John Lewis to sell via ChatGPT and TikTok in youth push

"The retailer has launched a multimillion-pound strategy centred on what it calls "AI-powered shopping", enabling its products to appear in recommendations generated by chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The move forms part of a wider digital expansion designed to place the brand directly within the new tools consumers increasingly use to search for products and inspiration."

"Under the new system, users interacting with AI chatbots will be able to receive recommendations for John Lewis products when searching for items such as clothing, homeware or gifts. For example, a customer could ask a chatbot to suggest a spring outfit for a party within a certain budget, and the AI could recommend a shirt stocked by John Lewis if it fits the user's criteria."

"The shift reflects growing evidence that artificial intelligence is becoming a starting point for online shopping journeys. Research from KPMG found that 30 per cent of consumers aged between 25 and 34 had already used chatbots to search for deals and product suggestions."

John Lewis is modernizing its retail approach by integrating its products into AI chatbot recommendations and launching a TikTok Shop trial. The multimillion-pound strategy enables John Lewis products to appear in suggestions from ChatGPT and Google Gemini when users search for items like clothing, homeware, or gifts. Customers can receive personalized recommendations based on specific criteria, with future plans to enable direct purchases within AI interfaces. This expansion targets younger shoppers and reflects changing consumer behavior, with research showing 30 percent of consumers aged 25-34 already use chatbots for product searches. The initiative positions the 162-year-old retailer within the digital tools consumers increasingly rely on for shopping inspiration and product discovery.

Read at Business Matters