How to use AI to improve Online Shopping Experience

If you’ve ever felt like your online store isn’t doing enough to keep up with customer expectations, you're not alone. I myself have been there, too. With so many choices just a click away, it’s frustrating when bounce rates climb and carts get abandoned.

Here’s the thing: According to Hyken's 2025 research on CX, 84% of customers have the tendency to purchase from brands that offer personalized experiences. And that’s exactly where AI comes in.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the latest, most practical ways to use AI to improve your online shopping experience, from smarter product recommendations to virtual assistants and personalized search. 

AI is a groundbreaking tool to improve the online shopping experience

North America AI in Retail Market Size, 2019-2032. Source: Fortune Business Insights

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is rapidly changing the retail and eCommerce landscape, helping businesses streamline operations, personalize experiences, and boost customer satisfaction. Between 2023 and 2025, AI adoption in this sector has grown significantly, backed by strong market data.

• According to Fortune Business Insights (2025), the AI in retail market grew from $7.14 billion in 2023 to $9.36 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach $14.24 billion in 2025 (Mordor Intelligence, 2025). 
• Meanwhile, the AI in the eCommerce market is projected to hit $8.65 billion in 2025 (Sellers Commerce, 2025), with 78% of companies already using or testing AI technologies (Hostinger, 2025). 
• Another report from Bloomreach (2025) shows that 84% of eCommerce businesses are actively integrating or prioritizing AI, signaling a shift across the industry.

One of the most impactful applications of AI is in the shopping experience. In 2025, a study by Wifi Talents found that AI chatbots now resolve up to 86% of customer questions without needing human help, and  71% of businesses now use AI to deliver personalized product recommendations, emails, and shopping journeys (McKinsey, 2025). 

These figures underscore AI’s growing role in improving customer experience from operations and fulfillment to personalized user journeys and emerging tools like generative AI and virtual assistants. 

As you explore ways to improve the online shopping experience with AI, don’t forget: the best AI tools can only shine if your store is set up to convert. Shopify makes it easy with Shopify Sidekick to generate content and an AI Theme Block for the block generator.

7 ways to use AI to improve online Shopping Experience 

AI can enhance the online shopping experience in powerful ways: from product recommendations and instant customer support to personalized journeys. By analyzing shopper behavior, AI helps online stores deliver quality experiences all at scale.

1. Smarter product recommendations

(Source: EComposer product recommendation section template)

One of the easiest and most obvious ways to improve the shopping experience is by using AI for product recommendations. That means instead of showing generic stuff like “best sellers” or “people also bought this,” you’re showing the exact things your customers are actually interested in, based on their behavior, preferences, and the data they’ve interacted with.

Think of it like this: you have 100 people visiting your store, each with different needs, preferences, and spending power. If you’re showing the same recommendations to all 100, you’re not really optimizing anything. But if you use AI to understand each customer: 

• what they’re looking for
• what they’ve browsed
• what they’ve bought 

Then you can literally “drop” the right product in front of them at the right time. 

For example, Shopee, an e-commerce platform, has already used AI-driven recommendations: you search for an air fryer, and not long after, you start seeing tons of suggestions for kitchen accessories, healthy food, or smart cookware bundles everywhere. That’s AI doing its job, and doing it pretty well. To do this, you need to:

1. Collect & store the right data (like what users view, click, or add to cart)
2. Filter & clean it smartly
3. Then either have a dev integrate an AI model into your site or use ready-made tools.

Some popular AI-powered tools that work across most websites (Shopify, WooCommerce, Webflow…) are LimeSpot, Recom.ai, or Wiser. These tools help you set up AI product recommendations quickly without coding. Once installed, they’ll learn from your store’s data and auto-suggest the most relevant products to each shopper.

2. AI Chatbots for instant customer support

A customer just landed on your store and has a question. They might not know what size to pick, don’t know if you ship nationwide, or just wanna ask, “Can I return this?”. I know you can handle it, but in those moments when you’re juggling everything and only a few people are online, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. 

An AI chatbot helps you handle that. It's like a 24/7 staff, no holidays, no tiredness, always there to answer simple, common questions customers usually ask. 

Source: Shopee AI Assistant

The fact is, 66% of customers say they stopped buying from a brand just because they were put on hold too long. Meanwhile, 52% say AI and chatbots have significantly enhanced the speed and efficiency of customer service (Shep Hyken Research, 2025). That also means in reverse: you and your AI system nail it perfectly, customers stay with you > conversion is higher > loyalty is higher. And if the customer asks more complicated stuff, the chatbot can sort it and pass it to your real support team. 

