A recent survey conducted by Ipsos and iAdvize revealed that American consumers want generative AI to enhance their online shopping experience. With the proliferation of e-commerce and the growing use of technology in everyday life, many consumers recognize that obtaining accurate product information and personalized shopping assistance to make informed purchasing decisions is possible with AI-enhanced customer solutions. Read on to explore more insights from this unique perception study, including how customers expect AI to show up in their journey and where it tends to fall short.

The Current State of the E-Commerce Customer Experience
Before exploring the perception of generative AI, it’s important to focus on the role e-commerce plays in the lives of Americans. As we know, the global health crisis intensified digitalization. E-commerce has greatly benefited from this, as highlighted by a recent report from Insider Intelligence, which states global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $6.3 trillion in 2023, representing 33% growth from expectations in 2020.

This leads us to questions like: What’s the current situation? What are the motivations that push consumers to continue buying online? Are they satisfied with this experience?

Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans shop online several times each month.

E-commerce is a favored purchasing channel for Americans, and the study cites convenience, access to a broader product selection, and competitive prices as the primary reasons for this popularity.

40% of American people shop online every week, and this figure only increases for Millennials and Gen Z, consumers who’ve fully embraced e-commerce in their purchasing habits. In addition, online shopping attracts customers with strong purchasing power: 52% of consumers who make more than $100,000 per year report making an online purchase weekly.

Despite these numbers, only 55% of respondents reported being very satisfied with the online shopping experiences they’re having with online retailers. The major reason for this lack of enthusiasm is the difficulty consumers encounter when searching for product information.

Lack of Information: A Significant Barrier to Purchase
The study revealed that 50% of American consumers have abandoned their online purchases due to unclear or missing product information. This indicates a significant obstacle in the online shopping journey that needs to be addressed. In a world where convenience and variety are essential for consumers, the lack of accessible product details can be a major turn-off.

So, where might generative AI play a role in bridging this gap?

“Most consumers can relate to the frustration of finding product information on the internet. Why does it have to be so complicated? Here’s the good news: e-commerce companies are using generative AI to simplify online shopping. With this technology, buying feels as easy as having a chat. Shoppers can make decisions more quickly and confidently.” – Mike de la Cruz, President of iAdvize

Embracing Generative AI in the Digital Shopping Journey
In the context of e-commerce, generative AI is seen as a promising way to enhance the online shopping experience. An impressive 74% of Americans express their interest in using generative AI to obtain detailed information on products they’re interested in. The main concerns surrounding this then become whether the answers they receive will be high-quality (36%), data protection, and the reliability of the information the AI produces.

The study reveals that 52% of Americans have a positive opinion of generative AI, and this percentage jumps to 68% among consumers aged 18-34. And regardless, this technology is widely accessible and understood by most, with only 8% of respondents claiming to not know how it works.

AI Chatbot Performance Can Make or Break The Sale
Because of the constant influx of content and information online, the consumer attention span is fickle, and the expectations of instant, personalized interactions with their favorite brands only continues to increase. This means that the performance of AI chatbots on an e-commerce website play a crucial role in visitors’ purchasing decisions.

When a bot is able to provide an accurate and helpful response, 65% of shoppers complete their online purchase. When the bot can’t answer a question or provide a detailed and intuitive response, 46% of shoppers abandon their purchase. This highlights the need for more advanced AI customer solutions to offer meaningful assistance so brands can save the sale.

E-commerce is already a major part of US customers’ consumption habits, particularly among those under 35. They consider the quality of customer relations an important factor in the purchasing process. So, how do consumers prefer to contact these brands?

Messaging: The Most Used Way to Contact E-Commerce Websites
Messaging platforms have become an integral part of online shopping, with 90% of American consumers using them, including social commerce channels like live chat and social media. Chatbots, in particular, are gaining popularity, with 4 out of 5 American shoppers seeing the benefits of their 24/7 availability and time-saving capabilities.

