From Search To Sale. How AI Drives Consumer Discovery And Retail Spend — Steve Warrington | Why Search Is Underrated By Retailers, How The Customer Journey Has Changed, How To Use Product Data To Boost Search, How AI Improves More Than Just Bidding (#387) | Ecommerce Coffee Break – The Ecom Marketing & Sales Podcast | Podwise
From Search To Sale. How AI Drives Consumer Discovery And Retail Spend — Steve Warrington | Why Search Is Underrated By Retailers, How The Customer Journey Has Changed, How To Use Product Data To Boost Search, How AI Improves More Than Just Bidding (#387)
This episode explores the under-investment in search engine optimization (SEO) by many UK retailers, despite search engines being the most influential discovery channel for consumers. Against the backdrop of a fragmented attention economy and increasingly complex consumer journeys, the discussion highlights how retailers often view search as merely transactional rather than strategic. More significantly, the research presented reveals that search influences consumers across all age groups, with older demographics exhibiting higher engagement and purchase value. For instance, the data shows older consumers have a deeper search intent, actively researching and comparing products before purchasing. As the discussion pivoted to AI's role, the guest emphasized the need for AI-driven campaigns to dynamically adapt to real-time demand signals and fragmented consumer journeys across various platforms. This means leveraging AI not just for bid adjustments, but for holistic search-to-sale journey orchestration, integrating real-time product, stock, and pricing data. Ultimately, this underscores the crucial role of AI in maximizing search performance and achieving retail range symmetry with market demand, a key takeaway for retailers looking to improve their online sales.