You just need to pre-write answers for common FAQs, then use platforms like Gorgias, Tidio, or Chatfuel to plug into your website. Many tools already have built-in AI that learns from your inputs. Once set up, the AI chatbot runs automatically, can handle 60-70% of frequent questions without needing a real person.

3. Personalized shopping experiences

When you're in eCommerce, you've definitely heard the phrase "Personalized shopping experience." Sounds big, but the truth is… you're probably already doing it. I’m gonna talk about this in detailed a little bit (cuz it’s important, right?).

So you know how to send different emails to new vs returning customers. You use a chatbot to ask what shoppers are looking for, then suggest a few items. You run retargeting ads showing the exact product they viewed yesterday. All good – that's the classic starting point of Personalization.

But… that’s just the first layer. Why?

Because most current models only react based on past behavior. And we don’t really understand the customer; we’re just guessing based on behavior.

AI lets you go further: it can analyze which segments have the tendency to come back and repurchase, and which ones are one-and-done based on data and user behaviors. AI can also predict future behavior – using machine learning, clustering, and even emotional patterns from the type of content customers interact with.

And if you’re wondering: “How do I segment customers the moment they land on my site?” – here’s your answer: behavioral funnel.

• Someone coming from a blog is totally different from someone proactively searching your brand name and clicking immediately. 
• A person reading skincare tips is in a completely different mindset from someone typing “official Eucerin sunscreen.” 

AI can help you A/B test different versions automatically, and gradually optimize each experience based on the entry point. If you can do that, you’re ahead of the game (no joke).

Too hard to start right away? That’s fine – start simple.

Many websites already use AI personalization to anticipate behavior based on location: switching language, currency, and content should vary, too. Shopping behavior in Asia is different from the US, so product suggestions should be different as well. Every small step adds up to a big edge.

Personalized shopping is a must-have competitive edge today. And this is exactly where AI shines: processing big data, making real-time personalized decisions, and doing it at a scale humans just can’t match.

4. Better store design & content using AI

Back then, this all depended on designers, coders, and content writers – if you had a full team, great. If not… you were stuck using default themes, patching things up just to make it look a bit less ugly.

But now with AI, you don’t have to start everything from scratch.

You just type in a few lines: “I sell youthful women’s clothing, want a minimal and modern vibe, main colors are white, beige, gray. My audience is women aged 22–30, with medium to high income, shopping mostly on mobile.”

AI can instantly suggest a fitting layout, brand colors, banner placement, product order, font styles – even help generate headlines and product descriptions designed to convert. 

Example of using AI page builder by EComposer

Some tools now even let you build an entire page layout using AI with just a few prompts.AI can help you write content that’s not just grammatically correct, but emotionally on point for each audience. 

And if you’re thinking, “That’s probably only for big brands,” – let me stop you right there. These tools are now super easy to use, often built right into Shopify, WooCommerce, Webflow, or just find AI tools to get suggestions… Just spend one afternoon playing around, and you’ll get it.

5. AI-powered email & SMS personalization

Source: TxtCart

Email and SMS are the two most “classic” channels in the Ecommerce world. But here’s the funny part: the more classic they are, the easier it is for them to become boring. How many times have you received messages like “Shocking deal, buy now before it’s gone!” and… nothing was really gone? I understand it, really.

The problem isn’t the tools, it’s how they’re used.

Most brands today still follow the old playbook: gather all customers in one list >  send the same content > call it a “retention campaign.”

AI doesn’t do that. AI can personalize each message. Instead of “what do we want to say?”, it can analyze “what does this person want to hear?”  if we input clean data.

You can feed it data like behavior history, recent email opens, times the customer is usually online, and products they’ve viewed or added to cart. AI takes all that and crafts content with the right tone, right topic, and right timing.

Same goes for SMS; don’t just blast “20% sitewide sale.” Let AI write messages like a real human: short, curious, using words that feel familiar. One timely, well-written line can get someone to click the link without thinking twice.

• The best part: AI learns fast. Just a few hundred sends and it knows how to tweak each word for different customer groups. Which means: the more you use it, the better it gets. The more personalized, the more it feels like a real person talking.
• The hard part: If you found help from AI tools like ChatGPT, Grok,... to ask for suggestions based on input data you have, and then customize the email yourself with an email platform like Klaviyo or Brevo. On the other hand, you might need an AI agent to automatically set up emails for you, from clean data to analyze, and then create a personalized message. Hard things, again, but worth investing in.

