Customer focus, based on a relationship vision centered on friendly service in stores and loyalty programs. If this is still the proposal of many companies, it’s time to change. Consumer purchasing behavior has evolved. Retail has been digitized for years, but now artificial intelligence (AI) is redefining consumption deeply, automating and personalizing purchase decisions, often invisibly.
And this change is just beginning. According to McKinsey consultancy, by 2030, 70% of purchase decisions could be made without human intervention. This means seamless journeys, voice purchases, 24-hour queue-free service, and increasingly demanding consumers. Furthermore, 42% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from brands that offer personalized recommendations.
“Being customer-centered today requires more than just listening to the consumer. It is necessary to understand how technology interferes with their choices and make ethical decisions on how to use it. Transparency, empathy, and digital responsibility must go hand in hand with innovation,” points out Andrea Rios, omnichannel specialist, founder of Orcas, and guest professor at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation’s MBA program.
According to the specialist and CEO of Orcas, AI can also be used in different sectors and purposes, such as organizing complete trips, from flights and hotels to tours. It can also be used to offer financial services based on the user’s history. Not to mention the routine grocery or pharmacy shopping, where the algorithm practically ‘guesses’ the customer’s shopping list.
That’s why Andrea mentions 3 changes that AI has brought to consumers’ purchasing journey:
- Automated curation of preferences
The trend is increasingly towards the entire buying journey being guided by AI. ‘In the discovery phase, AI acts as a curator of preferences, suggesting products even before the customer expresses a need. The example of TikTok, Amazon, and many other platforms that use algorithms to anticipate desires proves this,’ explains Andrea Rios.
- Intelligent comparison and dynamic pricing
Then, in the consideration phase, virtual assistants and AI synthesize evaluations and compare products, while dynamic pricing systems adjust values in real-time, creating highly personalized experiences. The purchase, in turn, is finalized by chatbots, with smart checkouts and minimal human interaction.
- Agile and resolutive customer service
In the after-sales phase, these solutions solve problems, prevent cancellations, and keep the consumer engaged. In the market, AI is already a reality – for example, the Indian company Meesho already uses generative AI for customer service. With over 160 million users, the platform has implemented a voicebot that responds in English and Hindi and resolves 95% of demands. The technology has reduced call center costs by 75%, providing greater efficiency for the company and more agility for the consumer.
‘Given the increasing control of AI throughout the journey, there are many ethical questions. Who truly makes the decisions? The consumer or the AI, serving interests that are not always clear? How can we take advantage of the benefits that this transformation offers while maintaining transparency and ethics with the customer?’ challenges the specialist.
The answer lies in how companies choose to use AI. From a support tool, it becomes an essential strategic pillar. ‘Those who can combine data intelligence, digital empathy, and ethical automation will have a huge competitive advantage. Beyond efficiency, the challenge is to create enchanting experiences without losing the human factor to attract and retain the increasingly demanding, data-driven consumer influenced by systems they may not fully understand. Brands that act with intelligence and sensitivity will be ahead,’ concludes.
