Global Retailers Deploy AI Shopping Assistants
Global Retailers Deploy AI Shopping Assistants
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Macy’s built “Ask Macy’s” on Google’s Gemini platform and made it publicly available on its website and app in March after weeks of internal testing; the retailer tested it with roughly half of its website visitors.
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Macy’s said thousands of employees helped prepare the assistant for public use. The rollout also reflects retailers’ concern that shoppers may otherwise rely on outside services such as ChatGPT for purchasing guidance.
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Target’s Buy Again feature surfaces previous purchases, frequently purchased essentials and targeted deals based on shopping behavior, while its Continue Shopping tool is available across the Homepage, My Target and Search sections of the app.
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Bol says Shopper Agent considers prior purchases and wish-list items only when customers explicitly request it, and that customers retain final control while completing purchases in Bol’s existing shopping environment.
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Bol’s assistant is also changing how products are discovered by sales partners: it evaluates product information and features, making accurate, high-quality product data increasingly important for sellers seeking visibility on the platform.
Major retailers are rolling out AI shopping assistants that let customers describe what they want in plain language and get personalized recommendations instantly. MLive reported that Macy's "Ask Macy's" tool, built on Google's Gemini platform, drove early users to spend more than four times as much as non-users during testing. Target, GS Shop, and Dutch retailer Bol are all launching similar conversational tools to keep shoppers on their own platforms instead of turning to outside services like ChatGPT for buying advice.
Macy's Launches AI Assistant Built on Google's Gemini
Macy's made "Ask Macy's" publicly available on its website and app in March after weeks of internal testing with roughly half its website visitors. MLive noted the assistant offers virtual try-on capabilities alongside product recommendations. Thousands of Macy's employees helped prepare the tool for public use, ensuring it could handle real customer questions at scale.
The spending spike among early users — more than four times higher than non-users — came with an important caveat. Macy's acknowledged that these heavier spenders may have already had more specific purchase intentions before using the assistant. Still, the retailer saw the tool as a way to compete with free AI services shoppers might otherwise consult.
Target Adds AI Search and Personalized Shopping Features
Target is expanding its app with multiple AI-powered tools to speed up shopping. The retailer added visual search so customers can take photos of items they like. AI-generated review summaries condense customer feedback into quick snapshots. Personalized replenishment recommendations surface products based on past purchases and shopping habits.
Target's "Buy Again" feature surfaces previous purchases and frequently bought essentials alongside targeted deals. A new "Continue Shopping" tool appears across the app's homepage, My Target section, and search results. These additions keep shoppers moving faster from product discovery straight to checkout without leaving Target's ecosystem.
International Retailers Deploy Conversational Shopping Agents
South Korea's GS Shop introduced an AI assistant that summarizes product information, compares items, and answers follow-up questions. The rollout started with beauty products, where detailed comparisons and ingredient information matter most to shoppers. Medium highlighted how AI is becoming central to everyday shopping decisions, handling product searches, recommendations, and purchase interactions.
Dutch retailer Bol made its Shopper Agent broadly available to help customers plan major purchases like camping gear. The assistant compares products and uses Bol's delivery information to answer questions. Bol says customers control whether the tool accesses past purchases or wish lists — nothing is used without permission. The assistant is also raising the bar for sellers: it evaluates product quality and data accuracy, making detailed product information essential for visibility on Bol's platform.
AI Assistants Change How Retailers Compete and Sell
Retailers fear customers will turn to outside AI services like ChatGPT instead of shopping on their own sites. By building conversational assistants directly into their platforms, they're trying to keep shoppers engaged and spending. The assistants make shopping feel more natural — customers can ask questions the way they'd talk to a friend instead of hunting through menus.
These tools also change what sellers need to do to succeed. Accurate, high-quality product data now directly affects whether an AI assistant recommends an item to customers. Retailers are essentially ranking products based on data completeness and quality, pushing sellers to invest in better product descriptions, images, and specifications.
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