# Retail Chatbots AI chatbots in the retail space enhance customer service. By [Mishal Omar](https://www.trendhunter.com/MishalO) | Published Apr 28, 2020 | Category: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/business-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/retail-chatbots ## Key Figures - Trend score: 3.8/10 - Evidence articles: 7 ## What is the Retail Chatbots trend? **Retail Chatbots:** Innovative technology in retail is increasingly popular as brands in this space compete with ecommerce, and chatbots are one piece of smart technology that these brands are integrating. These tools help personalize the customer experience, and help shoppers make purchase decisions faster. ## The consumer insight behind the Retail Chatbots trend For many consumers, the convenience of ecommerce has in many ways overshadowed the act of going into stores to purchase items. Now, managing purchase decisions over household needs and personal items is much easier because it can easily be done from the home. For brands that are looking to engage customers who have grown accustomed to this level of convenience, they'll have to replicate in-store some of the qualities that have made ecommerce so popular. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 7 featured examples - Articles from: Dec 11, 2018 to Oct 27, 2021 - Published: Apr 28, 2020 - Patterns: [Reduction](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/reduction) - Megatrends: [Simplicity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/simplicity), [Experience](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/experience), [Personalization](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/personalization) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Themes within the Retail Chatbots trend ### Retail Chatbots Innovative technology in retail is increasingly popular as brands in this space compete with e-commerce, and chatbots are one piece of smart technology that these brands are integrating. ### Augmented Reality Shopping The technology to offer virtual try-ons for products is the new wave in customer interaction, this represents an entry point to a completely digitized retail experience. ### Customer Service Chatbots With phone lines backed up due to the pandemic, companies are turning to chatbots to handle customer inquiries. This technology offers a great opportunity to streamline the customer experience and dedicate more resources to high-level support. ## What the Retail Chatbots trend means for industry ### For Retail Industry Chatbots and augmented reality technology offer new ways to interact with customers, optimize inventory management and increase sales. ### For Financial Services Industry Virtual assistants and automation technology provide a way to make banking processes more efficient and enhance the customer experience. ### For Hospitality Industry Chatbots are proving to be effective for customer check-ins and reservations, room service and other types of in-hotel interactions. ## Workshop question How is your brand creating convenient purchase journeys for its customers? ## Trend signals for Retail Chatbots Trend score 3.8 out of 10, from popularity 61%, activity 43%, freshness 10%. - Popularity: 61% - Activity: 43% - Freshness: 10% ## Examples of the Retail Chatbots trend 7 featured examples from Dec 11, 2018 to Oct 27, 2021. - [Phone-Shaped Product Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ar-sunglasses): Salesforce's Display Helps Consumers Try on AR Sunglasses (Category: Business) Implication: The retail industry can leverage augmented reality try-on experiences to enhance customer engagement and drive online sales. - [Anti-Holding Customer Service Chatbots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/concierge-chatbot): David's Bridal Launched a Concierge Chatbot Named Zoey (Category: Tech) Implication: Integrating chatbots into the retail industry can revolutionize customer service and streamline the purchasing process. - [Facebook Messenger Food Ordering](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chipotle-mexican-grill1): Chipotle Mexican Grill Launches an Ordering System on Messenger (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: The implementation of chatbot ordering systems in the restaurant industry presents disruptive innovation opportunities to streamline ordering processes and enhance customer conven… - [Employee Voice Assistants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/walmarts-ask-sam): Walmart's Ask Sam Lets Employees Look Up Prices, Find Products & More (Category: Business) Implication: Implementing employee assistance voice technology in the retail industry can improve customer service and streamline operations. - [Finance-Focused Virtual Assistants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-virtual-assistant): Wells Fargo's New Virtual Assistant Carries Out Banking Tasks (Category: Business) Implication: The finance industry is actively exploring and adopting new technologies to enhance customer experience, such as AI-powered virtual assistants like ‘Fargo’. - [Holographic Mall Concierges](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mall-concierge): Mall of America's High-Tech Concierge Offers Personalized Assistance (Category: Business) Implication: Retailers can enhance in-store customer experience by introducing mixed-reality concierge services that incorporate chatbot-avatars to provide personalized assistance. - [Virtual Assisting Bank Chatbots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/erica-chatbot): Bank of America's Erica Chatbot Assists Users Through the Pandemic (Category: Business) Implication: Banking institutions can benefit from exploring and implementing new digital customer service technologies, such as chatbots. ## Recent trend clusters - [Assisted Conversion](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/ai-assisted-checkout) (Business) - [Occasion Commerce](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/occasion-commerce) (Business) - [Autonomous Merchandising](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/autonomous-merchandising) (Business) - [Assisted Choices](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/weight-loss-medication-support) (Lifestyle) ## Trending in Business - [Performance-Based Creator Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creator-ad-platforms) - [MIami Pop-Culture Shirts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miami-pop-culture-shirts) - [Natural Deodorant Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-beauty-studios) - [Mini Beauty Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-luxuries-store) All articles: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business)