Target is using AI in its back-to-school shopping experience on its website. The retailer recommends products as shoppers begin building a wish list. Suggestions draw on past purchases, other shoppers' baskets and known school supply needs. Target says customers who build wish lists generate about 45% higher demand in the category. A "next best action widget" prompts shoppers to take a specific step, such as starting a wish list. Target says AI sorts signals from a shopper's browsing session to pick that action. Different shoppers already see different homepage layouts based on what Target knows about them. Brad Thompson, a senior vice president of technology, says the company aims for page layouts tailored to each individual. The season also lets his team run split tests of new site features. Spending forecasts come from a National Retail Federation survey with Prosper Insights & Analytics.
What changed
Shoppers built back-to-school wish lists without automated prompts or suggestions.
What it unlocks
Target shoppers get AI-suggested items and next steps while building wish lists.
- 45% higher demand from wish list users
- $43.3B expected K-12 spending
- $103.5B expected college spending
Sources