Zalando, the German-based European fashion e-tailer, is introducing a virtual fashion assistant that is powered by OpenAI technology. The virtual fashion assistant, called ChatGPT, will be launched as a beta version that will be integrated into Zalando's website and apps this spring. It is designed to help customers navigate through the e-tailer's "large assortment in a more intuitive way".
With ChatGPT, customers can ask fashion-related questions using their own terms and words. The chatbot will then provide relevant fashion recommendations in an "intuitive and natural" way. For instance, if a customer asks, "What should I wear for a wedding in Santorini in July?", the fashion assistant will understand that this is a formal event and what the weather is like in Santorini in July. It will then provide clothing suggestions that are based on this input.
Zalando plans to combine customer preferences, such as brands they follow and products available in their sizes, with the chatbot in the future to deliver a more personalised selection of products. The virtual fashion assistant will be enabled for a selected group of customers in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Austria, with support in both English and German.
Enhancing Customer Shopping Experience through ChatGPT Technology
Tian Su, Vice President of Personalisation and Recommendation at Zalando, emphasised the company’s commitment to enhancing their customers' shopping experience. He said, "At Zalando, our customers have always been at the centre of everything we do. As a leader in fashion e-commerce in Europe for 15 years, we have consistently embraced new technologies to enhance our customers' shopping experience. We are excited to be experimenting with ChatGPT to help our valued customers discover even more fashion they will love."
He added that Zalando is committed to learning how their customers want to interact with ChatGPT to provide them with the best possible experience. Zalando's focus on enhancing customer experience in online fashion shopping is expected to be further reinforced by its collaboration with OpenAI technology.