However, it’s worth noting that many potential customers are unaware of the full potential of chatbots in the pre-sales shopping experience. Only 21% believe that a chatbot can provide specific advice, relay detailed product information (19%), or serve as a source of inspiration for good ideas (9%). Fortunately, advances in generative AI are improving the ability of chatbots to provide personalized responses, enhancing their value as shopping assistants.

American Consumers Want Conversational AI Chatbots in Their Digital Customer Experience
The study conducted by iAdvize and Ipsos underscores the desire of American consumers to have generative AI play a more significant role in their online shopping experiences. As e-commerce continues to evolve, technology-driven customer solutions, like Trusted Generative AI for E-Commerce, are poised to reshape the way we shop, making it more convenient and informative than ever. As consumers become more tech savvy, the future of online shopping looks promising with the integration of advanced AI support.

Want a detailed rundown of the study results? We’re hosting an exclusive webinar on November 15 to do just that! Register now.

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The modern consumer is no longer a passive player in the customer journey. They are more informed and empowered, and their expectations go beyond just services or products. They want genuine engagement with consistent experiences that speak to them in a very individualized way. Each with their own values, goals, and preferences. The buyer and seller relationship is evolving to a more nuanced dialogue of authenticity, security, and an equitable exchange of value.

Brands are at an unfortunate crossroads between the promises of advanced technology – such as AI and machine learning for personalization and engagement at scale – and being perceived as transactional and impersonal. Finding the right balance has always been difficult but is becoming even more so as new advancements are made and channels evolve. But it is in this rather chaotic landscape that email address intelligence offers a solution to elevating the customer experience.

The Increased Emphasis on Trust
Trust, for a brand, is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. If there is one key point modern businesses need to realize about targeting modern consumers, it’s that the foundation is constructed on the basis of trust. The unfortunate truth is that many organizations are letting their consumers down in this regard. With reports of negative shopping experiences being more the norm, this is the time for a change in approaching the customer journey.

As Millennials and Gen Z experience more likely false declines at checkout and are more aware, and face more, data breaches as compared to previous generations, it can be frustrating for these shoppers who would willingly invest into businesses they find to be trustworthy. And as more interactions are handled online – browsing, comparison shopping, and contemplating the utility or joy an item would bring – their digital identity and behaviors become increasingly important.

Many shoppers have embraced and enjoy online shopping. However, burdened with inflation, a questionable economy, and concern for privacy, any friction will result in cart abandonment and potentially tarnished reputation in their eyes. So, how do retailers build rapport to combat diminishing trust?

Enter email address intelligence to the equation.

Tapping Into the Power of an Email Address
The common misconception is that an email address is good for email marketing… and not too much else. The truth is, however, there is a wealth of information surrounding an email address and connecting the dots between it and the person behind it opens up new value in a company’s existing first-party data. Email address intelligence is the means and the outcome of harnessing that wealth of data to solve for modern challenges:

• Personalization at Scale
  It has long been known that personalization is a large benefit in interacting with your audience. As the shift towards hyper personalization takes hold, propelled by AI and consumer demand, retailers need to move beyond broad segmentation and focus in on an individual’s unique journey. People evolve, and so too do their behaviors, preferences, and lifestyles. Email address intelligence allows for the accurate, confident linking of information. This allows retailers to gain insight from past behaviors and purchase history, while enriching profiles with demographics and activity signals to reach the individual with the right message that will resonate with them. The result provides stronger fuel for AI and machine learning models to be less mass manufactured, but generate more precise, personalized messaging curated to the recipient.
• Providing a Consistent Experience
  The modern customer journey can take place over hundreds of touchpoints. There is no shortage of methods and channels with which the consumer can engage with a brand. The cracks begin to show when an individual doesn’t receive a consistent experience, or even worse receives the experience meant for someone else. The solution lies in the key digital identifier that we utilize across dozens of apps and services, that we log in with, verify with, and communicate with – the email address. With email address intelligence utilized to identify multiple emails for the same person or same household and providing the most utilized for outreach, resolving identities for a strong customer journey gets easier. Couple omnichannel consistency with personalization, and now you have a winning combination.
• Building Customer Loyalty
  We can already start to see how email address intelligence can improve a relationship between a customer and a brand. Giving them a unique, relevant experience in every engagement builds on the relationship and makes it known that they are cared about and that what they want matters. Email address intelligence is not just about what happens after they log into your app and buy your thing, but about the nuances that define each individual’s journey to pave the way for genuine interactions – sharing an exchange of value by engaging with them with tailored topics relevant to their interests, providing loyalty rewards that matter to them, or offering deals that cater to who they are and where they are in their life journey. And perhaps most importantly, email address intelligence allows you to reach them with validated, up-to-date information.
• Protecting Against Threats
  The speed at which data breaches and security vulnerabilities seem to be disseminated in today’s society could make your head spin. With trust being so paramount to the modern consumer, these stories can make or break a brand. And not only are threats coming from external sources, but the increasing cost of bad data within internal systems is of serious concern as well. Once again, we can look to email address intelligence. By processing activity signals and behaviors, determining the validity of the person behind an email address can greatly reduce fraud attempts. In fact, email has a higher correlation to fraud than phone or postal address. Verifying email addresses in real-time and updating decayed data within systems not only protects against the compounding costs of bad data, but also protects against malicious activity.

