Diary
“Talk to me” — bots are to sell us clothing
Social network Facebook announced the launch of a technology that allows any company to create a special program or bot that can interact with customers via the Messenger app. The new format is “Сonversational Commerce”, by Facebook team’s definition, able to cover more than 900 million users.
Team of Spring was one of the first who takes advantage of these opportunities. Spring is a mobile marketplace, which appeared in the autumn of 2014, and to date, the application presents more than 300 brands, including such retailers like Everlane, Uniqlo, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors. Here’s how it works for Spring: the bot asks, what kind of clothes you are looking for and prompts you to choose between a female or male, continues to introduce options to choose from: clothes, shoes or accessories, price range, etc. Then he will present thumbnails and links to the products you can buy without leaving the app Messenger without entering your personal data again and again, not making the basket.
Very interesting how the new format could change e-Commerce in retail! The illusion of personal communication can be quite attractive and working. Bot by Prada is likely to understand modern art, and the bot by Dolce & Gabbana will be desperately flirting better than the male Italians on the streets of Rome. In the hands of retailers, there is a new tool, and how gracefully they will use it, we’ll see.
Text: Polina Gavrilova
