According to the research "The State of AI in Early 2024: Gen AI Adoption Spikes and Starts to Generate Value", conducted by McKinsey, in 2024, 72% of corporations worldwide have already adopted the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, the reality in the retail sector is quite different. According to the report "CIO Agenda Perspectives for Industry and Retail", developed by Gartner, reveals that currently less than 5% of companies in this sector use AI solutions to create synthetic customer data, that simulate real data
In this context, it is encouraging to know that, according to the Gartner report, by the end of 2025, nine out of ten retailers plan to implement AI to transform the customer journey in a more personalized and efficient way. In addition to enhancing the consumer shopping experience, the technology in question is capable of revolutionizing the way trade operations management is done, enabling precise and strategic analyses
Among the many benefits that AI can bring to retail, we can highlight the possibility of collecting, store and explore data for identifying customer purchase patterns, understanding of the best-selling products and forecasting the need for restocking goods. Such resource helps in reducing costs with unnecessary inventory, waste of products and preparation for demand peaks due to seasonality.
With a database structured by AI, retailers can develop targeted marketing strategies, targeted promotions, special offers and personalized recommendations. In this way, besides boosting sales, technology contributes to customer loyalty
It is a win-win relationship, after all, the retailer should have better results, while customers will always have their favorite products and brands available and, many times, with promotions
AI also promises to greatly assist retailers in the operational and financial management of their stores, helping to better control the stock, avoiding losses. An example of this, it is the "pick list", what would be the retailer's "stock shopping list" for that moment. The AI would already consider the current stock, cash on hand, sales forecast for the coming days or weeks (considering seasonality) and product expiration dates, to generate an accurate shopping list. A more assertive purchasing procedure reduces losses and helps with the retailer's cash flow, that can pass this gain in the final product price to the consumer, making the sales machine run more and better
In summary, AI is available to retailers and can empower them to make more informed decisions, optimize your operations and provide a more personalized experience to consumers. Прийняючи цю технологію, entrepreneurs can compete more effectively in a market that is highly dynamic and competitive. In this scenario, the global market for AI tools in retail is expected to grow exponentially, reaching, according to projections from Statista, US$ 31 billion by 2028. With these innovations, AI not only comes to help, but also to radically transform your sales, making them more agile, efficient and customer-focused
