AI Series 1 was Exploring the Power of AI
AI Series 2: AI for Everyone: Unlocking the Potential of Everyday AI Tools
Post 1 was: Getting Comfortable with AI: Easy-to-Use Tools for Daily Tasks
Post 2 was: AI in Your Pocket: Leveraging AI on Your Smartphone
Post 3 was: Boosting Creativity with AI: From Social Media to DIY Projects

Post 4: Smart Shopping with AI: Finding Deals and Making Better Decisions

Introduction

Hello, Deal Detectives! 🕵️‍♂️ Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of shopping options? From scoring the best discounts to comparing products, navigating the retail jungle can be overwhelming. But fear not! With AI by your side, smart shopping isn’t just a dream—it’s your new reality. Let’s dive into how AI can help you save money, time, and make better shopping decisions.

Discussion

AI isn’t just for robots and sci-fi movies anymore; it’s becoming your personal shopping assistant, ready to find the best deals at the click of a button. Here’s how it’s transforming the way we shop:

1. Personalized Recommendations: Ever wondered how your favorite shopping app always knows what you need? AI algorithms analyze your past purchases and browsing habits to suggest products tailored just for you. Whether it’s a pair of sneakers or a new gadget, AI ensures you’re never short of options that fit your taste.
2. Price Tracking and Alerts: Why settle for paying full price when you don’t have to? Tools like Honey and CamelCamelCamel (yes, it’s as fun as it sounds!) monitor price changes and alert you when your desired items hit rock-bottom prices. AI analyzes pricing trends and forecasts to tell you the best time to buy, so you’re always getting the best deal.
3. Virtual Try-Ons: Say goodbye to buyer’s remorse! AI-powered apps like Amazon’s AR View or Sephora’s Virtual Artist let you try before you buy. Whether it’s seeing how that couch looks in your living room or testing a new lipstick shade, AI helps you make confident purchasing decisions without leaving your home.
4. Comparative Shopping: No more switching tabs a million times to compare prices. AI-driven platforms like Google Shopping or ShopSavvy bring all the options to one screen, allowing you to easily compare prices, features, and reviews across various retailers. It’s like having a personal shopping assistant who does all the legwork for you!
5. Dynamics 365 Commerce: No discussion of this topic would be complete without mentioning how Copilot and intelligent shopping are pervasive throughout our Commerce software. It offers Personalization at Scale, Inventory Optimization, Fraud Detection and Security, and Customer Insights and Analytics. Read my LinkedIn post for the latest releases.

Challenge

Ready to put AI to the test in your shopping routine? Here are a couple of challenges to get you started:

1. Find the Best Deal with Honey: Install the Honey browser extension (free) and add a few items to your cart from your favorite online store. Watch as Honey applies discount codes at checkout, saving you money with zero effort.
2. Track Prices with CamelCamelCamel: Looking to buy something from Amazon? Enter the product URL into CamelCamelCamel (free) and set up a price alert. Sit back and relax while AI keeps an eye on the price for you, sending you an alert when it’s time to snag that deal.
3. Price Trend Analysis with Google Sheets and Price API: Many people I know and love are very comfortable with spreadsheets. Use a free tier or trial of Price API to fetch historical price data for a product you’re interested in and input it into Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. You can then determine if it’s a good time to buy, or if you should wait.
4. Sentiment analysis: Use AI to filter through product reviews for you. Use a free tool like Octoparse or ParseHub to scrape Amazon product reviews, and copy the reviews into MonkeyLearn’s Sentiment Analyzer to evaluate the reviews for you.

Summary

In a world overflowing with options, AI is your savvy shopping sidekick, helping you navigate the maze of choices and prices. By using personalized recommendations, price tracking, virtual try-ons, and comparative shopping, AI makes your shopping experience not only smarter but also more enjoyable. So, why not give these tools a try and become the smartest shopper in town?

Go-Do:

Take a minute to explore one AI-powered shopping tool today—whether it’s downloading Honey or trying a virtual try-on app—and see how it changes your shopping game. Happy smart shopping!

Further resources – shopping

• ShopSavvy
  A comparison tool that scans products and finds the best deals across major retailers. ShopSavvy also provides real-time price alerts for your favorite items.
• PriceGrabber
  One of the original price comparison sites, PriceGrabber helps users compare product prices across a wide range of online retailers. It also features product reviews and seller ratings for better decision-making.
• Slickdeals
  A community-driven platform where users share deals, coupon codes, and tips for finding the best prices. It’s great for discovering user-vetted bargains on everything from tech gadgets to groceries.
• AI-Powered Shopping Chatbots
  Tools like “Mezi” (acquired by American Express) or “Sofy.ai” can help you with personalized product recommendations, real-time price comparisons, and even travel deals by using natural language processing to chat with you as a personal shopping assistant.
• Paribus (Capital One Shopping)
  A price adjustment tool that monitors your purchases and checks if any price drops occur after you’ve bought something, allowing you to claim refunds or credits.
• Lyst
  A fashion-specific platform that helps users track price changes and discover sales on their favorite brands and trends. It’s powered by AI to curate clothing and accessory recommendations based on user preferences.
• Honey Droplist
  Beyond the typical coupon codes, Honey offers Droplist, a feature that allows users to track items from multiple stores and alerts you when there’s a price drop.
• RetailMeNot
  A deal and coupon aggregator that offers cash-back rewards and coupon codes for both online and in-store purchases. AI helps streamline the process by personalizing the deals and codes to your preferences.
• Smart Shopping Apps for Groceries
  For more everyday use, apps like Flipp and Basket use AI to compare grocery prices at local stores, show weekly ads, and suggest discounts based on your shopping list. These are great for budgeting and saving on your grocery bill.
  Flipp
  Basket

Further resources – learning

• Copilot for Dynamics 365 Commerce revolutionizes retail with AI Discover how Copilot for Dynamics 365 Commerce can help you deliver personalized customer experiences, optimize product management, and streamline retail operations for store associates, managers, and back-office staff with AI.
• AI and Shopping Analytics (For Deeper Dive)
  Articles and reports on how AI is transforming retail shopping from the backend, including supply chain optimization, personalized marketing, and predictive analytics. For tech-savvy readers or professionals in retail tech:
  AI Trends in Retail
• IBM: AI in Retail and E-commerce Solutions
  A comprehensive guide from IBM showcasing various AI solutions tailored for the retail industry, including chatbots, virtual assistants, and personalized customer experiences. Learn how AI technologies like Watson are being implemented to enhance online shopping.
• Google Cloud: AI for E-commerce
  Learn how Google’s AI-powered tools are helping online retailers with personalized recommendations, visual search, and voice commerce. Google Cloud’s e-commerce solutions provide a glimpse into the future of smart shopping.
• Salesforce: AI in Commerce Cloud
  Salesforce’s guide on using AI to build personalized customer experiences through its Commerce Cloud platform. This resource covers chatbots, AI-driven product recommendations, and predictive analytics for retailers.
  AI in Commerce Cloud
• Accenture: Retail reinvented: Unleashing the power of generative AI
  This article talks about the transformative shift in retail with the integration of generative AI.
• Generative AI in E-commerce: An Online Course (Udemy) (paid)
  This Udemy course focuses on how to use Generative AI to optimize your workflow as a Digital Marketer or an E-commerce professional.
•  Shopify: AI-Powered Tools for E-commerce
  A resourceful blog post from Shopify that discusses AI tools designed to help online retailers optimize their store operations, customer engagement, and marketing strategies.

Disclosure

AI was used to create a draft of this post. I added my own personal touches and take responsibility for all of it.