We live in an age of technology, far more advanced than anyone could have ever imagined. Even the greatest visionaries could not predict that things like the Internet, computers, and countless other machines and gadgets will come to be. In that way, we can certainly say that we live in the future. One more thing that supports this claim is certainly voice-activated shopping. This way of shopping has snuck into our lives, without us even noticing, one might say.
What is voice-activated shopping?
This term sounds a bit intimidating, but it mostly refers to shopping done with the help of digital assistants, the most famous ones being Echo, Siri, Cortana, Google Home, along with numerous others that are present on various platforms. It is very simple to use them; the user only needs to say the activation word, and the device, which is set up to respond to it, turns on, and the process after that is very simple and straight-forward. Digital assistants can be used for anything and everything around the house, from things like adjusting the air conditioner, to heating up water for your bath, or even controlling what goes on in your fridge or oven.
How is it used in shopping?
These assistants are mostly used in online shopping; moreover, experts predict that this type of browsing the Internet will become fairly prominent in the years to come. Research shows that in 2016, more than thirty percent of Amazon Echo users asked it to buy something from Amazon Prime, while almost fifty percent used it to add some items to their carts. Of course, this potential that digital assistants have for doing shopping was recognized by great companies, who now work to design and improve their assistants in order to better suit the needs of the customers. Some of the most prominent ones are certainly Google, Amazon, Lenovo, but there are numerous others. These assistants are not only used in your home; some of them even have the option to provide you with information during your shopping.
How is voice-activated shopping potentially dangerous?
First of all, it can be dangerous for many brands out there, for an obvious reason –sight. If more and more people rely on their digital assistants to provide their groceries, they give up their own ability to see what they are purchasing, and in turn, may stick to some brands that are famous or familiar to them. In turn, many less known or less prominent brands might be left forgotten on the shelves. On the other hand, by collecting information on their clients’ needs, digital assistants might work with retailers to provide regular service to their customers in the most suitable way possible.
Conclusion
There is still much to discover and analyze when it comes to voice-activated shopping. However bad it might be in some aspects, there are still some good sides to it. If its potential is explored and realized, it may result in service that is predictive and regular, leaving your supplies always full, and providing optimal service to all the customers. If this trend continues, we are certainly looking at drastic changes in the way we perceive shopping; all that is left for us to do is to sit back, relax, and wait.
