Welcome to personal virtual assistants
The trend to adopt personal virtual assistants and voice AI devices in the home is increasing at a rapid pace. It was pioneered by Amazon Echo, Dot, Show, Spot, Google Home, Google Home mini, and in the future with Apple Homepod. In 2017, owners of Alexa devices spent on average 10% more than their peers in retail purchases; how high will this figure go in 2018?
Voice scales eCommerce Adoption
According to Google, in 2017 30% of mobile searches were conducted via voice. As voice AI becomes the new way we search, we can only assume it will accelerate new retail channels and make voice activated shopping a mainstream occurrence. In 2018, with new devices anticipated from Google, Facebook, Apple and many other companies, voice activated commerce will be the “star of the show” as it relates to retail.
Voice AI could prove the way, along with VR showrooming, that eCommerce will accelerate in the decade starting in 2020 as an improved channel for trusting consumers and younger mobile natives increasingly entering the voice AI economy. In that world, it will be voice suggestions instead of mobile Ads that win your heart and subtly influence your shopping habits. Suggestions will be based upon your Amazon or Google history. Goodbye Facebook.
A new customer experience
The mobile web gives way to the Voice AI web of IoT and a different kind of smart city; these include the rise of food delivery apps, and perhaps later on autonomous vehicles and drone delivery hubs. The voice interface remains the fastest growing retail technology trend that could impact the future of commerce.
Amazon Dot and Google Home mini like devices are getting even more miniaturized, smarter and cheaper. Alexa and Google Assistant might literally be everywhere in just a few short years. In that world, we won’t reach for our mobile devices to access apps; we’ll just activate these apps using “skills” with voice commands. This will alter retail discovery, paths to purchase and the very foundations of the customer experience in many instances.
At the e-business institute we develope expertise in Voice commerce. Get in touch to know more and leverage this opportunity as a competitive advantage for your company.
