Zalando to launch a fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT

• The OpenAI technology allows customers to ask questions using their own fashion terms and words, helping them navigate through Zalando’s large assortment in a more intuitive way.
   
• The first beta version of Zalando’s fashion assistant will be available to a selected group of customers by Spring. 

BERLIN, APRIL 19, 2023 // Zalando, a leading European online platform for fashion and lifestyle, will soon launch a first beta version of a fashion assistant powered by ChatGPT across their app and web platforms. This will allow Zalando to unlock the potential of generative AI to enhance the experience of discovering and shopping for fashion online.  

With one of the most comprehensive assortments in the market, at times customers can benefit from additional help in finding the perfect item at Zalando. With the new fashion assistant, customers will be able to navigate through Zalando’s assortment using their own words or fashion terms, making the process more intuitive and natural. For example, if a customer asks “What should I wear for a wedding in Santorini in July?”, Zalando’s fashion assistant is able to understand that this is a formal event, what the weather is in Santorini in July, and therefore, provide a written explanation with recommendations for clothing based on that input. This could be combined in the future with customer preferences, such as brands they follow and products available in their sizes, to deliver a more personalised selection of products. 

With its answers, Zalando’s fashion assistant will provide customers with relevant products, enabling them to have ongoing conversations to refine their results. The first beta version will be enabled for a selected group of customers by Spring, with support in both English and German, and be made available in Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Austria. This technology will introduce a new way to discover Zalando’s assortment and provide customers with more intuitive fashion inspiration. 

“At Zalando, our customers have always been at the center of everything we do. As a leader in fashion e-commerce in Europe for 15 years, we have consistently embraced new technologies to enhance our customers' shopping experience. We are excited to be experimenting with ChatGPT to help our valued customers discover even more fashion they will love”, says Tian Su, VP Personalization and Recommendation at Zalando. “This is just the beginning; we are committed to understanding our customers' needs and preferences even better, and we are eager to explore the potential that ChatGPT can bring to their shopping journey. As we continue testing and introducing new solutions, our focus remains on learning how our customers want to interact with our fashion assistant to provide them with the best possible experience.”

With the upcoming launch of the first version of its fashion assistant, Zalando is setting the groundwork for future developments and features, which could include fashion and beauty advice or outfit creation. With the fashion assistant, Zalando aims to create a trusted companion for its customers which includes privacy and AI protection in line with Zalando’s commitment to offering an experience of trust.