Contact

About

Shopify Plus Agency

<p>Ready to elevate your ecommerce brand?</p><p>Get in touch with us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@underwaterpistol.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong>info@underwaterpistol.com</strong></a></p><p>or call&nbsp;<a href="tel:+442034677614" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><strong>+44 203 467 7614</strong></a>.</p><h4><br></h4>

Shopify Plus

Work

Blog

Design

Development

Shopify Plus migration

Subscription

AI consultancy

Branding

Loyalty

Tech stack consultancy

Charlie Semmence

<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the ecommerce landscape. While brands have traditionally had to rely on manual processes and human intuition to carry out everyday tasks, AI opens up exciting opportunities to automate, optimise and reinvigorate. But where do you start with AI in ecommerce?</p>
<p>In this blog post, we’ll discuss 7 potentially transformative ways AI can be used to drive the growth of ecommerce brands. Pens and papers out - you’ll want to take notes on this one.</p>
<h2><strong>How AI is changing ecommerce</strong></h2>
<p>AI is nothing new, but the rapid advancement of the technology in the past year or so is opening up a whole range of exciting opportunities for businesses to become more competitive, efficient and profitable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1472/1782/files/Quote-Julian-Parge-short_7797a2cd-dda1-4410-a2e5-9c198ea0e160_1024x1024.jpg?v=1692090047"></p>
<p>Many believe generative AI in particular has the potential to be the most game-changing. As AI Consultant <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianparge/" target="_blank">Julian Parge</a> explains, generative AI “gives companies the ability to offer their customers a more personalised and relevant experience without the need for additional human resources.”<br data-mce-fragment="1"><a href="https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GVAGA3JP" data-mce-href="https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GVAGA3JP" target="_blank"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GVAGA3JP" data-mce-href="https://www.ibm.com/downloads/cas/GVAGA3JP" target="_blank">35% of companies</a> are already using AI, and 42% are exploring AI for its implementation in the future. In the ecommerce industry, its capabilities are particularly exciting.</p>
<p>With AI, ecommerce brands can automate tasks, analyse data, increase efficiency and generally expand the capability of their team. As Will Lynch, founder of AI-driven news platform <a href="https://www.ecommer.news/" target="_blank">Ecommer News</a> says, "AI is reshaping the ecommerce landscape by levelling the playing field, empowering smaller brands to compete with giants without massive investment. Much like Shopify democratised online retailing, AI offers a budget-friendly solution, negating the need for large teams and extensive infrastructure.”</p>
<p>We’re witnessing the emergence of a new era of ecommerce, where brands can provide a more personalised and efficient shopping experience for their customers, driving revenue and growth in a crowded market.</p>
<h2><strong>7 transformative ways to drive growth with AI</strong></h2>
<p>Leveraging the power of AI in ecommerce has become critical for brands looking to fuel their growth and gain a competitive edge. Here are 7 ways to do it effectively.</p>
<h3>1. Content production</h3>
<p>Content creation plays a key role in every ecommerce brand’s strategy. Whether it’s product descriptions, blogs or social media posts, high-quality content helps brands attract, inform and convert their target audience. AI can help make the process more efficient - and effective.</p>
<p><img alt="" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1472/1782/files/Quote-Will-Lynch-short_298f7107-396e-43ae-956d-848e48ac5d35_1024x1024.jpg?v=1692090101"></p>
<p>AI content creation tools like <a href="https://chat.openai.com/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://chat.openai.com/">ChatGPT</a> or Google’s <a href="https://bard.google.com/" target="_blank" data-mce-href="https://bard.google.com/">Bard </a>can automate some of the most time-consuming tasks involved in content creation, such as idea generation, writing and editing. While this process is sometimes criticised for quashing creativity, it frees up time and resources for businesses to invest in the bits that make their content really meaningful, like research and interviews with industry experts.</p>
<p>“AI-generated content is not replacing human creativity but augmenting it,” explains Will Lynch. “It is a powerful tool that allows brands to better convey their values, share behind-the-scenes insights, and deliver product updates in a more succinct, timely manner.”</p>
<h3>2. Chatbots</h3>
<p>Customer service is key to driving sales, and in today’s uber-competitive ecommerce environment, brands need to get it right to outshine the competition.</p>
<p>AI-powered chatbots can effectively handle large volumes of queries from online customers, instantly. They will automatically deal with simple, repetitive questions like “Where is my order?” or “What’s your returns policy?”, freeing up human agents to focus on more complex issues.</p>
<p>This means customers can get the information they’re looking for faster, increasing the likelihood that they convert, view the company positively, and buy from them again. AI-powered chatbots facilitate cost-cutting while maintaining high-quality customer support. </p>
<h3>3. Personalisation</h3>
<p>Utilising customer data to deliver more personalised shopping experiences can help ecommerce brands drive sales by establishing connections with their customers and encouraging them to come back to their store again. <br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">AI can automate and amplify this process, recommending products, personalising product listings and personalising emails based on customers’ previous purchases, browsing behaviour and personal preferences.</p>
<h3>4. Data-led decision making</h3>
<p>AI can provide valuable insights into customer behaviour, market trends and the competitive landscape to help ecommerce brands make better informed, data-driven decisions. This is an AI-led innovation that Liam Quinn, Technical Director at ecommerce consultancy <a href="https://vervaunt.com/" target="_blank">Vervaunt</a> thinks can be the most game-changing.</p>
<p><img alt="AI in ecommerce" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1472/1782/files/Quote-Liam-Quinn-short_e755b194-96fb-4268-8f85-63c2b3d8c07e_1024x1024.jpg?v=1692090197"></p>
