How Conversational Search Delivers an Unparalleled Online Shopping Experience

Traditionally, consumers would visit retail stores to buy products, but with the rapid rise of digitization and e-commerce stores, the retail industry has witnessed a massive change. This proved to be a necessary change as the pandemic forced many offline retailers to adopt a digital strategy as more and more shoppers moved online to purchase products.

Since this global shift, consumers have found it more difficult to find the right product through the multitude of new online retailers. This is exacerbated as shoppers often struggle to obtain relevant product search results, leading to a disappointing shopping experience. The exhausting process begins with buyers entering the queries related to the desired product in the search bar or asking questions through a virtual chat assistant, checking or canceling filters, comparing product descriptions and navigating through hundreds and thousands of irrelevant search results that lack context and personalization. It is of utmost importance for retailers and e-commerce players to think beyond traditional search and reinvent their online search strategy to provide a better and more enjoyable shopping experience.

We previously delved into how Conversational search overcomes the limitations and challenges of traditional search and offers natural, contextual and more search query-like responses. Let’s explore this further.

How is conversation search different from traditional search?

Unlike traditional keyword-based search, conversational search allows users to submit their queries using complete sentences or natural-sounding phrases. It leverages AI to understand customer intent from chat or voice utterances and returns contextual and personalized search results for consumer queries in a more human and conversational way.

Today shoppers are more often using natural language to search and discover products online.

Example of a traditional search query by a buyer

mobile computers

In contrast, a search query for a conversation might look like this

Can I get laptops under $3000?

In the example above, instead of “Toaptops“The consumer is looking for”Can I get laptops under $3000.” According to GoogleDuring the last few years, the The use of “I” in search queries increased by 65%. Shows that shoppers are currently searching with words and phrases like can I, should I, should I, etc.

In other words, retailers should adopt technology like conversational search that can understand search queries asked in natural language and provide consumers with products they are looking for immediately. This smooth product search and discovery experience not only saves the buyer time, but also brings him closer to the sale, infinitely faster. Conversational search deciphers users’ search intent and guides consumers through their shopping journey by delivering a relevant, frictionless and personalized product discovery experience that helps retailers convert searchers into buyers.

How does conversational search help with guided shopping and improving the e-commerce experience?

Customers usually leave online stores because they can’t find the right product or because it takes a huge amount of time to search for it. Too many results takes the joy out of online shopping resulting in lost customers and business. So what should an e-commerce store do?

Conversational AI has consistently proven to be the best tool for understanding buyers’ needs, and leveraging guided shopping and conversational search is the most effective way to sell online.

Guided Shopping aims to replicate the in-store consultation experience for online shoppers. Shoppers begin their experience with a few questions, such as who is the item for, what is the budget or what color do they want and based on their answers, the most relevant products are presented according to their needs. This experience creates a smoother online shopping experience and encourages customers to make purchasing decisions faster.

As more customers move to digital channels for their interactions with brands, the adoption of conversational marketing is on the rise. Chatbots are now increasingly seen as an essential tool in managing the flow of conversations efficiently.

The increase in the use of conversational search in retail chatbots

Over the past few years, leveraging retail chatbots has become increasingly popular. However, when search and chatbots operate independently of each other, they simply do not provide a satisfactory user experience. Users often feel confused or frustrated by irrelevant product information due to the lack of communication between the two channels.

Kore.ai SearchAssist, A cognitive search assistant powered by artificial intelligence with conversational search capabilities addresses these issues. It offers a unique search experience where users can ask questions or search for information through natural language dialogues. SearchAssist can understand the user context, behavior, preferences and intentions and solves the queries through a unified interface.

When using conversational search, AI-powered chatbots with conversational search capabilities intelligently guide customers to the right products while providing a personalized online shopping experience. In this way, it helps increase conversions and reduce overall turnover. In addition, machine learning capabilities allow them to better understand customer needs, share the most relevant product recommendations, and up-sell and cross-sell products.

AI-powered chatbots with conversational search capabilities also support buyers in all aspects of order fulfillment. Customers can use this technology to search for and order a product effortlessly, as well as track the status of their shipment without needing the help of an agent.

Take the example of Belcorp.

Belcorp faced a huge challenge in supporting advisors and consumers to track orders online. Belcorp leveraged Kore.ai’s artificial intelligence and search capabilities to build complex use cases such as order monitoring and tracking to digitally deliver a superior, personalized and seamless experience for Belcorp’s advisors and consumers.

The benefits of a call search application for online retailers

1. Increases cart value and increases revenue by assisting consumers in their shopping journey
Conversational Search not only allows customers to find, search and research the right products based on their needs and preferences, but also guides them with personalized product recommendations that grow even further.cart value and increase revenue.

2. Increases customer engagement by bringing a human element back to the Internet

Call search brings the personal and physical shopping experience in an online store. It allows chatbots or virtual shopping assistants to have two-way conversations with shoppers to understand their needs and preferences. Shoppers can ask questions or request product and pricing offers through one conversational interface, leading to increased customer engagement, trust and brand affinity.

3. Promotes online shopping by reducing search efforts for shoppers

It takes a lot of time and effort to search and find the right product online before finally buying it. Still, online consumers are always looking for quick and easy shopping options. Conversational search provides the most relevant and contextual search results that help users make buying decisions quickly.

4. Improves conversions with powerful insights into user search behavior

By analyzing user search behavior, you can gain valuable insights into what users are searching for and how they interact with search results. Using key metrics, including top searches, searches with results, searches with many clicks or click locations, retailers can make necessary changes to improve users’ search experience to further increase conversions.

final thoughts

The future of commerce is conversational, and conversational search is playing a huge role in reshaping the online shopping experience. With the increased adoption of online shopping in recent years, e-commerce companies are finding ways to provide delightful, seamless and personalized shopping experiences to their consumers.

As an experienced technology partner to leading retailers, Kore.ai is happy to help clients capitalize on the conversational search strategy. Are you exploring ways to provide an unparalleled shopping experience, reduce cart abandonment rates and improve online conversions? Look no further – Click here to learn more on the Kore.ai SearchAssist solution, a conversational and cognitive search assistant powered by artificial intelligence that provides a unified experience by combining search and support in one interface, or Try yourself for free or Request a demo.