Agentic shopping: how AI is changing the shopping experience
The biggest challenge for e-commerce in the AI era is not just integrating AI into internal processes. It's about recognizing that your customers are also increasingly using AI agents to make purchasing decisions. If you ignore this, you risk losing customer access (the typical mistakes of a lack of D2C competence also loom here).
Part 1: Agentic AI "in German" - the new shopping advisor
The way we shop online is changing rapidly. In the past, it was enough to offer attractive products that were easily searchable for customers via product catalogs and corresponding usability (categories, faceted search, etc.). Today, it is AI-controlled agentic systems (agentic AI) that could prepare many of the purchasing decisions for the customer or even make them autonomously.
What is Agentic AI in e-commerce?
Agentic AI in online shopping takes over many steps in the purchasing process: from the product search and price comparison to the final purchase. The customer often only has to press the final button - or the AI even makes the purchase independently. These AI agents carry out the research, optimize the purchase and take individual preferences and needs into account.
Example: An AI agent is tasked with finding the best sustainable sneakers. It searches several online stores, comparing not only prices, but also taking environmental aspects and customer ratings into account. Finally, it presents the user with a selection that is tailored to their preferences.
Definition of AI in e-commerce
Artificial intelligence (AI) in e-commerce refers to the use of advanced technologies to optimize and personalize the online shopping process. Through the use of machine learning, natural language processing, large language models (LLM ) and computer vision, AI systems can analyze customer behavior and better understand their needs. These technologies make it possible to provide tailored product recommendations, improve the user experience and make the entire shopping process more efficient.
Key features of AI in e-commerce
The main features of AI in e-commerce are diverse and offer numerous advantages:
Personalization: AI systems analyze shopping history, search queries and other relevant data(CRM) to create personalized product recommendations. This increases the likelihood that customers will find exactly what they are looking for.
Automation: From customer service and order management to inventory management, AI systems can automate many tasks that would otherwise have to be done manually.
Analysis: AI systems are able to analyze large amounts of data and gain valuable insights into customer behaviour and current market trends. This information can be used to optimize business strategies.
Interaction: By using AI, systems can interact with customers to better understand their needs and provide them with relevant information and recommendations.
Part 2: Automated shopping processes
One of the greatest strengths of agent-based AI is the automation of tasks that are time-consuming or tedious for customers. From the purchase of simple everyday products to complex capital goods, AI can process almost any transaction efficiently.
Binge shopping as a new trend
One possible area of application is binge shopping. Here, the AI agent automates regular purchases: every few months, it orders everything the user needs for everyday life or for certain occasions - be it clothing, household items or gifts.
Example: A customer instructs their AI agent to regularly order a list of fashion basics and household goods that they need as standard every three months. The AI agent also automatically checks whether new, more environmentally friendly or cheaper alternatives are available.
Part 3: AI agents create emotional experiences
While efficiency is often the focus, AI agents can also help to create emotional shopping experiences. They use immersive presentations and storytelling to involve the customer more deeply in the purchasing process.
Emotions and storytelling as a sales factor
AI agents could, for example, use intensive storytelling elements to emotionally charge products. The customer not only sees a picture of the product, but also experiences it in use in a video or animation. At the same time, virtual shopping assistants could create an atmospheric ambience and provide moments of surprise through personalized recommendations.
Example: A customer is interested in furniture and is guided through a virtual home by an AI agent, in which the pieces of furniture are shown in various contexts. Emotional stories about sustainability and design are told, adding an additional emotional charge to the purchase.
Immersive shopping experiences
Another advantage of AI agents is their ability to present products immersively and provide them with detailed information. Customers can get to know the products better step by step before making a purchase decision.
Instead of simple product photos, AI agents could use interactive 3D views or augmented reality (AR) to show products in a virtual environment. Additional data such as customer ratings, expert opinions or sustainability certificates could also be continuously displayed.