<p>“The area of AI that interests me most right now is using it to analyse data in a way we couldn’t easily do before. For example, training an AI model on large numbers of Hotjar heatmaps, or <a href="https://vervaunt.com/introducing-surveys-vervaunt-labs" target="_blank">Census</a> post-purchase reviews, and then getting insights based on your trends and nuances at scale. This can be a really effective way to fully understand and then enhance your user experience.”<br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">On top of this, AI tools can automate some decision-making processes, such as by automatically setting product prices and allocating inventory. This is another way ecommerce businesses can save money and time. </p>
<h3>5. SEO</h3>
<p>Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the world of SEO, and a wide range of AI-powered tools have been developed to enable ecommerce businesses to improve their search engine rankings.</p>
<p>AI can automate many of the more laborious tasks involved in the SEO process, including keyword research, content optimisation and link building. This allows brands to focus more time and resources on other aspects of their SEO strategy (ones that demand a human touch). <br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">SEO is another area that can be enhanced by AI-powered data analysis. The insights AI provides into search engine trends and behaviour can help brands improve the accuracy of their SEO efforts, enhancing targeting and improving their chances of ranking highly in search results.</p>
<h3>6. Product discovery</h3>
<p>Product discovery is big business, because helping your customers find exactly what they’re looking for can have a significant impact on conversion rates and revenue. AI can help enhance this process by offering personalised recommendations, visual search and natural language search to get a better understanding of the products users are searching for. <br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">By continuously learning about user behaviour to serve online shoppers with the right products, AI can enhance the product discovery experience, leading to improved customer satisfaction, increased conversion rates and higher sales and revenue.</p>
<h3>7. Predictive inventory management</h3>
<p>It may not be sexy, but inventory management is another area that AI can revolutionise, by increasing efficiencies and reducing costs. </p>
<p>AI can be used to predict demand, optimise inventory levels, and automate tasks such as ordering and shipping. This can help merchants avoid stock shortages or overstocking, which can save money, improve customer satisfaction and drive sales.</p>
<p>Once again, automating these routine tasks can free up valuable time that can be redirected towards more strategic tasks, while also helping ecommerce businesses save money by reducing the need for manual labour.</p>
<h2><strong>Is AI a good fit for your ecommerce business?</strong></h2>
<p>The short answer is: almost certainly. AI has already proven to be a transformative force across a variety of industries, and ecommerce is no exception. With its ability to analyse vast amounts of data, personalise customer experiences, optimise operations and uncover valuable insights, AI offers immense potential for driving growth and staying competitive in the digital space.</p>
<p>However, before diving into AI implementation, brands need to thoroughly assess their readiness, available resources, and specific objectives to ensure they make informed decisions about their AI initiatives. </p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><img style="float: none;" alt="When to invest in AI: Sophie Seaton" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1472/1782/files/Quote-Sophie-Seaton-long_dae29594-d8b8-4bce-bcb9-be82773811e2_1024x1024.jpg?v=1692090245"></div>
<p><br data-mce-fragment="1">As Sophie Seaton, Commercial Director at <a href="https://www.underwaterpistol.com/" target="_blank">Underwaterpistol</a> advises, “brands must view AI as a long-term investment, not something that can be adopted overnight. To ensure AI tools are benefiting your business and aligning with your existing strategy, you need to define exactly what you want them to deliver, and measure their impact.” <br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">“Fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation will empower brands to fully leverage the potential of AI, driving meaningful growth and sustainable success.”</p>
<h2><strong>Where to start with AI in ecommerce</strong></h2>
<p>AI in ecommerce is potentially revolutionary, but knowing where to start with its implementation can be overwhelming. To embark on a successful AI journey, conduct a thorough assessment of your current challenges, objectives and processes to identify areas that can benefit most from AI intervention.<br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">Liam Quinn from Vervaunt advises brands to “initially focus on areas that save your team time and effort, like support tickets, repetitive data management, merchandising, reporting and trends. Introducing efficiency and the ability to do repetitive tasks at scale will free up time for more strategic thinking and actionables.”<br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">For AI Consultant Julian Parge, generative AI and natural language processing (NLP) are the areas brands should focus on right now. “Using automation and machine learning in combination with GPTs would allow ecommerce companies to adopt a faster and more efficient approach to both sales and support, which is ultimately more meaningful to the customer.”<br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">Embracing AI as a strategic investment rather than a one-size-fits-all solution will allow you to unlock its true potential and drive sustainable growth in the dynamic ecommerce landscape.</p>
<h2><strong>Harnessing the power of AI to drive the growth of your business</strong></h2>
<p>Whether it’s <a href="https://www.underwaterpistol.com/blogs/ecommerce/ai-copywriting-tools" target="_blank">AI copywriting tools</a> or AI-powered automation, there are countless ways artificial intelligence can help businesses increase efficiency, drive innovation and gain competitive advantage.<br data-mce-fragment="1"><br data-mce-fragment="1">Wondering where to start? We’re experts in harnessing the power of AI to work towards our clients’ goals, and we’ll help you do the same. <a href="https://www.underwaterpistol.com/contact" target="_blank"><strong>Talk to us</strong></a> about our AI consultancy services.</p>

AI in ecommerce: 7 transformative ways to drive growth with AI