*Reminder: Email and SMS aren’t dead; they only die when you stop being creative. But if you let AI be your personal editor, then every message you send… becomes a real chance to connect with your customer.

6. AI for post-purchase experience

Example of a post-purchase AI flow built with n8n

A successful order is not a period. It’s an ellipsis…

Because right after the “Place Order” button lies an entire world of emotion. The wait for delivery. The worry about whether the product will look like the photos. Then come the questions: “Will it work well?”, “Is there a manual?”, “Is anyone available to help?”

If you abandon your customers at this stage, then yes, you’re just selling products. But if you’re trying to build a brand, then AI is your most powerful post-purchase partner.

What can AI do?

• It can predict when a customer might start to worry (based on delivery time, purchased product, weather, shipping delays…) and automatically send thoughtful updates, reminders, or reassuring messages.
• It can suggest relevant post-purchase content: skincare? Send a how-to-use guide. Electronics? Include a setup video. Bought a shirt? Recommend styling tips. AI can send based on learned behavior patterns from each customer segment.
• It can personalize the feedback flow: picky customers? Keep it short and sweet. Happy reviewers? Gently prompt them to share more, maybe even suggest a few templates to make writing easier.

And most importantly: AI can detect subtle signals of dissatisfaction through live chat or email. At that point, instead of waiting for them to complain publicly on social media, you can proactively check in, offer help, or simply… listen. One small action, timed right, can stick with them forever.

So let’s be clear: Post-purchase is not “break time” for your marketing team. It’s the moment your brand speaks up instead of staying silent. And AI helps you do it smartly, automatically, and still with a human touch.

7. Boosting conversion & AOV with AI

Source: LeewayHertz

In the past, if you wanted to boost conversions, you'd use a pop-up. “You're about to leave the page, here’s 10% off!” or “Spend $20 more to get free shipping~”.

Still works, but… everyone’s doing it now, and customers are tired of seeing the same thing. AI plays a different game; it understands, then suggests at the right moment.

Here’s an example:

• AI knows who needs a quick push and who prefers to decide on their own. For example, if someone hovers over a product for 3 minutes and still hasn’t added it to the cart? That’s a cue. AI nudges: “You’ve been looking at this one for a while, want a free sample with it?”
• AI can also help you set flexible pricing based on customer groups. Some react well to bundles, some prefer gifts, and some just need to see “free shipping” to hit that Buy button. AI picks that up from their tiny behaviors: what they click, what they add to cart, when they usually check out, etc.
• And of course, AI can run a Predictive model to implement analytics in your lead generation strategy. Which layout converts better? Which button color gets more clicks? Should the CTA be funny or serious? Runs A/B tests and AI optimizes on its own. You just review the report and give it a nod.

The real difference is that you understand them so well, they want to add more things to their cart.

Conversions rise not because you got lucky. AOV increases not because you kept running discounts. But because you used AI at the right time, in the right way, to design a shopping experience that makes customers feel served, not manipulated.

Others also read

• 9 Best AI for Shopping To Save Time And Money
• How AI Is Used In Online Shopping? Guide & Tips 
• AI in B2B eCommerce: More Than Just Customer Support

Real examples of brands using AI to improve online shopping experience

Real brands are already winning with AI: Coca-Cola with GenAI, Booking.com holiday recommendation, JPMorgan’s AI coach for advisors, and H&M with a friendly AI chatbot. These are proofs that AI can actually connect, convert, and build long-term trust.

1. Coca-Cola asks customers to “Create Real Magic” with GenAI

Coca-Cola doesn’t just talk big about “personalizing experiences”; they even invited customers to co-create the experience.

In the Create Real Magic campaign, Coca-Cola partnered with OpenAI and Bain & Company to launch a super fun GenAI playground. Customers from around the world could access the platform, use GPT-4 and DALL-E to create their own unique Coca-Cola ads, in their own style and ideas.

Which means instead of Coca-Cola making the ads like every other year, this time they said: “We’ve got the AI. Got ideas? Let’s make them together!”

And the result is beyond success. 120,000+ AI works of art were submitted. Some got picked to appear on real billboards, real TVCs. Customers became part of the campaign; they weren’t just buyers at that moment.

Coca-Cola® Masterpiece

What’s great here?