Looking Forward
We can see that the consumer experience is changing. In order to thrive into the future, ecommerce needs to address these pervasive challenges that aren’t going anywhere and put trust at the forefront of their strategy. The next steps are clear – innovate and evolve so that every engagement reinforces your commitment to the consumer.

Email address intelligence is the toolset to help you get there. It provides the foundation to solve existing issues and build a customer experience that is personal. It is evident that the combination of technology and genuine human connection will define the standard in business strategy, and brands that have a data-centric focus will be at the forefront.

Learn more about AtData’s email address intelligence.

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Summary of the top early pizza oven deals for Black Friday, featuring all the best savings on portable, outdoor, wood fired, freestanding, 2-in-1 & more pizza ovens

BOSTON–Find the top early pizza oven deals for Black Friday 2023, including Cuisinart, Ooni and more pizza oven offers from highly rated brands. Access the latest deals using the links below.

Best Pizza Oven Deals:

• Save up to $100 on Ooni pizza ovens (Ooni.com)
• Save 25% on the Ooni Karu pizza oven (Ooni.com)
• Save up to 58% on pizza ovens from Cuisinart and more top brands (Walmart.com)

The Consumer Post earns commissions from purchases made using the links provided.

Pizza ovens, primarily crafted from refractory materials, are engineered to reach and sustain high temperatures, ensuring the rapid and even cooking of pizzas. Whether powered by wood, gas, or electricity, they provide a broad spectrum of choices for both home and professional chefs, accommodating diverse culinary preferences. The outcome is consistently a culinary masterpiece, characterized by a delicate balance of crispy yet tender crusts and impeccably melted toppings, securing their enduring popularity among global gourmets.

Black Friday, scheduled for November 24, 2023, is set to once again enthrall consumers with its irresistible discounts and promotional offerings. As a quintessential kickoff to the holiday shopping season, this day sees retailers nationwide extending extraordinary deals on a broad spectrum of products, ranging from electronics to clothing. With extended store hours and online shopping options, Black Friday presents an ideal opportunity for shoppers to accomplish their holiday gift purchases and access significant financial advantages.

About The Consumer Post: The Consumer Post shares news for online shoppers. As an affiliate The Consumer Post earns from qualifying purchases.

Contact: Andy Mathews (andy@nicelynetwork.com)

Source: The Consumer Post

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Save on a wide range of LG C3 OLED TV deals at the early Black Friday sale, together with the top 4K UHD smart TV savings

BOSTON–Compare the best early LG C3 OLED TV deals for Black Friday 2023, together with sales on 65-inch, 55-inch, 48-inch, 77-inch, 42-inch & 83-inch LG OLED TVs (C3, C2, G2 & more). Links to the latest deals are listed below.

Best LG OLED C3 TV Deals:

• Save up to 35% on LG C3 OLED TVs (83”, 77”, 65”, 55” 48”, 42”) (Walmart.com)
• Save up to $1,000 on LG OLED C3 TVs (LG.com)

The Consumer Post earns commissions from purchases made using the links provided.

