7 Best AI Solutions for eCommerce: Search, Personalization, & Merchandising
AI can help businesses predict trends before customers even know what they want. With eCommerce becoming more competitive every day, leveraging AI-powered tools for better site search, personalization, and merchandising is essential to stay ahead of the curve.
Published January 15, 2025.
In recent years, eCommerce has changed significantly, and AI is now at the heart of staying competitive. AI technologies like chatbots, personalized recommendations, and predictive analytics have now become essential tools that shape the industry with effective digital merchandising, eCommerce personalization, and streamlined site search.
For example, during a recent Black Friday event, AI-powered chatbots contributed to a remarkable 1,800% increase in retail site traffic, assisting shoppers in finding deals and expediting checkouts. Businesses using AI are also seeing massive profit growth with JD.com reporting a 92% increase in net income, thanks to AI improving efficiency and cutting costs.
Meet the Expert
Arjel Vajvoda, Head of Product at Motomtech, draws on her deep background in customer support to develop user-centric SaaS products, incorporating innovative documentation solutions.
A Quick Look at the Top 7 AI eCommerce Solutions
- Best overall AI eCommerce solution: Fast Simon
- Most scalable AI eCommerce solution for enterprises: Bloomreach
- Most cost-effective AI eCommerce solution for SMBs: Clerk.io
- Best AI eCommerce solution for multichannel merchandising: Vue.ai
- Best AI eCommerce solution for visual merchandising: Syte
- Most user-friendly navigation from AI eCommerce solutions: Rebuy
- Most comprehensive AI eCommerce solution for data analytics: Lexer
Fast Simon
Personalized search and merchandising for all customers
Integrates with all major eCommerce platforms and processes
Suitable for businesses of all sizes
Bloomreach
Data-driven solutions for high-traffic companies
Personalized search and merchandising for all customers
Fix inconsistent customer journeys
Vue.ai
Personalized recommendations and visual search tools
Automated product tagging and inventory tracking across all sales channels
Automated marketing campaigns
Show more
Most Popular AI Technologies in eCommerce
- Machine learning: Machine learning is transforming eCommerce by making personalized shopping experiences possible. It analyzes tons of data, like your browsing history and past purchases, to suggest products you’re likely to love. For example, Amazon’s recommendation engine relies on this technology to show tailored product suggestions, helping customers find what they need faster while boosting sales.
- Natural language processing (NLP): Natural language processing helps online stores communicate more naturally with customers. AI-powered chatbots, like the ones used by Walmart, can answer questions and guide shoppers to the right products, making the experience smooth and hassle-free.
- Computer vision: Computer vision brings images to life in eCommerce. It powers visual search, where you can upload a picture to find similar products, and automates product tagging for better organization. Companies like Encore use it to let shoppers discover unique secondhand finds by analyzing images in detail.
Pro tip: When you’re starting out with AI, focus on setting clear goals. Pick one area, like personalized product recommendations, and track success metrics from day one. Next, invest in quality data. AI thrives on accurate, well-organized information. Finally, focus on personalization technology to show customers you understand their tastes, building trust over time.
» Learn more: AI in eCommerce optimization
How to Choose the Best AI eCommerce Tool for Your Business
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which possible AI tool is best for your eCommerce store, but here are some key factors you should compare:
- Scalability: As your business grows, your AI tools should be able to handle increased traffic and larger datasets without compromising performance. Scalable AI solutions can adapt to your expanding operations, ensuring consistent efficiency and effectiveness. This flexibility is vital for long-term success, allowing your technology to grow alongside your business.
- Ease of integration: Your chosen AI tools should seamlessly integrate with your existing systems, such as your website platform, customer relationship management software, and inventory management systems. Smooth integration minimizes disruptions and ensures that all parts of your business work together harmoniously, enhancing overall productivity.
- Data privacy and security: Protecting customer data is paramount. Ensure that the AI solutions you consider comply with data privacy regulations and have robust security measures in place. This not only safeguards sensitive information but also builds customer trust, which is essential for maintaining a positive reputation.
- User-friendly interface: An intuitive and easy-to-use interface is crucial for both your team and your customers. AI tools with a user-friendly design facilitate quick adoption and efficient use, reducing the learning curve and allowing your team to leverage the technology effectively.
- Customer support: Reliable and responsive customer support from your AI solution provider is essential. Access to expert assistance ensures that any issues or questions are promptly addressed, minimizing downtime and helping you get the most out of your AI tools.
