Kmart has embraced AI to transform its online shopping experience with the introduction of its new AI shopping assistant Joy.
Some of the new functionality will allow customers to experience virtual try-ons and see items and furniture in their own space.
Kmart is one of the first Australian retailers that has partnered with Google Cloud to deliver a revolutionary new shopping experience across its whole range.
At the heart of the new AI experience is its new conversational AI shopping assistant Joy, which will be available on the Kmart website and in the Kmart app from June.
The combination of AI-powered tools and the innovative and personalised assistant will give online shopping an added dimension.
One new feature is the virtual try-on capability, which will give customers a chance to visualise how selected products may look.
And the “See It in My Space” AI function gives customers a chance to see products within their own home before committing to buy.
Both features are seamlessly integrated into Joy which acts as your virtual shopping partner to help you discover products, compare options, and refine searches using natural language prompts.
For example, a customer may ask for a certain product in a certain size, style, colour, and within a certain budget and receive a response within a few seconds.
It’s also possible for customers to upload their own photos to receive tailored recommendations and enjoy a more interactive experience.
Joy can be used across Kmart’s online range, including products from Kmart, Target and other global and local brands which are now accessible in Kmart’s marketplace.
Joy can also surface side-by-side suggestions to make it easier to compare items.
These capabilities are powered through Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, which is an agentic solution from Google Cloud, which can manage agents across the entire customer lifecycle from discovery to post-purchase resolution.
“Customers aren’t just searching anymore; they’re engaging conversationally and looking for ideas and guidance,” said Bernard Wilson, Chief Customer Officer at Kmart Group.
“Joy and our AI experiences help them narrow the choices and find what’s right, across Kmart’s range of great products at low prices. This is a major step forward.
“We’re testing how agentic AI can support customers at various stages of the shopping journey, from discovery to decision-making, wherever they are.”
“We’re proud to be building these AI advancements that bring our purpose of making every day living brighter to life.
“Our focus is on what customers value most: inspiration and affordable everyday products.
“Being focused on what you need and ensuring it’s the best product for what you require is key – especially when budgets are tight for families.”
Paul Migliorini, Vice President, Google Cloud Australia & New Zealand said: “AI represents a massive opportunity for retailers to completely redefine the shopping journey, making everyday tasks -like planning an event or finding the perfect gift -feel incredibly intuitive.
“Built with Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, these new AI-powered features, and Joy’s multimodal capabilities mean Kmart customers can now shop however they prefer, with the photo or text to easily find the right products and recommendations.”
