowadays, all are the applications of artificial intelligence. Just not this, AI has entered ecommerce in noncompetitive ways where it has become such an integral part of online shopping. Imagine you wish to buy a white color sports shoes, you open the online shopping app and then you have a ton of shoes options in front of you without having to write anything. This is the magic of AI in ecommerce. Let’s check some of the major applications of AI in ecommerce which is transforming the industry:

• Visual Search: AI-enabled visual search is the ability to use an image to search for identical or similar visual images. A product picture is worth a thousand words, visual product search ability can undoubtedly solve the issue of inaccurate search queries. The image based search makes the process of searching seamless that compels the users to make a purchase online. 
• Retarget potential customers: There are a lot of potential buyers in e-commerce who add the product to the cart but do not make a purchase. These buyers are a complete goldmine for the business if utilized properly. AI can help with this. Some businesses are now using facial recognition to capture the customer dwell times in the physical store so that they can re target them with their favourite products. As AI develops, businesses anticipate special offers on customer’s computer screens based on their in-store dwell time. In other words, omni-channel retailers are starting to make progress in their ability to remarket to customers.
• Personal touch with Chatbots: Today’s time is all about personalization. We need strategies which are not for the mass market but are for individuals which can strike their hearts and minds personally. Hence, e-commerce brands are increasingly turning towards chatbots or digital assistants to provide 24×7 support to their online shoppers. Imagine the impact it creates when you raise a query and you are being addressed within a second with a personalized message. This gesture keeps you engaged with the brand for a long time. 

• Virtual Personal Shoppers: There are many perks of in-store shopping that both brands and customers love. For instance, the customer has the opportunity to directly engage in conversation with a shop assistant where they can gather information about the product, bargain, and then purchase. With this in mind, ecommerce retailers are finding ways to bring the touch of offline into online shopping. One of the ways is the shopping assistants that have human brain-like capabilities to help you in making a purchase. 

Though the word artificial has a negative connotation of being something dehumanized, yet this technology is changing the way people shop. AI makes it possible for eCommerce retailers to analyse millions of interactions every day and ultimately target offers down to a single customer – an experience every marketer dreams of providing. From Alexa to Google’s home devices, all have now become an integral part of our family. From switching on the lights to playing your favorite music, for everything Alexa is at your service. In today’s world of reels, video calls, filters in snaps, AI is boldly walking and talking among us and expanding its reach in almost all the sectors around.