Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming online retail at an accelerated pace. According to the NRF organization, the world’s largest international retail trade show, over 60% of sales have already been digitally influenced by AI since the beginning of this year, a significant growth compared to the same period in 2024. This progress reflects the adoption of technologies that make the shopping journey more personalized, optimize business management, and automate essential processes.
For small and medium-sized retailers, understanding AI’s impact and its practical application can be a competitive differentiator. Lucas Bacic, Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Loja Integrada, a reference in automation and data intelligence for e-commerce, highlights that AI is no longer a technology restricted to large companies. ‘AI adoption has ceased to be a trend and has become part of e-commerce’s daily routine, helping retailers make more strategic decisions and improve customer experience,’ he states.
Why is AI already indispensable for e-commerce?
Artificial intelligence offers various applications that can make e-commerce operations more efficient. Among the main benefits are:
- Personalized recommendations – Product suggestions based on customer purchase behavior, increasing conversion chances;
- Automated customer service – Chatbots and virtual assistants speed up responses and reduce wait times;
- Inventory management – Demand forecasting to avoid stockouts or excess products;
- Campaign automation – Personalized emails and notifications to engage customers;
- Abandoned cart recovery – Strategic reminder sending to encourage purchase completion;
- Multichannel sales optimization – AI assists in creating product descriptions and integrating with marketplaces.
‘AI allows retailers to personalize customer experience and automate processes, which directly reflects in better results,’ comments Bacic.
How to implement AI in your e-commerce?
Retailers who wish to incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations can start with accessible strategies:
- Choosing suitable tools: solutions like chatbots, product recommendation systems, and campaign automation facilitate e-commerce routines;
- Personalizing the shopping experience: analyzing customer behavior to suggest more relevant offers;
- Using data for decision-making: AI processes large volumes of information and provides strategic insights for pricing and marketing actions;
- Adopting platforms with integrated AI: tools that already offer automation reduce the need for advanced technical knowledge.
“At Loja Integrada, we combine structured market data with automation to make the most of every sales opportunity. This allows retailers to understand customer behavior and turn every interaction into a real conversion chance. Additionally, we offer differentiators like native promotional strategies on the platform, such as product bundles, promotions by brand or category, ZIP code segmentation, and progressive discounts,” says Lucas Bacic.
Personalization and impact on sales
One of AI’s major differentiators in e-commerce is its ability to personalize consumer experience. However, according to the State of the AI Connected Customer, by Salesforce, although 73% of customers feel brands treat them as unique individuals—a 39% increase from 2023—only 49% believe their data is used appropriately. This scenario raises a warning about the need to balance personalization and privacy.
“Collected data must have a well-defined purpose, bringing benefits to both retailers and consumers. Maintaining transparency about AI usage, for example, is essential to building a trusting relationship,” emphasizes the expert.
Loja Integrada’s CPO lists the most common applications:
- Behavior-based recommendations: product suggestions aligned with browsing and purchase history;
- Personalized offers: progressive discounts and dynamic promotions to encourage repeat purchases;
- Abandoned cart reminders: notifications that help recover lost sales;
- Engagement campaign automation: personalized emails and messages to strengthen customer relationships.
The future of e-commerce is driven by AI
Artificial intelligence already influences most sales in digital retail and will continue to evolve rapidly. For retailers, adapting to this transformation means ensuring more efficient processes, personalized shopping experiences, and greater market competitiveness. ‘The e-commerce sector is still adapting to the AI Era. This is the moment for even small and medium-sized businesses to try, fail, and learn until they benefit from the best performance even with leaner infrastructure,’ concludes the CPO.
