Holiday season retail outlook

Donoreo

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/07/canadian-holiday-2025-retail-outlook-deals-ai-and-value-driven-shoppers/

"Artificial intelligence is becoming a game-changer for retail, influencing both e-commerce and in-store experiences. Salesforce predicts that AI-powered tools, including popular large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Perplexity, will impact $260 billion in global digital sales and $1.6 trillion in global in-store sales in 2025.

Consumers are using AI in innovative ways, sometimes even while standing in a store aisle. “We’re seeing shoppers upload shelf photos into ChatGPT and ask questions,” Schwartz said. “Younger shoppers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are leading this trend.”"

Has anyone ever done this? I have used apps to do this, but not AI ones.

urbanriot

Donoreo Has anyone ever done this? I have used apps to do this, but not AI ones.

No and I can’t really perceive of a way to do it. I’d love to hear examples as I’ve been trying to find ways to better leverage AI into my life. So far I’ve been using it to do things like help me resolve bugs in scripts or answer general questions on technical things but I don’t know what on earth I’d ask ChatGPT when I’m shopping in a store.

The only thing we ever use our phones for when shopping is to review our shopping list we created out loud in our home with Alexa or price check with Flipp.

I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a younger shopper do this either.

What I have seen is a lot of young and ‘hip’ people claiming that ‘everyone’ younger is using AI for this, that, and the other thing but when I press them for details I get something like “i had CoPilot schedule a meeting with me and two other people while I was driving” and I can’t say that I’m terribly impressed.

ugly95

I don’t know about uploading photos, but I suppose you could ask a LLM if the item is a good deal. I actually haven’t tried an AI search for deals.

And I imagine it could be useful for quickly summarizing reviews on a product.

“Hey, ChatGPT will these pants make my ass look big?”

“Most customers say these pants fit as advertised. But with your ass, yes, yes they will”

Donoreo

I just used Google Gemini to answer “What do users say this flavour tastes like?” for a uploaded photo of Gatorade Zero grape. It returned a lot, but the important “commonly described as bold, smooth, and refreshing grape taste that manages to avoid the artificial or overly sweet notes often associated with sugar-free beverages.”
I suppose they could be super lazy and ask about things that are on the label.

Note, Gemini was wrong: my Gatorade is actually Biosteel, I re-used the bottle 😉

bjlockie

urbanriot What I have seen is a lot of young and ‘hip’ people claiming that ‘everyone’ younger is using AI

Makes me wonder if it is wishful thinking by AI companies to say this.

Donoreo

bjlockie I use it all the time. New jobs that are being created: AI Prompt Engineer. It is all about the proper prompt and they can be VERY elaborate.