AI shopping assistants are transforming online shopping by providing personalized experiences, improving conversion rates, and enhancing customer satisfaction. These assistant tools guide customers through the selection process, provide instant assistance, and speed up the buying process. With features such as neural language processing, predictive analytics, and sentiment analysis, AI assistants can emulate human interactions while working 24 hours a day.
Furthermore, the AI-powered global virtual shopping assistant market is expected to be $12.57 billion by 2034, and growing at a rate of 26.0 percent (Coherent Market Insights). It’s a clear fact that AI is becoming integral to e-commerce success.
What Is an AI Shopping Assistant?
An “AI shopping assistant” refers to a virtual tool that assists in buying products AI shopping assistant is a virtual assistant that relies on artificial intelligence to provide help in purchasing via chat or voice messages. Virtual assistants comprehend natural language, provide product recommendations based on the user’s needs, and respond instantly, for a user-friendly, interactive purchasing experience.
Types of AI Shopping Assistants
In-App Assistants: Embedded in applications or websites, they facilitate product discovery and inventory verification, and hassle-free, easy checkouts.
SMS-based Agents: send reminders, offers, and post-sales help directly via texts.
Voice Assistants: When used by smartphones, they can provide advice via voice on product features, sizes, and stock availability.
Top 10 AI Shopping Assistant Tools
1. Shop.app (Shopify)
Shop.app by Shopify offers an AI shopping assistant designed to make shopping easier and more personalized in online shopping. It provides a split-screen interface, easy-to-understand chat on one side and a product image showcase, prices, and choices on the other side.
The AI can converse and ask questions for clarification and respond appropriately according to the user’s preference. It can store a live memory for previous interactions, assisting users in narrowing down or continuing an existing search without needing to start at the beginning. Shop.app gets its goods from Shopify merchants, making it excellent for finding unique or independent brands.
Strengths
- Deep integration with the Shopify ecosystem
- Split-screen chat + product display improves user experience
- Remembers previous interactions to continue searches seamlessly
- Great for discovering independent and niche brands
Limitations
- Limited to Shopify merchants only
- Not ideal for non-Shopify or custom eCommerce platforms
- Advanced customization options are minimal
Also read: eCommerce Checklist to Launch Your Shopify Store
2. Manifest AI
Powered by ChatGPT, Manifest AI is a complete AI shopping guide designed to maximize the pre-purchase sequences within Shopify stores. It is built on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and deep learning algorithms that provide users with personalized assistance, offering the best choices when purchasing.
In addition to providing simple help, Manifest AI offers advanced capabilities, such as AI Nudge, AI Quiz, AI Search, Ask Me Anything, and AI-generated questions. It can answer complex product-related queries like ingredients, sizes, directions for use, and more.
Strengths
- Powered by ChatGPT with advanced NLP capabilities
- Excellent for handling complex product-related queries
- Features like AI Nudge, AI Quiz, and AI Search improve conversions
- Optimized specifically for Shopify stores
Limitations
- Shopify-only support
- May require fine-tuning for brand tone consistency
- Advanced features can feel overwhelming for small stores
3. The Rep AI
Rep AI Assistant is a ChatGPT-powered, conversational shopping tool and assistant that offers personalized assistance for every stage of the purchasing journey. With deep learning and artificial intelligence, the system recognizes when customers need assistance and then provides context-based recommendations for products, upsells, and assistance. It’s easy to implement and takes only 5 -10 minutes for integration.
With Rep, an HR can keep the tone of the brand intact, and it was designed for real-time inventory tracking and seamless app integration, such as with Shopify and Zendesk.
Strengths
- Fast setup (5–10 minutes integration)
- Context-aware product recommendations and upselling
- Maintains brand tone across conversations
- Seamless integration with Shopify and Zendesk
Limitations
- Limited use outside eCommerce-focused use cases
- Advanced customization may require technical support
- Best results depend on high-quality product data
4. Shopmate
Shopmate is one of the best AI shopping assistants on e-commerce. It quickly learns about the products of a store and can use customer preferences to provide personalized recommendations. One advantage of Shopmate is its ability to provide customer support using information from blogs, FAQs, and other documentation to respond to customer inquiries promptly and efficiently. Shopmate uses generative AI for secure, interactive conversations. It can also be integrated seamlessly with Shopify, WordPress, etc.
Strengths
- Learns store catalogs quickly for accurate recommendations
- Pulls answers from blogs, FAQs, and documentation
- Secure generative AI conversations
- Works well with platforms like Shopify and WordPress
Limitations
- Performance depends heavily on existing content quality
- Limited advanced analytics compared to competitors
- May need manual training for niche products
5. Intercom AI Chatbot
Intercom AI is built for interaction. It is focused on improving operational efficiency while also catering to customer needs. The chatbot claims to respond to more than 50% of customers’ queries instantly. With advanced language models developed by AI, Fin can engage in precise and conversational responses to your company’s guidelines. Additionally, it protects interactions between users and the chatbot, allowing your team to track every chatbot response to ensure quality control.