» Not convinced? Here are the benefits of using AI in eCommerce personalization
7 Best AI Solutions for eCommerce
1
Fast Simon
Advanced AI-powered search, merchandising, and personalization
Read ReviewsRecommended businesses
Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to large enterprises
Integrations
Integrates seamlessly with all major eCommerce platforms including Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce
Ease of use
Potential learning curve but offers comprehensive support and resources to assist new users
Brief overview
Fast Simon offers AI-driven search and merchandising tools that provide personalized shopping experiences. The platform includes features like AI-powered search, dynamic filters, and personalized product recommendations, all designed to enhance user engagement and boost conversion rates.
By analyzing user behavior in real-time, Fast Simon ensures that customers are presented with products that align with their preferences, streamlining the shopping journey and addressing common eCommerce pain points such as product discoverability and customer retention.
Key features
- AI-powered autocomplete with natural language processing
- Completely customizable search bar with advanced filters and faceting
- No-code editor allows easy customization without coding knowledge
- Great search analytics that provide insights into customer behavior
- Personalized product recommendations and upsell & cross-sell support
- Advanced search functionality like visual discovery and voice search
- A/B testing for efficient merchandising optimization
Success stories
Brands like Steve Madden have leveraged Fast Simon's AI abilities to enhance their search functionality, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and increased sales. By integrating Fast Simon’s AI-powered search, Steve Madden transformed their onsite search functionality. The autocomplete feature, designed with a horizontal layout on desktop and a vertical one for mobile, showcases product images instantly, helping shoppers find items faster. Using Fast Simon’s self-learning search and analytics, Steve Madden tracks the performance of search terms and filters, ensuring relevance and optimizing results for each customer journey.
IMA has also leveraged Fast Simon to understand user intent, significantly enhancing user experience and sales. Fast Simon’s AI not only predicted customer intent with its real-time autocomplete but also allowed IMA to create search rules tailored to their shoppers’ behavior. This reduced time to purchase and improved the overall user experience. As a result, conversion rates for search/autocomplete visitors were 7 times higher than those simply browsing.
Pros and cons
Instant search and real-time suggestions with autocomplete
Synonym and natural language support
Advanced faceting and filtering capabilities
Extensive customer support and resources
Customized merchandising rules and personalized product recommendations
Can be expensive for larger stores with high traffic
Limited features on the free plan
Advanced features may require technical expertise
2
Bloomreach
Personalized customer experiences at scale
Recommended businesses
Ideal for enterprises needing scalable, data-driven solutions to manage massive traffic and inventory
Integrations
offers APIs and connectors for seamless integration with major eCommerce platforms like Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Magento, and SAP Commerce
Ease of use
Advanced features may require technical expertise for full utilization, but offers extensive documentation and expert onboarding services
Brief overview
Bloomreach combines AI-powered search, merchandising, and content management to deliver personalized customer experiences at scale. It addresses issues like inconsistent customer journeys and inefficient content delivery.
Bloomreach is perfect for enterprises needing scalable solutions to manage massive traffic and inventory. It suits industries like retail, fashion, and B2B commerce, where complexity and scale are significant challenges.
Key features
- Built-in content management system, allowing businesses to create, manage, and deliver personalized content
- Collects and unifies customer data from various sources, including online and offline channels, to create a single, 360-degree view of each customer
- Provides powerful search and merchandising capabilities to enhance product discovery and drive conversions
- Automates marketing tasks such as segmentation, targeting, and campaign execution
- Leverages AI and machine learning to analyze customer data and identify patterns, trends, and insights
Pros and cons
Wide range of features in a single platform
Enables highly targeted and personalized experiences
Offers valuable insights into customer behavior and campaign performance
Highly scalable and flexible
Requires complex technical expertise and knowledge
Can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses
Steep learning curve
3
Automated omnichannel product tagging
Recommended businesses
Works great for mid-sized and large businesses, especially in fashion and retail
Integrations
Integrates well with platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce through APIs, dashboards, or direct integration with existing PIM systems
Ease of use
Integrating it with existing systems can be complex, especially if you have a unique setup
Brief overview
Vue.ai has AI-powered solutions tailored for eCommerce, including automated product tagging, personalized recommendations, and visual search tools. Automated tagging addresses inefficiencies in product onboarding by replacing manual tagging with computer vision and NLP, ensuring consistent, rich product data across catalogs. Personalized recommendations analyze shopper behavior to create targeted experiences, boosting conversion rates. Visual search allows users to find items by uploading images, addressing pain points like product discoverability.
