Through the new AI Smart Shop system, Instacart is integrating Smart Shop into its operations, enabling online grocers to tailor the shopping experience to individual customers’ needs and preferences. Through advanced machine learning and generative AI, Instacart seeks to address the often overwhelming challenge of grocery shopping by automating the tedious task of goal alignment, ease of access, and intention-based dietary filters.
Smart Shop: AI-Powered Personalization
With over 17 million items in the catalog and “millions” of grocery trip datasets, Instacart leverages Smart Shop to personalize shopping experiences by understanding customer behavior. Adjustments of preferences from the AI part to personalization via a customer’s digital storefront extend to carousels on customers’ most-used login floors for spinning wands, hence the name Smart Shop. We are now able to understand and address individual shopper preferences. The outcome? Customers receive relevant recommendations based on their previous shopping experiences.
Addressing the concern of the overwhelming online grocery market, Instacart describes the current experience as a fragmented puzzle that at times makes no sense. Understanding user needs is continuously dynamic. With more than 70% of their customers having at least one dietary preference, the company is indeed tackling a major issue. Smart Shop suggestions like “Show more low-carb options?” await alongside static app preference settings designed to let users select their 14 dietary categories ranging from gluten-free to high protein to organic.
Health Tags: Pillar of AI Nutrition
Instacart, too, has developed the Health Tag system, tagging over 1.3 billion data points for around 500,000 food and drink products. These 30 health tags, such as ‘high protein,’ ‘low carb,’ and ‘no preservatives,’ enable customers to sort products per their specific dietary requirements.
Inspiration Pages: Recipe Previews with Expert Guidance
In partnership with the American Diabetes Association, Instacart has developed its first Inspiration Page, offering diabetes-friendly recipes with nutrition insight and product selection to shop for as they customize the meals. The company intends to enhance these pages, providing shoppable options for things like high fiber and partnering with other organizations for expert guidance.
Distinct Competitive Advantage: Personalized Experience
Instacart has sharpened its customization features with the goal of outpacing the likes of DoorDash, Shipt, and Uber Eats. Custom-tailored experiences through ease of access to specialized shopping will help them retain market position and enhance competition in Instacart’s system for grocery delivery.
Continued Innovation: Advertising and Enhanced Customization Features
The features are part of Instacart’s ongoing efforts to improve technology and customer experience. Their launch of gamification and advertising features on smart carts last fall is evidence of their commitment to innovation.
Instacart’s implementation of AI personalization mirrors the trend of other retail firms that are increasingly adopting technology to serve their customers. Instacart aims to make online grocery shopping easier for people by automating the shopping experience and providing tailored assistance through technology.
