ChatGPT VS Retail Expert

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Does ChatGPT hold all of the answers for retailers? What about topics related to retail promotions? Discover how Cognira’s retail expert, Ethan Jack, challenges answers and offers a unique perspective.

 

Move over Google, ChatGPT is the new kid on the block. In just a matter of 5 days after launching in November 2022, ChatGPT reached 1 million users. Since then, it has quickly turned into one of the most talked about chatbot systems for both personal and professional needs. 

 

Many have gravitated towards the platform because of its easy-to-use interface, intelligent responses it provides with limited information, and of course the speed it delivers answers. Though artificial intelligence has long been talked about, more industries’ ears have perked up since experiencing the impact and value of ChatGPT. (Yep, often it takes truly seeing to believing). 

 

We’re putting ChatGPT to the test today by asking a series of complex promotion questions that only retail experts would be able to comment on. To spice things up, we’ve invited our very own retail expert, Ethan Jack, to challenge the answers and provide additional perspectives.

Question 1

ChatGPT

Short-Term Results:

  1. Increased Sales: Promotions can create a sense of urgency and drive customers to make purchases they may not have otherwise made.
  2. Improved Customer Loyalty: Offering promotions can increase customer loyalty and repeat business by making customers feel valued.
  3. Increased Awareness: Promotions can increase brand awareness and drive traffic to stores or websites.

Long-Term Results:

  1. Customer Retention: Regular promotions can help retain customers by keeping them engaged and interested in the brand.
  2. Improved Brand Reputation: Effective promotions can improve the retailer’s brand reputation by demonstrating a commitment to customer satisfaction.
  3. Increased Market Share: Consistently offering promotions can help increase a retailer’s market share by attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.
  4. Improved Data Insights: Retailers can use data collected during promotions to better understand customer behavior and preferences, leading to more effective future promotions.

Ethan’s Opinion:

Promotions are a tool for a retailer to meet their customers’ needs while exceeding their expectations.  This creates an opportunity for the retailer to utilize promotions to obtain strategic business objectives. The art of promotion management continues to generate this business benefit to reach quarterly and yearly business goals year over year.   

 

In general, I agree with ChatGPT’s long-term answers, but have a few disagreements with its answer for the short-term, particularly with customer loyalty. 

 

Surely, promoting a customer’s favorite product can begin building a connection with the customer. However, I do not believe customer loyalty is generated in the short term. 

 

There is a famous saying “If you win a customer by price, you can lose that customer by price.”  

 

Utilizing promotions to generate customer loyalty is a long-term effort. You need to continuously generate value for the customer by creating a personalized experience for them and ensuring their needs are met within the full promotion management cycle. This includes the right product choice, at the right price, through the channel of choice for customers (in-store or online – delivery, pick-up, etc.).

Question 2

How can mid-level retailers compete against leading retailers on promotions?

ChatGPT

  1. Customer Segmentation: Mid-level retailers can use customer data to segment their audience and create promotions that are more relevant and appealing to specific customer groups.
  2. Personalization: By using technology to deliver personalized experiences and promotions, mid-level retailers can stand out from the competition and increase customer engagement.
  3. Collaboration: Mid-level retailers can collaborate with suppliers, vendors, and other partners to create joint promotions that increase reach and impact.
  4. Focus on Niche Markets: By focusing on niche markets, mid-level retailers can differentiate themselves from larger competitors and create promotions that better meet the needs of specific customer segments.
  5. Innovation: Mid-level retailers can leverage technology and new promotional approaches, such as gamification or augmented reality, to create innovative and engaging promotions.
  6. Agile Planning & Execution: By being more agile and flexible in their approach to planning and execution, mid-level retailers can respond quickly to changes in market conditions and customer preferences.
  7. Invest in Data & Analytics: By investing in data and analytics, mid-level retailers can gain insights into customer behavior and preferences, allowing them to create more effective promotions.

Ethan’s Opinion:

Mid-level retailers struggle to compete with larger and leading retailers on promotions for two reasons:

  1. First, it’s hard to match the buying power of a large retailer.
  2. Secondly, it’s difficult for mid-level retailers to reach customers in an omnichannel way as efficiently as larger retailers.

To better compete, I believe that the answer is in ChatGPT’s point number 2 – Personalization. Brick and Mortar locations and mid-level retailers need to give customers a reason to prioritize their time to visit their business. This is done by creating a relationship with your customer and offering a personalized experience.                    

This doesn’t mean that a mid-level retailer needs to match a large retailer on price. They need to tailor their offerings to meet the needs of each customer individually.  A customer segment of 1. 

Question 3

What are the key factors retailers should look for in an AI Promotion Management Solution?

ChatGPT

  1. Scalability: The solution should be able to handle large amounts of data and adjust to changing business needs.
  2. Accuracy: The solution should be able to accurately analyze consumer behavior, forecast demand, and make recommendations for promotions and pricing.
  3. Integration: The solution should be able to integrate with existing systems, such as POS, inventory management, and customer data.
  4. Personalization: The solution should be able to provide personalized recommendations for each customer based on their individual preferences and behavior.
  5. Flexibility: The solution should be flexible and allow for customization to meet the specific needs of the retailer.
  6. User-friendly interface: The solution should have a user-friendly interface that is easy to use and navigate
  7. Technical support: The solution provider should offer technical support and training to ensure that the solution is being used to its full potential.

Ethan’s Opinion:

All of ChatGPT’s points are important when selecting an AI Promotion Management Solution. In addition to these key factors, other questions to ask your evaluation committee are:

  1. Is the team I’m partnering with knowledgeable and capable to get my business to where we need to be?

    When evaluating software, many retailers focus on software supporting what they do today. When looking at integration this is extremely important to ensure that the software is compatible with your systems and you will be able to execute the benefits the tool is providing. However, when looking at workflow and business processes, retailers should focus more on the future state. Where can this software take my business and is the software backed by knowledgeable and capable people to get me there?

  2. Can this software help me better understand my customers to provide a more personalized experience?

    Personalization is key to the growth of retailers. An effective AI Promotion Management solution should be able to help you better understand customer behavior and give you the ability to create a more customer-centric promotional plan.

  3. Can this software help me reduce overspending and generate less but more efficient promotions?

    An effective promotional management system should help you identify areas in which you are overspending on promotions and allow you to create a more efficient and effective promotional plan.

  4. Can this software help me negotiate deals with my vendors that produce meaningful results for my customers?
    Retailers have goals, CPGs have goals, and Customers have goals.

    Ensuring that these all align will help you create the most effective promotional plan. A promotion management system should help you identify the best deals to generate a promotional plan that meets your customers’ expectations without losing sight of your business objectives and maintaining a positive relationship with the vendor

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About Cognira

About Cognira

 

Cognira is the leading artificial intelligence solutions provider for retailers. Cognira is passionate about helping retailers unlock valuable, transformative business insights from their data.

 

Better Promotions. Better Results. 

 

To learn more, check out our website at cognira.com or contact us today to get started. 

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