Example: A customer wants to buy a new sofa. The AI agent allows them to virtually project the sofa into their living room, view it from different angles and receive expert opinions and customer reviews to simplify the decision-making process.
Individualized advice
AI agents can also pursue different advisory approaches. They adapt flexibly to the customer's wishes and offer customized advice that goes far beyond the usual product search.
Depending on the user's preference, AI agents can take on a variety of roles: They can act in an advisory capacity, create detailed comparison tables or present creative surprises. The flexibility of these agents means that they can create a customized experience for each user.
Example: A customer is undecided as to which camera is best suited to their needs. The AI Agent not only provides a comparison table with the technical data, but also shows him videos and blog posts that present the cameras in various application scenarios.
Part 4: Sustainability and smart alternatives
A growing trend in online shopping is the demand for sustainable products. AI agents can not only shop efficiently, but also suggest sustainable alternatives that match the customer's individual preferences.
Automated sustainability
For example, agentic AI can analyze the user's product selection in real time and offer alternatives that are more sustainable or ethical - without any additional effort on the part of the user.
Example: A customer regularly buys clothes online. The AI agent automatically suggests sustainable alternatives by analyzing factors such as manufacturing conditions, carbon footprint and materials. This gives the user not only fashionable but also environmentally friendly options.
Complexity, security and ethics in e-commerce
The implementation of AI in e-commerce also brings challenges, particularly in terms of complexity, security and ethics. AI systems are often complex and require careful implementation and continuous monitoring to ensure that they function correctly. In addition, these systems must be designed to protect customer privacy and security. Ethics also play an important role: AI systems should be fair and non-discriminatory in order to gain and maintain customer trust.
Interoperability in e-commerce
The interoperability of AI systems in e-commerce is crucial to ensure that they can work seamlessly with other systems and platforms. AI systems should be able to work with different data formats and sources and integrate easily with existing CRM and ERP systems. This enables smooth data transfer and improves the efficiency of business processes.
Conclusion: The e-commerce of the future
AI agents are revolutionizing online retail. They not only offer more efficient shopping experiences, but also create emotional, personalized and sustainable offers. Companies that miss out on this development risk losing touch with the new expectations of their customers.
The key to success lies not only in integrating AI internally, but also in understanding that the customer already relies on a shopping experience shaped by AI. Those who don't play along will disappear from the playing field.
How companies can prepare for the future
To prepare for the future of e-commerce, companies should take the following steps:
Investing in AI technologies: Companies should invest in advanced AI technologies to improve their e-commerce platforms and develop a better understanding of their customers.
Developing AI strategies: A clear AI strategy helps companies to define their goals and requirements and ensure that their AI systems work effectively.
Employee training: Employees should be trained to use AI systems correctly and take full advantage of AI technologies.
Monitoring and evaluation: Regular monitoring and evaluation of AI systems is necessary to ensure that they deliver the desired results and are continuously improved.
By taking these measures, companies can ensure that they are well prepared for the future of e-commerce and take full advantage of AI technology.
Facts Deep Dive: What does "Agentic AI" mean?
The term agentic AI stands for a new level of artificial intelligence in which systems are no longer dependent on a human telling them what to do. Instead, they act autonomously or semi-autonomously to complete complex tasks. In e-commerce, for example, an AI agent could independently find the best offers, negotiate prices or even work through a complete shopping list without the user having to monitor every step.
What makes Agentic AI special?
In contrast to simple chatbots that react to human input, Agentic AI acts proactively. A customer could give a rough instruction - for example, to organize a trip - and the AI takes over all the steps: from booking the flights to selecting the right hotel.
Although many of these applications are still in the development phase, agentic AI is already being hyped as the next big revolution in the AI sector. Companies and start-ups are touting this technology, which could create an agentic economy in the future in which digital assistants perform tasks that still require human interaction today.
So far, these systems are mainly in the experimental stage, but the direction is clear: Agentic AI will have the potential to completely change everyday life and the e-commerce experience by acting on behalf of the customer - and doing much more than simple assistants.
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