E-Commerce solutions provider Shopify has officially launched its AI chatbot called “Sidekick”, offered initially through early access. Introduced as part of the “2024 Summer Edition” updates, Sidekick is designed to assist merchants by performing tasks such as creating discount codes, generating store reports, and providing content suggestions for blog posts, ultimately aiming to boost operational efficiency.
AI Tools for Merchant Support
Initially, Sidekick is available to a limited group of Shopify stores, specifically those with English-language operations in North America. Vanessa Lee, Shopify’s VP of Product, indicated there are plans to extend the chatbot’s functionality to more languages and regions. Merchants wishing to use the tool can sign up for a waitlist to gain access.
The Sidekick chatbot includes functionalities for generating customer segments and providing insights based on analytics. These features are part of Shopify’s broader ambition to offer a more unified and efficient platform for merchants. The Summer ’24 Edition update comprises over 150 enhancements designed to unify multiple facets of commerce, such as international sales, B2B transactions, in-person sales, and analytics.
Automated Product Categorization
Alongside the chatbot, Shopify has rolled out AI-powered features like product categorization, which recommends product taxonomies automatically, saving merchants the effort of manual categorization. This feature aims to increase product discoverability. Merchants retain the option to manually adjust these categories as necessary.
Another new addition allows AI to suggest responses for customer inquiries via Shopify Inbox. While these replies currently require merchant approval before they are sent, future iterations may enable automatic responses. Shopify is taking a cautious approach to ensure the AI performs reliably before removing human oversight.
In addition, Shopify has expanded its AI-driven image generator, initially released in January, to be available on both iOS and Android platforms. This feature, which has already seen over a million images generated within its first six months, will now be integrated into more areas of the Shopify admin interface.
With the introduction of tools like Sidekick, automatic categorization, and AI-generated responses, Shopify aims to offer a more supportive and efficient platform for its users. The wide array of updates in the Summer ’24 Edition is intended to create a more cohesive experience for merchants, addressing various aspects of commerce and improving the overall user experience.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 3:48 pm CET