Strengths
- Handles over 50% of customer queries instantly
- Strong focus on customer support and efficiency
- Transparent monitoring and quality control features
- Highly conversational and brand-aligned responses
Limitations
- Premium pricing compared to other tools
- Less focused on product discovery and upselling
- Better suited for support-heavy businesses than small stores
Also read: 11 Methods To Improve Your eCommerce Store’s Security
6. Tidio AI
Tidio AI is an AI-powered chatbot and shopping assistant designed specifically for medium-sized eCommerce companies. It increases sales by responding to up to 70% of customer inquiries autonomously and conducting the conversation naturally and efficiently, particularly in the case of big-ticket products. It’s easily customizable with a variety of templates. It also allows you set up active chat triggers and interact with customers through multichannel communication.
Strengths
- Ideal for medium-sized eCommerce businesses
- Handles up to 70% of inquiries autonomously
- Multichannel support (chat, email, social platforms)
- Easy-to-use templates and chat triggers
Limitations
- Limited enterprise-grade customization
- Advanced automation features require paid plans
- Less effective for very large product catalogs
7. App0
App0 is a U.S.-based SaaS firm and is one of the leading companies in the field of AI online shopping assistance. Optimized for maximum conversion, App0’s assistant gets trained on your catalog and makes custom-made predictions on what customers may need. It supports personal purchasing, product comparisons, and smart FAQs, providing a smooth buyer experience from start to end. After adopting this AI shopping assistant, you can increase your orders and conversion rate.
Strengths
- Conversion-focused AI assistant
- Trained directly on store catalogs for accurate predictions
- Supports product comparison and smart FAQs
- Proven results: higher order value and conversion rates
Limitations
- Primarily focused on sales, not post-purchase support
- Pricing may be higher for small businesses
- Customization options may require onboarding assistance
8. Claros
Claros is an AI shopping assistant that enhances customers’ decision-making by using a smart web interface and browser extensions. It is designed with an AI-first approach beginning with a few questions and intelligent responses to help refine the search results for specific items. In just 10 seconds, Claros provides bespoke, expert advice on products. Just drop a one-line HTML on the website to host the agent, and then it can be white-labeled to reflect the brand tone of voice and create meaningful, real-time conversations that engage and please customers.
Strengths
- Lightweight integration with a single HTML line
- Delivers expert product advice within seconds
- White-labeling supports brand voice customization
- Ideal for comparison-based shopping decisions
Limitations
- More focused on product discovery than full checkout flow
- Limited customer support automation
- Best suited for curated or premium product stores
Also read: Top 10 AI Tools for Your Business
9. Verloop
Verloop is a generative AI virtual assistant designed to streamline support, boosting the efficiency of agents and ensuring an effortless customer experience in e-commerce. Its ability to handle more than 90% of routine queries makes it extremely cost-effective and efficient. Additionally, it can communicate with a variety of customers to shorten the shopping time and offer a fast and precise service.
Strengths
- Handles over 90% of routine customer queries
- Highly cost-effective for large-scale support operations
- Strong multilingual and conversational AI capabilities
- Improves agent productivity and response times
Limitations
- Requires initial training and setup time
- Less emphasis on personalized product recommendations
- Advanced features may require enterprise plans
10. ShopWithAI
ShopWithAI is a fashionable and sophisticated AI shopping assistant for the discerning shoppers in the home and fashion decorating categories. With digital personas based on fashion styles, it customizes the product suggestions to the individual’s preferences. It functions as a filtering system for product alternatives based on the user’s browsing habits to help them make better choices more quickly.
Strengths
- Tailored for fashion and home décor industries
- Uses digital personas for personalized styling recommendations
- Filters products based on browsing behavior
- Enhances decision-making for visually driven shoppers
Limitations
- Limited to specific industries (fashion & home décor)
- Not suitable for general-purpose eCommerce stores
- Smaller ecosystem compared to mainstream AI tools
Final word
AI shopping assistants are no longer a future-oriented concept. They provide faster, more personalized, and more profitable shopping experiences today, and are expected to continue in the near future. Whether you’re a small business owner or an e-commerce company, selecting the right AI assistant will ensure customer satisfaction is maintained, and growth will be achieved.
FAQs: AI Shopping Assistant
Which AI shopping assistant is best for Shopify stores?
AI shopping assistants like Shop.app, Manifest AI, Rep AI, and Tidio are popular choices for Shopify stores due to their deep integration and ease of use.
What is the difference between an AI chatbot and an AI shopping assistant?
An AI chatbot focuses on answering questions, while an AI shopping assistant is designed to recommend products, assist purchases, and optimize the shopping experience.
Can AI shopping assistants provide personalized recommendations?
Yes, AI shopping assistants use browsing behavior, purchase history, and preferences to deliver highly personalized product suggestions in real time.
How do AI shopping assistants help reduce cart abandonment?
They address buyer concerns instantly, suggest alternatives, offer reminders, and assist during checkout—helping customers complete purchases confidently.
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