"For all the chatter in the past year or so about the role of AI in the consumer economy, its potential impact on the brick-and-mortar shopping experience is only just taking shape. Opinions, of course, are divided. Major chain retailers have been investing heavily and are just beginning to roll out early iterations of in-store AI "shopping guides," digital tools and features focused principally on making the physical experience as frictionless as e-commerce while retaining-and possibly enhancing-the personal touch."
"While the pandemic did provide e-commerce with a burst of rocket fuel, most brick-and-mortar retailers have since figured out how to compete (or partner) with Amazon online. Once the Covid crisis peaked, humans went back to doing what humans do-driving to the store where they can touch the fabrics, read the labels, and squeeze the fruit. People like to browse and discover things they didn't know they needed or wanted."
Major chain retailers are investing in in-store AI features such as shopping guides, digital tools, and personalization aimed at making physical shopping as frictionless as online while preserving or enhancing personal service. E-commerce growth has slowed and now represents about 16.4% of US retail sales, suggesting shoppers still value tactile, discovery-oriented experiences such as touching fabrics and squeezing fruit. AI can improve in-store loyalty through chatbots, personalization, and operational tools like store maps. The pandemic accelerated online sales temporarily, but bricks-and-mortar retailers have adapted by competing or partnering with online platforms and focusing on experiential advantages.
Read at Forbes
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