“One of the first known Web purchases took
place in 1994. It was a pepperoni pizza with mushrooms and extra cheese from
Pizza Hut” (TIME.com;
A Brief History of Online Shopping).Today, we use the Internet to purchase almost
anything: books, groceries, computers, etc. The majority of Americans are embracing
the growing trend and utilizing the convenience of online shopping, but just
like in-store consumers, it is important for companies to provide their online audience
with an excellent customer experience, too.
According
to a Forrester report from 2010, “57% of US online consumers report that they
are very likely to abandon an online purchase if they cannot find quick answers
to their questions. However, satisfaction with online self-service has room to
improve. To reinvigorate online customer service, eBusiness professionals
should give virtual agents another look” (It’s
Time to Give Virtual Agents another Look, 2010). When looking at eCommerce
in 2014, it is apparent that companies are devoting more attention to improving
their eCommerce strategy and using cutting edge technology to provide their consumers
with world class service, virtually.
There
is no sign of slowing down for Virtual Agents assisting online shopping in the
near future either. A trusted analyst firm predicted that the number of online
purchases made via a Virtual Assistant will continue to grow into the coming
years. With more and more well known brands embracing and even acquiring Artificial Intelligence
(A.I.) as part of their own strategy, this is proof that the era of smart machines is upon us.
Check out this slideshare, How to Increase Sales by Tracking Four Specific Problems, to find out how a Virtual Agent can work as a 24/7 sales person.
What
do you expect in the future for online shopping? How do you think Virtual
Agents/A.I. will impact the way we make purchases online?
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