• Coca-Cola used AI to connect, turning customers into co-creators.
• They let customers experience the power of AI in a fun, easy-to-understand, and shareable way.
• And most importantly, Coca-Cola put AI in the right place, not showing off the tech, but using it as a tool to help people express their creativity.

Let’s be blunt: you don’t have to be Coca-Cola to use GenAI. Whether you sell fashion, food, or services, as long as you know how to invite customers to play along instead of just selling, AI will be your most powerful right hand.

2. Booking.com offers AI personalized Holiday Recommendations

In a world where everyone is scrolling but no one really knows what they want, Booking.com quietly activated a GenAI assistant working behind the scenes.

Booking.com’s AI still picks up on all of user behavior. And then it adjusts: from images, descriptions, to the order of listings, everything tailored to match the vibe you're looking for, even before you know exactly what that is.

Their AI strategy breaks down into three clear areas:

• Boosting internal productivity: AI helps engineers code faster, support customers smarter, and build an “AI-first” culture internally.
• Improving machine learning models: AI is used to speed up learning and help the system respond more quickly to every user action.
• Understanding each person’s travel intent: This is the final boss, AI doesn’t just watch you search for hotels, it understands where you are in the psychological journey: exploring? comparing? Ready to book?

To bring this to life, they launched AI Trip Planner - a travel assistant that suggests destinations, places to stay, and fun things to do… through a chat-like conversation that feels like you’re talking to someone who’s been everywhere. Not the usual “Top 10 places to visit in Italy” type of list, but more like: “You’ve got 3 days, a mid-range budget, prefer fewer crowds, and love good food?”, then the AI replies like a thoughtful local.

Soon, they’re also launching a post-booking assistant, helping with rental car paperwork, and they’re already exploring agent-based AI in collaboration with OpenAI.

3. JPMorgan develops an AI Coach

This time, it’s not an ecommerce brand; it’s JPMorgan Chase, a giant in the financial industry. But as long as you serve customers, AI can become your secret weapon.

And JPMorgan did just that… in a way that’s seriously worth learning from.

In finance, advisors don’t just sell services. They sell trust, clarity, and the ability to make decisions under pressure. And you know how it is, when the market swings and clients start flooding in with “Should I keep my stocks?” or “Should I pull my money out?”, it’s not exactly a chill afternoon.

So they rolled out Coach AI: a real-time advisory assistant.

And it goes like this: right in the middle of a call, a wealth advisor can ask AI: “My client’s holding retail stocks and worried about inflation: What should I say?”

And Coach AI responds instantly in plain English, with context, data, and a strategy.

AI here isn’t replacing people; it’s leveling them up. Helping advisors react faster, answer more accurately, and stay confident, especially when the market gets rocky.

What’s even better? AI doesn’t just wait to be asked. It proactively anticipates what the client will need based on trading behavior, macroeconomic signals, and account history. The result is incredible: A 20% jump in gross sales within a year by giving the right advice to the right person at the right time.

And JPMorgan didn’t stop there. According to the AI expert network (2025), they’re playing at a whole different level: setting aside a whopping 17 billion USD tech budget for 2024, with over 450 AI use cases in development, from fraud detection AI, call center optimization, LLM-powered coding assistants, all the way to automating the entire advisory chain. 

In simple terms: AI runs through everything from frontstage to backstage, from the server room to the trading floor, not just stopping at the storefront.

4. H&M uses AI-driven bots to handle common customer inquiries

H&M has upgraded the chatbot to become a full-time eCommerce assistant. H&M’s AI no longer just "waits to be asked," but actively analyzes the behavior of each site visitor:

• Who usually browses basic items, who’s into hot trends?
• Who visits the site just to scroll around, and who heads straight to the "Sale" page and adds to the cart?
• Who often buys size M, picks neutral colors, and has never returned anything?

With that data, the chatbot does not just answer with a fixed setting format; AI advises strategically. It suggests exactly the item you're hesitating on. Reminds you when a product in your cart is running low in stock. Sends you a full outfit suggestion that perfectly matches your usual style.

And the best part: it works 24/7 – 100% automated – yet 99,9% emotional.

Its tone is soft, its language natural, never too robotic. Customers chat with the bot and feel like they're talking to a real sales assistant. And of course, it leads to the result of a 30% increase in customer engagement, simply by making customers feel understood in every line of conversation.

How to implement AI for your online store today

Applying AI is no longer a story of the future. It is a competitive advantage you can activate right now if you choose the right starting point. Below are three practical implementation approaches, based on the technology platform you're using and your business’s readiness level.