The LG C3 OLED TV is a premium home entertainment device renowned for its cutting-edge display technology. This television features a self-emissive OLED panel, delivering impeccable contrast and vibrant colors for a captivating viewing experience. With a resolution of up to 4K, the LG C3 ensures sharp, detailed images across a variety of content. Furthermore, its sleek design and minimalist bezels complement any living space. Equipped with advanced processing capabilities, this television offers seamless access to a wide range of streaming services and smart home integration.

Black Friday 2023 is scheduled to occur on November 24, marking one of the most anticipated shopping events of the year. This annual event, known for its significant discounts and promotions, serves as an opportunity for consumers to find substantial savings on a wide range of products, from electronics to fashion and beyond. Retailers across the nation prepare for this shopping extravaganza, offering limited-time offers to entice eager shoppers. With the holiday season just around the corner, Black Friday presents an ideal occasion for individuals to kickstart their gift shopping or take advantage of exceptional bargains.

About The Consumer Post: The Consumer Post shares news for online shoppers. As an affiliate The Consumer Post earns from qualifying purchases.

Contact: Andy Mathews (andy@nicelynetwork.com)

Source: The Consumer Post

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A review of the best Apple iPhone 15, 14, 13 deals at the early Black Friday 2023 sale, together with all the top iPhone 15 Pro Max and 15 Pro savings

BOSTON–Early Black Friday iPhone 13, 14, 15 deals for 2023 are underway. Compare the top deals on the Apple iPhone 13 mini, 13 Plus, 14 Plus, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro Max & more. Compare the latest deals in the list below.

Best iPhone Deals:

• Save up to $1,000 on Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 15, 14, 13 & more (ATT.com)
• Save up to 61% on the latest Apple iPhones (carrier & unlocked) (Walmart.com)
• Save up to to $1,000 on Apple iPhones (Verizon.com)
• Save on the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 15 Plus, 14 Pro Max & more (Xfinity.com)

The Consumer Post earns commissions from purchases made using the links provided.

Apple’s iPhone 15 lineup, unveiled in September 2023, showcases a blend of refined design, enhanced performance, and advanced camera capabilities. The lineup comprises four models: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus feature a durable, color-infused back glass and a new contoured edge design. They are powered by the A17 Bionic chip, offering a significant performance boost over previous generations. The camera system has been upgraded with a 48MP main sensor for capturing high-resolution images and improved low-light performance.

The iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max take performance and photography to a higher level. Their aerospace-grade titanium design makes them Apple’s lightest Pro models yet. The A17 Pro chip delivers next-level performance and mobile gaming capabilities. The camera system boasts a new 5x Telephoto lens, exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, ideal for close-ups and wildlife photography.

Black Friday, the annual shopping extravaganza known for its deep discounts and doorbuster deals, falls on November 24 this year, marking the official start of the holiday shopping season. Shoppers can expect to find significant savings on a wide range of products, from electronics and appliances to apparel and home goods. Online retailers are also expected to offer competitive deals, providing convenience and accessibility for those who prefer to shop from the comfort of their homes. Experts predict that Black Friday 2023 will be another record-breaking year for sales, as consumers take advantage of the opportunity to score significant discounts on their holiday shopping lists.

About The Consumer Post: The Consumer Post shares news for online shoppers. As an affiliate The Consumer Post earns from qualifying purchases.

Contact: Andy Mathews (andy@nicelynetwork.com)

Source: The Consumer Post

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The marketplace’s new tools are meant to help small businesses more easily sell and source products online.

With 33 million entities, small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy. And that fact is hardly lost on Alibaba.com, the international wholesale e-commerce part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, launched in 1999 as a B2B marketplace for Asia-based suppliers.

Today, Alibaba.com has more than 40 million active wholesale buyers, 5,900 product categories, and it sells to more than 200 countries with content displayed in 17 languages.

But in recent years, U.S. small businesses have been a prime market of opportunity for Alibaba.com, particularly as small businesses look to continue to bring new products to market but face increasing supply chain and logistics pressures.

