Six Ways Technology Will Make Your Shopping Dreams Come True

I don’t know about you but I’m all about convenience when it comes to shopping. I want to look good but sifting through a rack of shirts or waiting in line to try pants or a suit jacket in a fitting room is not on the top of my list of things to do. Don’t even get me started about grocery stores. If you’re like me and get anxiety thinking about the cluster malls can be, guess what – technology can and will enhance the shopping experience. It’ll make shopping easier, more enjoyable and minimize the “work” required. Shopping won’t be exclusively online, but it will be better in any environment thanks to smart technology like artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Here are six ways technology can change the way you shop:

1. You’ll have the ability to “try things on” without having to travel to the store. With augmented reality you can try on a linen suit for your sister’s wedding in Hawaii without physically going in-store. Select clothing or accessories from a retailer’s online catalogue and use your mobile device’s touch screen to position those items on yourself. You can even send your sister a photo to see if she approves!

2. Rather than solely seeing models wearing what you’re thinking of buying, retailers will feature user-generated content like Instagram posts to show you what/how other shoppers (aka real people that don’t all have washboard abs!) are wearing and styling what you’re thinking of buying, on their websites as you’re browsing.

3. Gone are the days of researching where you can purchase clothes you see on TV, in a magazine, or even an envy-worthy bag you spot on your morning commute. Snap a photo and upload it to an app to instantly see the product information, what retailers carry it and where to purchase the item.

4. Retailers will accurately predict your next obsession. They’ll leverage your “likes”, searches and purchases to suggest outfits based on the current season and trends. Think recommendations the way retailers and shopping helper sites like ShopStyle do, but on steroids!

5. Even better, you won’t have to fret over holiday gifts for your family and friends; shopping assistants powered by artificial intelligence will pick out just the right gift for your mom and best friend. And it won’t feel like you’re talking to a robot. The AI-powered shopping assistants will understand and use natural language to ask questions and suggest items.

6. You won’t have to worry about your favorite jeans being out of stock. Retailers will use AI to better predict inventory.

By Ben Tepfer, Product Marketing Manager, Adobe Campaign