Very aims to transform product discovery with AI and machine learning

Online retailer Very, part of The Very Group, has announced plans to digitally transform its product discovery experience through a new partnership with US-based tech platform Constructor.

The partnership will see AI, natural processing, machine learning, and data being used to implement new search browse and autosuggest tools across its website and app.

The advanced digital tools will learn from anonymous individual interactions and collaborate behaviours to enhance the product discovery experience and provide customers with faster, more personalised results.

According to a recent study, retail IT teams are feeling under pressure to keep up the pace with technological change, especially around tailored shopping experiences.

As third-party cookies start phasing out, online retailers such as Very will need to look to other options, other than tracking user behaviour using third-party cookies, in order to provide a more tailored experience – which is where AI can come in.

Alongside AI, the fashion retailer will also introduce of elements of Constructor’s product discovery solutions, such as personalised quizzes which will be able to use customers answers to recommend personalised items from Very’s catalogue.

Very’s tech investment continues to expand as it also plans to move towards a flexible, cloud-based architecture that will allow for faster, more frequent customer experience improvements, according to the company’s press release.

Paul Hornby, digital customer experience director at The Very Group, commented: “Finding the right products quickly is a vital part of the overall digital customer experience, and we’re excited to be taking product discovery to the next level by partnering with Constructor.”

He added: “Ultimately, we want every customer to have an increasingly personalised experience of shopping with Very. The opportunities that AI and machine learning open up in this space are endless, and tapping into that via product discovery is a major step forward in our tech transformation journey.”

Eli Finkelshteyn, CEO of Constructor, said: “It’s clear that Very is deeply dedicated to using technology to make their customer experience the best it can be. Constructor is honoured to be among those technologies, working to ensure the products that Very’s customers see are attractive and personalised to them and make their customer journey better.”