According to recent data collected by Alibaba.com, in partnership with Harris Poll,, 83% of small business owners are confident in their ability to create new products. Despite this optimism, 46% of small business owners have challenges with their supply chain and sourcing systems and 38% think the global supply chain outlook will have a negative impact on their business. The data also found that the biggest challenges preventing small businesses from creating new products, building brands, or doing brand upgrades include finding the right supplier for the product; research, development, and design of new products; and financing orders of the product.

In response to these concerns outlined by small business owners Alibaba.com rolled out a suite of new digital tools in Las Vegas at Co-Create, its inaugural U.S.-based conference bringing together buyers and sellers from all over.

The aim of developing the new tool set is straightforward: make it easy, convenient, and transparent for U.S. small business sellers to source products online and then use Alibaba.com to sell across the nation and worldwide.

“We have entered a transformative era of B2B sourcing and business innovation, and two keywords we use to define the new generation of B2B sourcing are efficient and inspirational,” says Alibaba.com North America president Stephen Kuo. “We are making the sourcing journey more intuitive and visualizable by helping enterprises of all sizes better utilize today’s leading ecommerce technologies.”

The new suite of tools, which are available free to sellers on Alibaba.com include:

• Upgraded image, which allows buyers to search for products by image and text simultaneously, with additional image generation capabilities helping to streamline complex sourcing requirements.
• Smart enhancements to request for quotation (RFQ), which uses predictive sentence completion and image generation to help small-business owners connect quickly and efficiently with qualified suppliers.
• Real-time translation in 17 languages for live video chats with suppliers, designed to enhance and streamline the process of visually verifying potential partners’ capabilities and facilities.
• The Alibaba.com logistics marketplace, which offers continual live customer service and enables more detailed tracking of B2B shipments.

These tools will come together in Alibaba.com’s all-encompassing Smart Assistant. Once fully launched, this intuitive personal guide to sourcing will help small-business owners discover new opportunities, stay up to date on trends, and seamlessly track orders through a single and upgraded image search.

For Alibaba.com, the biggest driver of developing innovative digital tools for small-business owners is saving them time and money to help them create their dream product. Unveiling these upgrades at Co-Create – with hundreds of small business owners and suppliers present – provided the perfect opportunity to showcase them and directly connect these groups with each other.

“Co-Create is not just an event; it’s a way of thinking. It is about working together because we can achieve more together than alone,” Kuo says, “At Alibaba.com, we are not just a link in the supply chain — we are dreamers and creators as well. We’re reinventing ourselves to become a link in the ‘creation chain’ for entrepreneurs.”

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The business-to-business (B2B) market has witnessed significant growth and transformation in recent years, driven by technological advancements and changing consumer behaviors. These trends have not only revolutionized industries but have also had a profound impact on the stock market. In this article, we will delve into the power of B2B market trends and their influence on the stock market. By examining key areas such as digitalization, supply chain dynamics, and emerging technologies, we will uncover how these trends are reshaping investment opportunities and driving market performance.

Digitalization and Connectivity
One of the major drivers of B2B market trends is the rapid digitalization of business processes. With the rise of e-commerce platforms, cloud computing, and big data analytics, companies now have unprecedented access to information and resources. This increased connectivity allows businesses to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and enhance customer experiences. From supply chain management to customer relationship management, digitalization has transformed the way B2B transactions occur.

The impact of digitalization on the stock market is twofold. Firstly, it creates new investment opportunities in technology-driven companies that provide solutions for B2B markets. Investors keen on capitalizing on the digital transformation can identify promising ventures and allocate resources accordingly. Secondly, companies that embrace digitalization tend to experience growth, improving their financial performance and attracting investor interest. As a result, stock prices of such companies can experience upward momentum.

Supply Chain Dynamics
B2B market trends have also reshaped supply chain dynamics, with a shift towards leaner, more efficient operations. Technologies like blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI) have revolutionized supply chain management by enhancing transparency, traceability, and automation. Suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors now have real-time visibility into inventory levels, production processes, and logistics, enabling better decision-making and risk mitigation.