1. If you are using eCommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce

This is the best choice to start quickly while still ensuring a high-quality customer experience. AI-integrated apps or plugins are already available, easy to access, and widely tested in the market. Take Shopify as an example:

• Shopify AI Theme Block Generator creates layouts and suggests sections
• EComposer AI Page Builder provides AI layout builder, image & content generator
• Chatty AI Chatbot handles customer support 24/7 and recommends products
• Hextom AI Translate & Currency Converter auto-translates and converts currency by visitor IP, perfect for cross-border sellers

These tools allow you to optimize the entire customer experience chain in a fast, consistent way without the need for coding.

2. If you are building an independent website, not based on a ready-made platform

If you’re building a website from scratch (Webflow, Laravel, Next.js, etc.), 

• Option 1: Use standalone AI tools like Builder.io, Levity, Algolia Recommend,...
• Option 2: Hire devs to build AI plugins (or outsource). All you need to prepare is your data: product info, customer behavior, and personalization goals.

This way takes more effort, but you get full control of the experience from backend to UI. Best for brands that want to feel “uniquely theirs.” 

3. If you are in the startup phase with a limited budget

You can still fully leverage AI as a "personal strategic advisor." Tools like ChatGPT, Grok, or Claude can help you:

• Reevaluate your current shopping experience from the user’s perspective.
• AI rewrites product descriptions in a more personalized tone.
• Suggest site structures and landing page layouts based on customer behaviors.
• Analyze bottlenecks in checkout, onboarding, or user retention processes.

As long as you provide enough information and ask the right questions, AI can help shape your direction and strategy so you can carry out each part manually on your existing website.

AI is not a distant technology, but a tool that can be practically implemented if you have a clear strategy. What matters most is a proactive mindset and willingness to learn. When you're ready, AI will be an effective assistant to help you grow sustainably.

What to note when using AI for shopping experience?

There are 5 key things to note when using AI for your online store: respect data privacy and compliance, ensure smooth integration with your current tools, keep the human touch, check for bias in AI outputs, and keep testing to improve performance.

You love AI? I get it, I love AI, too. Who doesn’t like a tool that’s both smart and saves time? But using AI without principles is like handing the shop keys to a stranger. Memorize these 5 rules and you’ll go the distance safely and beautifully.

1. Data privacy & compliance: AI runs well because it feeds on data. But you need to feed it right and legally. What are you collecting? Where is it stored? Did the customer consent? And if you’re selling in Europe or the US, do not skip GDPR/CCPA.

2. Seamless integration with your current stack: Choose an AI tool with open APIs, solid documentation, and the ability to play nice with the tools you already use.

3. Don’t “AI-fy” everything and lose the human touch: Sometimes, what customers need is a real message from a real person, a thoughtful reply, or a little surprise AI can’t come up with. Let AI do the groundwork, but keep the human soul in the experience.

4. Watch out for bias: AI learns from data, and data can be biased. Don’t let it serve wrong suggestions to certain groups just because you let it go with the flow.

5. Always optimize and keep testing: It needs to be tested, measured, and improved constantly. AI gets smarter by the day, but only if you teach it right.

*One last reminder: AI is not magic; it’s a tool to support you at a certain level. You are still the one creating the experience – the one choosing to use AI wisely, with limits, and for your customers. 

Final words

Improving the online shopping experience with AI is no longer a luxury or “only for big brands.” There’s always a place for AI to help, from customer care, content personalization, to optimizing every step toward checkout.

What matters is whether or not you truly want to understand your customers and serve them better. Because AI won’t do the work for you – but if you start with the right mindset, it can help you move faster, go deeper, and grow more sustainably.

FAQs

1. Can AI help with virtual try-ons for online shopping?

Yes, it does! AI combined with AR (augmented reality) lets customers try on clothes, glasses, lipstick, hairstyles… right on the screen. Sephora, Nike, and many other brands are doing this smoothly. Customers can see if it fits before buying, fewer returns, higher satisfaction.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of AI in online shopping?

Pros: Personalized experience, better product suggestions, 24/7 customer service, and quick data analysis. Cons: Easy to overuse, can lose the “human touch,” biased data, and requires time investment to implement properly.

3. Are there any free AI tools to improve online shopping?

Yes! You can use ChatGPT, Grok, Shopify Magic, EComposer AI Shopify page builder, etc., to generate content, layout, chatbot, and enhance the shopping journey, all free at the basic level. Starting small can still make a big impact!