It’s especially great for industries where details matter like luxury goods, because it ensures every product is perfectly tagged and displayed, helping you compete with the big players.
Key features
- AI-powered product recommendations based on individual customer behavior and preferences
- Optimizes search results and product ranking based on AI analysis
- Creates personalized product carousels tailored to each customer
- Lookbook builder enables building personalized lookbooks showcasing curated product selections
- Provides insights into inventory levels and helps optimize product placement based on stock availability
- A/B testing for different merchandising strategies to identify the most effective approach
- Offers dashboards to visualize customer behavior and product performance data.
- Automated product tagging and inventory tracking across all sales channels
Pros and cons
Analyzes product attributes, customer behavior, and search trends
Allows dynamic merchandising rules for displaying specific products based on various criteria
Enables A/B testing of different merchandising strategies
Provides insights into customer behavior and product performance
Pricing can be complex and may be expensive for smaller businesses
Setting up and configuring the tool effectively might require technical expertise
Businesses with limited customer data may see less benefit
4
Clerk.io
eCommerce AI at an affordable price
Recommended businesses
Small and medium-sized businesses with limited budgets can benefit most
Integrations
Integrates with Shopify, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce through plugins that are easy to set up and manage
Ease of use
Its affordability may limit advanced features. SMBs should focus on maximizing its core functionalities before exploring additional tools
Brief overview
Clerk.io offers affordable AI-driven search and recommendation features for SMBs. Its tools analyze customer behavior to deliver relevant product suggestions, search results, and even personalized email content.
It’s ideal for businesses looking for a simple yet effective AI solution without breaking the bank.
Key features
- AI-powered search analyzes user intent and product attributes to deliver relevant search results
- Recommends products based on individual customer behavior
- Provides real-time search suggestions as users type
- Optimizes website navigation based on user behavior
- Allows testing different search and recommendation configurations
- Integrates easily with popular eCommerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and Magento
Pros and cons
AI-powered natural language processing
Analyzes customer behavior to optimize website navigation and product categorization
Enables A/B testing of different search and personalization strategies
Easy integration with most popular eCommerce platforms
Might offer less flexibility in customizing algorithms and recommendation displays
AI limited to search & recommendations
Businesses with limited customer data may see less benefit
5
Syte
Visual search & merchandising for eCommerce
Recommended businesses
Visually-driven industries where aesthetics heavily influence buying decisions, great for businesses aiming to offer interactive and engaging shopping experiences
Integrations
Supports Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce through APIs and plug-and-play solutions, allowing retailers to get started quickly without extensive technical support
Ease of use
Depends heavily on high-quality product images. To maximize its effectiveness, businesses should invest in professional photography and ensure their catalogs are visually appealing
Brief overview
Syte specializes in visual AI, allowing shoppers to search by uploading photos or clicking on products to discover visually similar items. Features like “Shop the Look” and AI-powered tagging streamline product discovery and help retailers manage their catalogs efficiently.
Syte’s AI-powered visual search creates a seamless shopping experience, especially for industries like fashion, home decor, and jewelry.
Key features
- Enables searching for products using images
- Automatically extracts details like color, style, and material from product images
- Recommends products based on visual browsing behavior
- Creates dynamic product displays tailored to individual customers
- Allows A/B testing of different visual merchandising strategies
- Integrates with popular eCommerce platforms and marketing tools
Pros and cons
Enhanced product discovery through visual search and image recognition & tagging
AI-powered personalized carousels & lookbooks
Provides valuable data and analytics on customer behavior
Integrates seamlessly with popular eCommerce platforms and marketing tools
Features limited to visual search & discovery
Pricing can be complex and may be expensive for smaller businesses
Concerns regarding data privacy and security
Limited customization options for recommendation algorithms
6
Rebuy
Achieve eCommerce AI with ease
Recommended businesses
Shopify merchants looking for quick and seamless implementation. Its simplicity makes it accessible for businesses of all sizes, from startups to established brands
Integrations
Integrates with Shopify and other marketing tools, offering a user-friendly app that requires minimal technical knowledge to configure
Ease of use
Extremely simple. Shopify merchants can unlock its full potential with little effort
Brief overview
Rebuy focuses on delivering AI-driven personalization for product recommendations, upselling, and cross-selling. Its “Smart Cart” feature shows customers complementary products directly in their cart, while post-purchase offers encourage repeat sales. Its intuitive setup makes it ideal for businesses new to AI tools.