This transformation in supply chain dynamics has implications for the stock market. Companies that embrace these trends and optimize their supply chains are more likely to deliver consistent performance and profitability. Investors who identify businesses with robust and efficient supply chains can make informed investment decisions, potentially leading to positive stock outcomes. Furthermore, the increased transparency and traceability offered by innovative supply chain technologies can improve investor confidence and reduce information asymmetry, contributing to market stability.

Emerging Technologies
B2B market trends are closely intertwined with emerging technologies that are shaping industries across the board. From artificial intelligence and machine learning to robotics and virtual reality, these innovations are revolutionizing business practices and disrupting traditional models. Companies that leverage emerging technologies gain a competitive edge, driving market growth and attracting investor attention.

Investing in companies at the forefront of emerging technologies can be highly lucrative. As these technologies mature and become mainstream, businesses that have successfully integrated them into their operations tend to experience significant growth. Investors who recognize these opportunities early can reap the benefits of a flourishing stock market. MultiBank Group Review can help investors in this regard. Additionally, the demand for these technologies in B2B markets creates a ripple effect, driving the growth of complementary industries and sectors.

Conclusion
The power of B2B market trends in shaping the stock market cannot be underestimated. Digitalization, supply chain dynamics, and emerging technologies are transforming industries and creating new investment opportunities. The shift towards leaner, more efficient operations and the adoption of innovative technologies have a direct impact on the financial performance of businesses. As investors navigate the stock market, staying abreast of these B2B market trends becomes essential for identifying promising ventures and capitalizing on the potential for growth. By understanding the interplay between B2B market trends and the stock market, investors can make informed decisions and maximize their returns.

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Shopify App ConvertMate combines AI and Data Analytics to help merchants boost their conversions. Their CEO, Marc Régimbeau, opens up on the hurdles stopping generative AI from wide adoption amongst SMB merchants.

Key takeaways

• Generative AI will make SMB merchants’ lives easier. From product description to images and SEO optimization. It will boost their businesses.
• We are far from wide adoption. Learning curve, access to AI tools, and prompt complexity are all hurdles keeping SMB merchants away from AI.
• Promoting a “hands-off” approach combining Data Analytics, Automation and AI to improve sales and conversions is one tested approach to ease adoption.

ConvertMate offers a fully managed e-commerce AI solution for SMB merchants to increase conversions. The company recently surveyed merchants to understand how they viewed the recent breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence. While a large majority see the value it could bring in increased sales and time savings, many do not know where to start. Some even stated that they were scared to be left behind.

The noise around Generative AI has not made merchant’s research easy. They have many competing priorities and struggle to find the time to start their AI journey. In this article we will outline the hurdles keeping small merchants away from the value of AI and our take on how to bring those hurdles down.

Generative AI will streamline manual tasks for retailers.

“Content is King” said Bill Gates in 1996. As retailers and marketers, we’ve all heard this phrase many times. It suggested online growth would come from content and it did. Large retailers invest heavily in resources to create compelling content that stands out continuously from the crowded e-commerce landscape.

And now at the reach of a prompt, content can be created by Large Language Models. This is revolutionary for smaller retailers that could not afford content teams. ChatGPT and other services work tirelessly to provide blog posts, emails, product descriptions, titles, images and so on. Used correctly, AI will give an incredible edge to merchants. They will be able to streamline their marketing processes.

Image generation

Tools such as Midjourney and DALL-E are making image creation easy. This can help in the creation of images for blog posts or for landing pages.

Text generation

ChatGPT makes text creation for merchants easier than ever. Be it product titles, product descriptions, emails, blog posts, a quality wording is just a prompt away.

ConvertMate ran a survey across SMB retailers. Merchants are running into hurdles keeping them away from AI adoption.

ConvertMate ran a survey across 234 SMB merchants to understand what kept them away from AI adoption.

To the answer “Do you think AI will have an impact on your business?” a majority are optimistic on the value generative AI will bring to their businesses.

*Survey ran on 234 merchants

To the answer “What is stopping you from adopting AI?”, SMB retailers expose the complexities keeping them away from AI adoption.

