Shoppers today move at lightning speed, making it difficult for online retailers to keep them engaged. alby offers a predictive shopping experience designed to stay one step ahead. With alby’s predictive questions, shoppers build confidence in their purchases without slowing down or feeling overwhelmed. The goal is simple: answer their questions before they even ask.
The online retail world is more crowded and competitive than ever. Shoppers are constantly bombarded with product choices and promotions, making it crucial for retailers to provide the right information, fast. If they don’t grab attention and deliver a seamless experience within seconds, they risk losing potential customers to the next tab or site. In this fast-paced environment, brands need to cut through the noise and make every visit count.
It’s no surprise that our digital attention spans are shrinking. Research from Gloria Mark, PhD, reveals that our attention spans online have decreased by 75% over the past 20 years. Online shoppers now expect instant information and any delay—whether it’s slow-loading pages, unclear information, or too many steps—can quickly lead to frustration. When customers don't get the immediate satisfaction they're seeking, they’re far more likely to abandon the site altogether, taking their business to competitors who can deliver a smoother experience.
Pair shrinking attention spans with the overwhelming number of product options, and today’s shoppers face a significant challenge: they often feel the need to conduct extensive research just to make an informed decision. This process typically involves jumping between multiple sites, comparing reviews, watching product demos, and poring over detailed descriptions—all in an effort to build confidence in their choice.
However, this research-heavy approach is incredibly time-consuming. The added effort disrupts the natural flow of the shopping experience, transforming what should be a simple purchase into a tedious task. As a result, shoppers often become overwhelmed, leading to frustration and, in many cases, abandoning their carts before ever completing the purchase.
Imagine a world where you could predict exactly what information shoppers need, right when they need it. A predictive customer experience not only reduces the likelihood of customers abandoning your site but also creates moments of delight that keep them coming back. By anticipating their needs, you’re not just preventing drop-offs—you’re fostering loyalty.
alby is an AI shopping assistant that helps brands boost sales by predicting and answering customer questions in real time. Using Generative AI and proprietary machine learning models, alby generates a set of questions for every product in a retailer's catalog. These questions are dynamic, meaning they adapt based on a shopper’s browsing history and previous interactions, ensuring relevance and personalization.
For each product, alby generates five predictive questions designed to address common concerns. Once a shopper interacts with one, five new questions are generated to address what the shopper is likely to ask next. This creates a continuous loop of engagement, providing the information shoppers need until they feel confident enough to make a purchase.
alby’s predictive questions are optimized for both engagement and conversions. This means that alby understands which questions—and in what order—shoppers need answered to build the confidence required to make a purchase. By generating conversion-optimized questions, alby not only creates a seamless, intuitive customer experience but also drives tangible business results for retailers.
Take skincare retailer DefenAge as an example. By implementing alby’s predictive questions, they saw a 10% increase in engagement on product detail pages (PDPs). That boost in engagement led to a 2x conversion rate for shoppers who interacted with alby—a clear demonstration of how impactful predictive questions can be in driving sales.
alby also allows shoppers to ask freeform questions. However, we’ve found that over 90% of shoppers prefer engaging with alby’s predictive questions rather than typing their own. This speaks not only to the accuracy of alby’s predictions but also to the convenience of a guided experience. Let’s be honest—most of us would rather click a button than type out a question when we’re in a hurry. After all, we’ve got better things to do 💅.
### Conclusion: Creating a Seamless Customer Journey
Predictive customer experiences don’t just improve the shopping journey—they transform it. By anticipating shopper needs, retailers can deliver the right information at the right time, resulting in a smoother, more engaging experience. The benefits are twofold: shoppers get a more personalized, efficient buying process, while retailers see improved engagement and higher conversion rates. In short, it’s a win-win.
The power of prediction is on full display with Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant. Much like alby, Amazon leverages its vast dataset to anticipate and generate questions for shoppers at various touchpoints throughout the buying journey.
With Amazon Rufus now available to all U.S. shoppers, the bar for predictive shopping experiences has been raised. Customers will soon come to expect these AI-powered interactions as the norm. It’s essential for other retailers to rise to the occasion, adapting their own customer journeys to meet these new standards.
alby is an AI shopping assistant that helps brands sell more by anticipating and answering customer questions. alby seamlessly integrates with Shopify and other common e-commerce platforms, allowing retailers of all sizes to bring AI experiences to their customers.