The Smart Lab: AI and the Future of E-Commerce

Artificial intelligence might seem like a complicated thing, but for the purposes of online retail it is actually quite simple.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, works by using data to make recommendations. It is an excellent automation tool that can help people make better decisions faster.

For online retail, it is the key to creating an interactive experience on an e-commerce website.

Interactive Retail

Jewelry shoppers, like all shoppers, are expecting better experiences both in-store and online.

AI-powered tools allow jewelers to bring the interactivity of in-store shopping to the web.

If you are asking why you would bother to add artificial intelligence to your website, then you should know that 79 percent of consumers today find that it’s easier than ever to take their business elsewhere, according to a survey by Salesforce.

Jewelers who offer cutting-edge features stand out from the crowd. With thousands of online jewelry retailers, service that is perceived as inferior is less likely to be tolerated by shoppers.

Artificial Intelligence

When online shoppers visit your website, a lot of data is captured.

This data can tell you whether a visitor is a returning visitor or a new one, the pages a visitor frequently views and even where the customer is viewing your website from. AI tools can quickly track each visitor and offer a personalized experience to each one.

But data tracking is only the beginning of what AI can do.

The simplest AI tools jewelers can implement to improve their websites are live chat and personalized recommendations.

1. Live Chat and Virtual Shopping Assistants

With thousands of companies out there offering outstanding customer experiences, excellent customer service is no longer optional. One of the ways AI can help improve customer service is through live chat and virtual shopping assistants.

Live chat is an incredible tool because it uses AI to interpret and answer customer questions 24/7. That means you’re helping your customers even when your store is closed.

The tool is also great because it is available on every page of your website, which means customers don’t have to navigate away from the item they’re considering.

Live chat is already popular with online shoppers, with 79 percent of shoppers preferring live chat because they do not have to wait on hold.

Additionally, live chat has the highest level of customer satisfaction at 73 percent, compared with 61 percent for email and 44 percent for phone, according to eDigitalResearch.

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