Eye on Commerce: 81% of Consumers Want ‘Just for Me’ Shopping; Newegg Adopts ChatGPT

What’s the future of shopping going to be like? If consumers have their way, it will be more personalized and convenient, found the “Future of Shopping” report from Synchrony. And online retailer Newegg Commerce Inc. is incorporating artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT into its shopping protocols.

With increased sophistication in personalization, including product recommendations, consumers have come to expect tailored shopping experiences. That will only become further in demand, says the Synchrony report, as 81% of surveyed consumers expect a “just for me” shopping experience by 2030. One thousand U.S. consumers were canvassed.

“What was once a mass market filled with mass products and experience has given way to one designed ‘for people like me,” the report says. “Next, shoppers will increasingly expect products, services, and shopping experiences to be made ‘just for me.’”

Convenience also is projected to become more important. “The act of shopping has become and will continue to move away from being an isolated activity, instead being embedded into other activities such as scrolling through social media, gaming, or going for a walk,” Synchrony says. Sixty-four percent said shopping will move away from an isolated activity, “rather brands will reach them through separate but linked activities (e.g., social media activity linked to geo-location recommendations while out on a walk, metaverse brand interaction directs shopper to nearest physical location with tailored recommendations).”

Meanwhile, Newegg adopted the current darling of artificial intelligence—ChatGPT—to make its shopping experience unique. Newegg, a consumer electronics merchant, is using the tool to modify text throughout its Web site to make better content suggestions for product pages. It’s also using it in customer-support chat and in creating subject lines for customer emails.

It’s also incorporated into Newegg’s PC Builder service, where it enables users to enter their desired PC attributes into a search bar for ChatGPT to evaluate and make recommendations. PC Builder allows consumers to customize parts for a new computer unique to their needs and budgets.