Walmart flags retail technology powered experiments designed to make shopping easier, more convenient

Walmart has shared a preview of some of the ways it is exploring emerging tech to boost the online shopping experience, from generative AI powered search to hands free voice shopping and virtual commerce.

In a blog post, Jon Alferness, Chief Product Officer, Walmart U.S., Srini Venkatesan, Executive Vice President, Walmart U.S. Omni Platforms and Tech, Dominique Essig, Vice President, Conversational Commerce & Replenishment, and Thomas Kang, VP and General Manager, Metaverse Commerce, Store No8, write: “We believe that generative AI (GenAI) can help our customers spend more time doing the things they enjoy and less time scrolling, tapping, and searching.”

“That’s why we’re experimenting with a variety of GenAI powered experiences that have the potential to elevate our relationship with customers from a shopping destination to a partner in accomplishing broader missions.”

They add: “To start, we’re leveraging GenAI to enhance our search experience so that it better understands context and allows customers to search by specific use cases, generating more relevant results that allows them to save time.”

“For example, customers can search “unicorn themed toddler birthday party” instead of conducting multiple separate searches for plates, streamers, party favours and more.”

Walmart is also enabling GenAI to assist customers with complex purchases, such as selecting an age appropriate cell phone that’s compatible with their current wireless provider.  

And it is exploring how GenAI can aid in decision-making by creating tools that highlight priority product features and condense reviews into concise summaries.

Building on its Text to Shop offering, which launched last year, the retailer in testing a voice experience in its mobile app that allows customers to shop hands free on Walmart.com.

The blog post notes: “Some potential feature capabilities we’re testing include enabling customers to shop using voice commands, engaging in back and forth conversations with the assistant, booking pickup and delivery time slots and more.”

It adds: “Our investment in AR tools for Apparel and Home are making for happier purchases: We’re seeing customers who use the tools buy more and more satisfied with their purchase. Now, we’re taking these experiences a step further, experimenting with a new tool that combines the power of GenAI and AR to provide even more design help.”

“With this tool, which is in early stage development, customers can simply share their budget, theme and any other preferences to receive personalised assistance, powered by GenAI, in designing a room.” 

Walmart is also looking at different experiences within virtual worlds, knowing customers are spending more and more time in these spaces.

One such experiment is allowing customers to buy physical items contextually and natively within a virtual environment. It recently launched this capability within a game called House Flip and is looking for more ways to connect virtual commerce to itsstores and vice versa.  

The blog post concludes: “We’re constantly searching for ways to innovate and use emerging tech to make shopping easier and meet the needs of our customers. We’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. And as we do, we will always keep our customers at the centre.”