Key factors
- Offers intelligent suggestions for complementary or higher-priced products
- Rebuy's "Smart Cart" feature provides a personalized shopping cart experience with dynamic recommendations and order summaries
- Allows A/B testing of different recommendation strategies and configurations
- Provides detailed insights into customer behavior, campaign performance, and the impact of Rebuy's recommendations on key metrics
- User-friendly navigation that doesn't require much technical expertise
Pros and cons
Proven track record of significantly increasing average order value
Implements personalized and engaging shopping experiences with ease
Upselling and cross-selling boosts conversion rates
User-friendly interface and helpful resources
Rebuy can be a significant investment, especially for smaller businesses
Level of customization might be limited compared to some other platforms
7
Lexer
AI-powered eCommerce data analytics
Recommended businesses
Lexer is ideal for enterprises and mid-sized retailers aiming to improve customer segmentation and execute precise, data-driven strategies for growth
Integrations
Integrates with Shopify, Magento, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud through APIs, ensuring seamless connectivity with existing systems
Ease of use
The platform’s complexity may overwhelm smaller businesses. Dedicated onboarding and training sessions help teams maximize its benefits
Brief overview
Lexer is a customer data platform that combines AI-driven analytics with personalization tools. It helps businesses unify customer data, offering deeper insights to create targeted marketing campaigns and personalized shopping experiences. Lexer’s focus on analytics makes it a go-to for businesses looking to understand their customers better.
Key features
- Unified Customer Data Platform (CDP) collects and combines customer data from various sources, including online and offline channels to create a single, comprehensive view of each customer
- Uses AI and machine learning to analyze customer data and identify patterns, trends, and insights to enhance marketing and customer experience strategies
- Enables retailers to personalize the customer experience across all channels, from website and email to mobile app and in-store
- Automates many marketing tasks, including segmentation, targeting, and campaign execution
- Provides businesses with the data and insights they need to make informed decisions
Pros and cons
Offers a wide range of features and capabilities in a single platform
Enables highly targeted and personalized customer experiences
Provides valuable insights into customer behavior and campaign performance
Can adapt to the evolving needs of businesses of all sizes
Can be complex to set up and configure
Expensive, especially for small and medium-sized businesses
May require significant training and support for users to effectively utilize all the platform's features
4 Signs You Should Upgrade Your eCommerce AI Tool
1. Your Customers Aren’t Engaging Like They Used To
If people are spending less time on your site or ignoring features like AI chatbots and recommendations, your AI might not be delivering what they need.
For example, smart AI chatbots used by brands like Amazon and Walmart make shopping easier by answering questions and offering tailored suggestions. If your tools aren’t keeping up, your customers might shop elsewhere.
2. Your Recommendations Are Way Off
When your site starts showing products that customers clearly don’t want, it’s a big red flag. Good AI analyzes shopping habits to recommend items that feel personalized and relevant. If your suggestions are missing the mark, you could lose sales and your customers’ trust.
3. Cart Abandonment Is Climbing
If more people are leaving items in their carts without checking out, it could mean your AI isn’t simplifying their shopping experience. Tools like personalized reminders and streamlined checkout processes have been shown to reduce cart abandonment. If your current tools aren’t doing this, it’s time to rethink them.
4. Your Tools Can’t Handle Your Growing Business
When your business grows, your AI needs to grow with it. If you’re seeing slower response times or overwhelmed systems, it’s a sign your tech isn’t scalable. Scalable AI solutions are built to handle higher traffic and data without skipping a beat. This keeps things running smoothly as you expand.
» Looking for a great merchandising tool? Check out these top digital eCommerce merchandising tools
Implementing eCommerce AI Can Be Easy
AI can be a creative partner, not just a tool. It’s not just about crunching data or making processes smoother. AI can help businesses predict trends before customers even know what they want. With eCommerce becoming more competitive every day, leveraging AI to stay ahead of the curve is essential.
These 7 AI tools are easy to get started with and can help you break into the world of AI-powered search, merchandising, and personalization for eCommerce.
» Ready to get started? Book a demo with Fast Simon