E-commerce powerhouse Amazon is once again blazing a trail in the world of technology, this time utilizing the power of generative AI to revolutionize the online shopping experience for customers looking to purchase apparel.
“Amazon is now using large language models, generative AI, and machine learning to power four AI-powered features that will help customers find clothing that fits.”
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to buying clothes online is finding the perfect size, with many customers having to deal with the hassle of returning ill-fitting items. According to a study by Coresight Research, the average return rate for clothing ordered online is 24.4%, significantly higher than the overall online return rate. This has become a growing issue for retailers and brands, with many reporting an increase in online returns over the past few years. This is due in part to consumers’ tendency to purchase multiple sizes and colors of an item and returning those that don’t make the cut, as the process of home try-ons and returning items has become increasingly convenient.
In light of this challenge, Amazon has implemented AI technologies in four key ways to improve the online shopping experience for customers. These include personalized size recommendations, a “Fit Insights” tool for sellers, AI-generated highlights from fit reviews left by other customers, and revamped size charts.
Personalized Size Recommendations
Through the use of AI, Amazon Fashion has developed a deep learning algorithm that takes into account the size relationship between different brand’s size systems, product reviews, and customer preferences to help customers find their perfect size across a variety of styles. This revolutionary system dynamically adjusts recommendations as the customer’s size needs change over time.
However, this system may encounter some challenges in situations where another family member, such as a child, regularly makes purchases on the customer’s account. In these cases, the system may become confused as to the customer’s actual size in relation to the sizes of items purchased for the child.
Fit Review Highlights
To combat this issue, Amazon has introduced a new feature called “Fit Review Highlights,” which extracts important information about an item’s fit from customer reviews, including size accuracy, garment fit on specific body areas, and fabric stretch. This information is then summarized by AI into an easy-to-read highlight personalized for the user, saving them the time and effort of sifting through a multitude of reviews to determine if an item will fit them correctly.
“The large language models used by Amazon extract details from customer reviews and provide an efficient summary of the item’s fit, allowing for a quicker and more streamlined shopping experience for customers.”
Improved Size Charts
In addition to personalized size recommendations and Fit Review Highlights, Amazon is also using AI to improve the accuracy and reliability of size charts. By utilizing large language models, Amazon Fashion can extract and organize size chart data from various sources, eliminating duplicate information and correcting any missing or incorrect measurements. This results in more accurate and consistent size charts for customers to reference when making purchases.
Seller Insights
Amazon is also providing sellers with access to AI-powered insights through the Fit Insights Tool, which allows them to better understand their customers’ fit preferences and communicate sizing information effectively. This can help guide their future manufacturing efforts, as AI is used to analyze customer feedback on fit, style, and fabric, as well as returns, size chart data, and customer reviews.
“With AI technology, Amazon is not only improving the shopping experience for customers but also providing valuable insights to sellers that can aid in the production of better-fitting clothing.”
These AI-powered features are just a few examples of the advancements Amazon has made in recent months to enhance the shopping experience on its site. Along with the introduction of generative AI tools for product descriptions and images, Amazon is also utilizing AI in other consumer products such as Alexa and Fire TV.
With the constant evolution and application of AI, it’s clear that Amazon is committed to providing its customers with the best possible shopping experience. As technology continues to advance, we can only imagine the exciting innovations that are yet to come from this e-commerce giant.
