AI-Powered Visual Shopping Experiences
Sixty percent of millennials demonstrate a preference for using visual searches when shopping on online marketplaces. In order to align with this "look, buy, have" approach to shopping, the integration of AI is essential to optimize retail platforms for visual search. According to Lihi Pinto Fryman, co-founder of visual AI company Syte, enhancing the visual-based search systems on retail platforms holds significant impact for millennials and the marketplaces they frequent.
Enhancing the Customer Experience
Retailers are increasingly catering to tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z consumers by focusing on providing more visual content and improving the discoverability of their products and services. The demand for swift, visual-based search systems is gaining momentum, with even tech giants like Google revamping their Image tool to offer a new user interface that facilitates product image comparisons.
The Role of AI in Visual Shopping
Syte provides visual AI technology to retailers like Marks & Spencer and Conforama, enabling a shift from text-based search experiences to ones that rely more on images. This transition significantly enhances the customer experience, empowering shoppers to simply share an image with the retailer without the need for specific search terms or filters.
Visual search has gained traction among millennials, with 62 percent expressing a preference for this method over traditional search methods. The challenge for retailers lies in balancing the provision of visual search tools while also maintaining conventional search options.
Moreover, the use of visual AI technology extends to improving text-based searches as well. Retailers can leverage technology to recognize icons for colors, sizes, and shapes, enhancing the categorization of content for users through searchable tags.
Connecting Online and Offline Experiences
Visual AI technology has the capability to bridge online and offline shopping experiences. By utilizing AI technology, online shoppers can access the same digital conveniences in-store, enabling quick searches of store inventories. This can streamline transactions for store employees, making it easier to locate products in stock.
The Future of Retail
As millennials and Gen Z consumers continue to shape the retail landscape with their increasing purchasing power, the importance of visual search will only grow. The shift towards voice and visual searches is poised to redefine the way consumers interact with technology, particularly the younger generations who are heavily immersed in a visual-centric world.
Visual AI and search have the potential to synergize with other technologies like virtual reality (VR) in the future. A scenario where consumers can search for products, visualize them using VR, and make purchases rapidly is on the horizon, underscoring the transformative potential of AI-powered visual shopping experiences.
