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Chain Store Age: Shoppers are asking AI what to buy—will it recommend your products?
Recently, I turned to an AI shopping assistant to help me find a backpack for my son.
The request was straightforward: something durable, comfortable, and appropriate for everyday use – not a hiking pack or fashion statement. The assistant surfaced several options including images and purchase links, and I checked out directly through the agent.
When the backpack arrived, it was toddler-sized. This was not a subtle miss. My son is six-foot-six.
The issue was not just an AI hallucinated product. It pulled from real listings with unclear sizing context, inconsistent descriptions, and incomplete metadata scattered across the web. The assistant had no reliable way to reconcile those gaps or resolve the issue.
Despite that experience, I continued using AI to shop. That is the paradox retailers need to understand. AI shopping is imperfect, but adoption is accelerating anyway.
AI is already reshaping how shoppers discover products
About Rithum
Rithum (formerly CommerceHub and ChannelAdvisor) is a leading global commerce solution that supports the entire commerce journey—from product listing and discovery to order fulfillment and performance optimization. By streamlining the path to purchase, Rithum enables brands and retailers to operate more efficiently, so they can maximize profitability.
With AI-powered automation, unified insights, and seamless integration across commerce and media channels, Rithum allows your team to focus on growth strategies while we handle the complexity of omnichannel orchestration. Whether you’re launching new products, expanding into new markets, or optimizing retail media campaigns, Rithum helps you turn every customer touchpoint into a revenue-driving opportunity.
Top global retailers and brands, such as Adidas, Best Buy, B&Q, Draper Tools, The Home Depot, and Zalando, trust Rithum to streamline their commerce operations and maximize results. With teams based in the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Spain, and Australia, we partner with clients worldwide to make commerce smarter, faster, and more connected.
Media Contact
Walker Sands, for Rithum
rithum@walkersands.com
