What brands need to know before bringing AI assistants to e-commerce

Brands are all in on AI-powered tools in e-commerce, especially for customer service. But shoppers expect these AI agents to solve their problems rather than create new ones. Incorporating customer experience principles into AI-driven experiences can help AI make everyone’s lives easier.

AI-powered shopping assistants have the potential to relieve strain on human agents and drive customer satisfaction, from improved recommendations to streamlined refunds. However, brands must do more than simply deploy a chatbot and expect success.

To empower shoppers, brands should make virtual assistants easy to use and unobtrusive. They should offer alternate contact options like email or phone. And brands must be transparent about their usage of virtual assistants — something 71% of consumers demand. CX testing can help brands balance competing business objectives while employees and customers can reap the benefits of AI, without conceding trust or convenience.

For further reading

• Generative AI has entered the chat
• Shoppers prefer AI explain things and save them money, not recommend products
• Ipsos Top Topics: Retail, Food and Beverage