*Survey ran on 234 merchants

ConvertMate CEO sees an opportunity to package AI to cater to the needs of SMB retailers.

How ConvertMate advocates for “Hands-off” AI to increase SMB adoption.

The perceived value of AI for merchants is overall positive. Yet merchants explain that they struggle to use it. Some use cases have already proven valuable around text creation mostly (product descriptions and SEO tags).

A non-tech-knowledgeable entrepreneur will find it hard to understand which tool to use and then to prompt those tools correctly. If the prompt isn’t well written, the output might not be relevant enough to use for an e-commerce website. That means, merchants need to spend time learning new tools without being sure of the quality of the result.

“At ConvertMate, we think providing Managed AI Services is the key to adoption. Pre-packaged AI specific to one line of business is the way to go.” Says CEO Marc Régimbeau. “Combining AI with automation gets rid of the manual prompting. In our case we use Advanced Analytics to track conversion rates, when they go down, our tool automatically prompts Generative AI APIs to adapt product pages. It’s a hands-off approach in which merchants do not have to manually intervene.”

“AI with automation and Analytics is how businesses will streamline their operations.” He states.

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So pervasive are deepfakes in our world now that cybersecurity and virtual private network provider ExpressVPN found that they could impact how we remember and recall historical events and influence our perception of reality.

While deepfakes are often discussed in the context of fake news, identity theft, or malicious intent, their potential use in retail and marketing is a relatively unexplored territory.

Below, we look at some of the many ways deepfakes, AI, and machine learning algorithms can positively impact retail and marketing industries.

Enhanced personalization for consumers
One of the most impactful uses of deepfake technology in retail and marketing could be to enhance personalization. Brands could use deepfakes to generate personalized video content featuring the customer themselves. For instance, customers could see themselves trying on clothes virtually. This can give customers a more personalized experience and allow them to visualize how they would look in different outfits or how they could use a product in their everyday life.

Deepfakes or AI could also be a great way for consumers to share what they might want from a brand. Before the release of Tiffany & Co.’s Air Force One sneaker with Nike, many content creators were creating prototypes of what they thought the collaborative sneaker would look like using AI. When the sneakers were officially launched, multiple sneaker fans were actually fans of the prototypes created by others than the actual version. This could be a learning experience for both brands to see and understand what consumers might want and possibly even discover new talent.

Interactive in-store experiences
Brands are constantly looking for ways to engage their customers interactively. With deepfakes, they could create more immersive experiences by allowing consumers to interact with celebrity endorsers or animated characters virtually. Imagine a fan receiving a personalized video message from their favorite celebrity endorsing a product or kids interacting with animated characters from their favorite TV show while in the store. This could significantly elevate brand interactions, turning conventional marketing into more engaging, conversational, and immersive experiences.

Product demonstrations
Deepfakes could also play a significant role in creating hyper-realistic product demonstrations. This could be particularly useful for sectors like cosmetics or fashion, where brands could showcase a particular product’s appearance on different skin tones, body types, or facial features. This could be a game-changer in online shopping, where customers often need help to gauge how a product will suit them.

Customizable advertisements
Deepfakes could potentially enable the creation of customizable advertisements. Instead of creating separate ads for different demographics, brands could generate a base video and alter it using deepfake technology to target specific audiences. For instance, the brand ambassador’s clothing, language, or product could be customized to appeal to different demographics.

Some ethical considerations to think about
While the potential applications of deepfakes in retail and marketing are exciting, it’s also important to acknowledge the ethical implications. Privacy concerns are paramount, as creating personalized deepfake videos requires access to personal images and data. The technology also carries the risk of manipulation, with the potential to develop misleading representations of products or endorsements.

In response to these concerns, industry guidelines and regulations for deepfake usage in marketing and retail may need to be established. Transparency is critical, and consumers should be aware if deepfake technology is being used, particularly in the case of product demonstrations or endorsements.

The post [Sponsored Content] Exploring the potential role of deepfakes in retail and marketing appeared first on Digital Commerce 360.

