What is Zero-Click Buying?
Imagine you buy an iPad from Amazon. When the package arrives at your door, you not only find the tablet inside but also a case, a protective screen, and an attachment for hanging the iPad on the back of a car seat, giving your kids a screen to watch while you drive. And, somewhat unexpectedly, a note that reads, "Keep what you like, and we’ll add the items to your invoice." "…or send some items back, and we won’t charge you a dime for them."
This is the notion of zero-click buying — where a retailer harnesses everything it knows about a customer (say, that you have kids) and sends you products it believes you want without you actually clicking ‘Add to basket.’ With 95% of purchases expected to be online by 2040, every retailer needs to adapt to the new standard of online shopping.
AI and Zero-Click Buying: 5 Steps to the Perfect Strategy
If preemptively sending products to a consumer sounds expensive, know that artificial intelligence can moderate the cost. Here are five ways you can use AI to create the perfect zero-click buying strategy.
1. Harness Big Data
Big Data is crucial to zero-click buying. After all, the more you know about your customers, the easier it is to know what to send them. You can use predictive analytics to see what customers want next based on recent purchases — or to know when to send sprays, polishes, and spare parts because you expect an older item might need a fix.
2. Localize the Shopper Experience
The needs and wants of a teenager in Texas, USA, will look very different to those of a family man living in Edinburgh, Scotland. That’s why you need to use AI in eCommerce to personalize product recommendations based on locality as much as purchase history. AI solutions in retail can gather information from many sources to understand people’s preferences in all corners of the world.
3. Find the Perfect Price Point
There are two crucial aspects to a successful zero-click buying strategy. First, you have to pick a product the consumer wants. Secondly, you have to find the perfect price point: just a slight miss can lead a consumer to shop elsewhere. Machine learning algorithms can analyze thousands of data points to find the best pricing strategy.
4. Integrate AI into Your CRM
Some customers will love zero-click buying, others will not. And the second segment will get very expensive, very quickly. But if you integrate AI into your CRM system, you can use an algorithm to spot who regularly sends products back, then suggest they unsubscribe from the service. Another way to use AI in retail is to enable AI-enabled voice assistants and chatbots. That way, if customers have questions about products they receive, they can find a response online and avoid overwhelming your customer service.
5. Use Ongoing Insights to Refine Your Strategy
The beauty of AI solutions in retail is that they get better with age. That’s to say: the longer they exist, the more accurate their predictions get. If you use AI to analyze customer behaviors, you’ll quickly find ways to improve your zero-click buying service. Whether that’s in the products you send or the customer support you provide — algorithms are brilliant at spotting areas for optimization.
Zero-Click Buying vs. Zero-Click Searches
While zero-click buying will profoundly impact retail in general, zero-click searches will affect eCommerce in particular. So, let’s take a brief look at that.
Conclusion
For anyone who has an Amazon Alexa in their house, the experience of zero-click buying is easily imaginable. Say, "Alexa, buy washing liquid." And within a matter of hours, it will arrive at your door. Now think of all the Alexa-integrated products — toasters, fridges, even cars — and you quickly see how Amazon can understand both what you need. And when.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is zero-click buying the future of online shopping?
A: Yes, as 95% of purchases are expected to be online by 2040, every retailer needs to adapt to the new standard of online shopping.
Q: How does AI enable zero-click buying?
A: AI can moderate the cost of preemptively sending products to customers by analyzing big data, localizing the shopper experience, finding the perfect price point, integrating AI into the CRM system, and using ongoing insights to refine the strategy.
Q: What is the difference between zero-click buying and zero-click searches?
A: Zero-click buying is the concept of sending products to customers without them having to click ‘Add to basket,’ while zero-click searches are the top search results that provide relevant information without requiring users to click through.
