AI in retail

You might not know it or might not have seen it, but AI solutions are already part of your shopping experience. And AI in retail is something we will see more of in the coming years. Whether looking for a new pair of jeans, doing your weekly grocery shopping, or embarking on a new DIY project, artificial intelligence will transform the way you shop.

So, check out some of the many ways in which retailers are using AI-powered solutions today:

Virtual shopping

Without considering the current situation, shopping is, most of the time, quite a hassle, especially when it comes to clothes. That is because there are a lot of things that can ruin a perfectly good shopping experience. The clothes you want are available, but not in your size. They are available in your size, but there’s no one there to bring them to you. The five items or less rule means that you can’t see how different pieces of clothing fit together. And the list goes on.

With the help of AI, retail can change this experience for the better. Some stores have already implemented this, and more will come. The future will be increasingly digital. Shoppers will have virtual racks and changing rooms where they can use gestures to search through the entire clothing offer and find the right style. Digital robot assistants will be on hand to help you with anything you need, such as bringing a particular piece of clothing in the proper size or color or give you recommendations based on your current and previous searches.

As shopping becomes more comfortable and more fun, retailers will also have a better understanding of their customers and be able to tailor their portfolios faster than ever.

Analysis and analytics

Missing items on shelves, wrong prices, or products past their expiration date can negatively impact your shopping experience. Not to mention the challenges it creates for store employees. Walmart is already testing new technology aimed at solving this issue. Shelf scanning robots move around the store to make sure that the stocks are ok and labeled correctly. This makes for a smoother shopping experience, not to mention that it frees store employees to focus more on the customer experience.

In clothing stores, for example, AI analyses store receipts and provide retailers with real-time information, so they know which items need to be restocked and where.

Customer support

Right now, AI-powered chatbots are, to be honest, not that great. However, in the history of things that work well today, there was a time when they didn’t😊. But it will get better, and this is only one of the many areas related to customer support that AI can improve.

Kroeger is testing an app that links to smart shelves installed in the store. It can highlight where the products are on a particular shelf, implement instant promotions, and show specific nutritional info. Other AI apps can also map the most efficient route that a customer can take through the store based on the shopping list he uploads.

We know what you’re thinking. The examples above are fantastic, but the high costs and proprietary systems make it inaccessible to smaller players. But you don’t need to be a huge multinational corporation to take advantage of AI. We’ve been working with small and medium-sized enterprises to develop their artificial intelligence solutions. And we can do the same for you.

Originally published at https://qteam.solutions on July 23, 2020.