Retailers have been using AI behind the scenes to improve accuracy on technical issues such as forecasting, logistics and more, but should they be thinking about harnessing its creative power too?
If you have read a magazine, watched the news or scrolled a Twitter feed in the past six months the chances are you will have heard about ChatGPT. The AI-powered chatbot that generates human-like text based on user prompts has been used to generate everything from love letters to meal plans, and has proven that it can be a surprisingly useful tool in everyday life (and not just if you have a thesis that’s due in).
We asked ChatGPT to reimagine some of retail’s tougher design challenges and then fed the response through AI image generator Midjourney to see what they might look like.
Smart fitting rooms
Long queues, mess and harsh lighting are a poor stage for showcasing products and, with returns weighing heavily on fashion retailers’ balance sheets, kicking fitting rooms into shape is set to be high on the priority list in the next few years.
ChatGPT’s solution would be to install large, interactive mirrors. This technology would allow shoppers to try on outfits virtually and switch garments or accessories using a touch screen. It also suggests adding an element of fit and size analysis using a depth-sensing body scan camera.
Next, to drive incremental sales, AI says retailers should implement smart recommendations using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, which would clock the items the customer has brought into the changing room and suggest complementary items on the mirror or send them to customers’ phones.
A common complaint is about the harsh overhead lighting used in changing rooms so, finally, AI suggests adjustable lighting and ambience controls that could be changed by the user based on their preferences or to simulate different environments such as daylight or a low-lit party.
To wrap it all up, it proposes allowing shoppers to walk away with their purchases right there and then, using their smartphones to pay for the RFID-tagged garments through the smart mirror.
Interactive sport store
Presenting untapped potential for in-store theatre and experiential retailing, ChatGPT has some ideas to liven up sports and leisure stores.
Firstly, it suggests the store experience could benefit from more interactivity in gaming and real-life activities, such as fitness zones where shoppers could really get a feel for a new pair of trainers, or events and workshops that would build brand loyalty.
It also recommends customisation kiosks would be a great way to enhance shoppers’ emotional connection to a brand, particularly if they could add their initials to a product or create their own designs and see them being applied.
Like for fitting rooms, it thought the use of RFID tags coupled with interactive displays and touch screens could help shoppers engage with products. Users would be able to bring, for example, a pair of leggings to a scanner, learn about the performance features, view other colours and find out to what type of exercise they would be best suited.
Order and collect frozen aisle
By their nature, the frozen aisle of a supermarket is cold and uninspiring. To address this, ChatGPT wants supermarkets to take inspiration from quick-service restaurants with the use of an ordering system.
Rather than deep hip-height freezers that shoppers have to reach into to pick up items, AI advocates sleek floor-to-ceiling displays of products to be ordered for collection — no more worrying that items are defrosting as you complete your shop.
This would allow supermarkets to use the space to push certain products, which could be laid out virtually in a more attractive, Insta-worthy way — not something we are used to seeing in the frozen section.
Selected seasonal products and other essentials could be picked from the cabinets while the rest of the range would be available to order from screens in the aisle.
Modular department store
Once the pinnacle of shopping in Britain, department stores have had an unceremonious fall from grace in recent years as the landscape of retail has changed.
So could AI come up with a future-ready department store concept? To be a success, according to ChatGPT, any department store should have a modular layout that offered complete flexibility and the ability to adapt to an ever-changing mix of brands, themes and events.
Modular fixtures, adaptable shelving systems and movable walls would be key to its design, as well as maintaining a sense of novelty for visitors.
It also suggests incorporating a wellness and lifestyle theme throughout the store would be a good way to attract shoppers through the doors, and it advises offering a range of eco-friendly products and including a wellness cafe or juice bar area where customers could relax.
In a similar vein, it recommends hosting regular events, workshops and demonstrations, which would foster a sense of community. Partnering with local artists and artisans on product ranges as well as providing space for pop-up shops would encourage a sense of connection.
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