Data issues can plague even the best-laid shopper acquisition and retention efforts of retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies alike. Consequently, data deprecation is top-of-mind for leading B2C CMOs: In 2022, 80% told Forrester that their “perception of marketing personalization was changing in light of increased consumer privacy protections and efforts,” up from 45% in Q1 of the same year. As consumer privacy legislation mounts and data ethics and trust take precedence in the minds of consumers and marketers alike, beefing up your brand’s repository of consented first-party data is of the utmost importance.

To help marketers get their privacy compliant, zero- and first-party data collection efforts off the ground, we’ve compiled five tried-and-true tactics. By employing these tactics, online retail and CPG sellers can effectively utilize their first-party data to cultivate trusted relationships with consumers, engage shoppers where they are, and ensure their brand stays relevant throughout circuitous, omnichannel buying journeys.

Tactic #1: Offer something of value to first-time web visitors
Capturing the attention of a first-time website visitor is the first step towards further engagement. Stand out by offering them a bonus for providing a bit of information. Free shipping or a 10% discount in exchange for a valid email address are valuable, time-tested options, but thinking more strategically can make a lasting impression. Do you already offer a free trial product or ship shiny physical catalogs to some people’s doorsteps that you can offer to a wider audience? Could you launch a new initiative where you provide access to a virtual styling assistant, exclusive access to limited edition or pre-release products, or the opportunity to play interactive games that offer a discount upon completion? Whatever you choose, don’t forget to A/B test the impact of each offer on your target KPIs.

Tactic #2: Solicit survey responses from customers
Surveys offer individuals a valuable outlet to express their opinions, and they’re most effective when there is a clear value exchange to encourage them to engage. Whether it’s in the form of a reward (e.g., a coupon) or an improved shopping experience (e.g., geographically informed search results), online visitors should understand “what’s in it for them” at the outset of any information collection prompt. Surveys are a classic win-win first-party data collection tactic for a reason: When done right, they benefit your brand while making the consumer feel heard and valued at the same time.

Tactic #3: Turn Q&As into look-alike models
As survey creators well know, a little data can go a long way when combined with the right strategy and technology. Even getting a small, highly engaged group of visitors to respond to simple questions can enable your brand to extrapolate trends and customize marketing efforts to appeal to people with similar demographics or behavior patterns. For example, a brand specializing in outdoor and sporting equipment can ask,” What are you shopping for today — clothing, shoes, or equipment?” By gradually asking questions over time — such as during checkout or on a web form through a technique called progressive profiling — you can build a comprehensive customer profile, one piece of data at a time. Eventually, you’ll have enough unified first-party data to generate look-alike audiences that inform personalization efforts for future site visits or for similar visitors acquired from common referral channels. As a best practice, just be sure you’ve obtained the necessary permissions to use individuals’ data for this specific purpose.

Tactic #4: Use site behavior to uncover interests
By collecting and analyzing behavioral data on your site, you can garner meaningful insights about visitors’ interests that fuel knock-on marketing activities. For instance, visitors browsing the men’s outdoor clothing category page are likely men interested in outdoor activities or potentially someone shopping for a gift for a man with those interests. Armed with this knowledge, you can personalize the header image in your next email blast or tailor the homepage when they – and other visitors with similar tendencies – revisit the site.

Tactic #5: Mine legacy and non-digital data sources
Don’t let your valuable data be stranded in forgotten folders on a shared drive or trapped in legacy systems. So much of the world still runs on .csv files floating around in email, but with the right procedures and connective technology in place to aggregate, normalize, and analyze that data, you can glean valuable insights into your past and future business performance. Just remember to consider factors like data age, consent, and quality before acting.

A bigger future with actionable first-party data
Building a solid first-party data asset isn’t a walk in the park, but fear not: Knowing your customers and getting clever about how you collect and act on privacy compliant data will allow you to make smarter, more personalized marketing decisions while demonstrating your commitment to doing what is right for customers.

Technology is also here to help. Learn how BlueConic customers like VF Corp, Heineken, Michelin, and Moen use our customer data platform to liberate their first-party data, transform customer relationships and unleash growth. Download our guide to Customer Data Platform Use Cases for Retail to read more success stories.

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