Consumers often find shopping inspiration in their surroundings—whether they’re drawn to a handbag they’ve seen on one of their favorite TV shows or if they happen to spot a coveted item while scrolling through their social feeds. Klarna is looking to capitalize on this very behavior and is aspiring to reimagine the way consumers shop via new tools, including a Shopping Lens feature that lets consumers snap a photo of a product, search for it, and buy it instantly.
Shopping Lens is just one of 13 new products the company unveiled on Wednesday and highlights just how much Klarna is betting on AI to elevate the consumer shopping experience. The new tools build on Klarna’s existing AI product—its discover shopping feed—which offers consumers personalized products based on their interests.
“Just like the internet gave everyone access to information, AI gives everyone access to intelligence, context and personalization. At Klarna we’re using this to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world, connecting how humans get inspired with how computers search,” said Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and Co-founder of Klarna in a prepared statement.
Making Shopping More Shoppable
Through Shopping Lens, AI translates images into searchable terms, turning any visual inspiration consumers snap into a potential purchase. Consumers may not only be able to find the very product they’re looking for, but Shopping Lens will also help them find, compare, and purchase similar items.
In addition to Shopping Lens, Klarna is also expanding its shoppable videos to Europe, specifically the UK, Germany, and Sweden. The company saw a lot of success in the U.S. with its shoppable videos, which let consumers explore various content such as unboxing videos and product reviews and shop directly from the videos. According to Klarna, the videos have become popular in the U.S., driving “click-through rates 25%,” that the company is looking to capitalize on that popularity abroad.
Interactive Shopping
Klarna’s recent efforts demonstrate just how much shopping has changed over the years—and how much it will continue to change in the near-future.
Thanks in large part to emerging technology, more companies including Alibaba and eBay, have been looking to revolutionize how consumers shop—and have been looking at ways to engage them throughout the customer journey versus simply steering them to a static product landing page.
We expect tech like AI to continue enhancing the shopping journey, making it more engaging and personalized.
