Novel AI-based shopping platform for 100% product supply transparency and smart redirection from e-commerce platforms to local retail to create a resilient European retail sector

Introduction

Large online platforms bring increasing difficulties for retailers to attract end users to local offerings. Between 2016 and 2018, 122,677 retail businesses were closed in the EU. City centres start to extinct, and local retail loses market shares.

Purpose

To stop these trends and help retailers in regaining a wide reach, we built the first self-learning AI platform for retailers.

Technology Overview

The core technology is a browser plug-in for web browsers. When an end user searches for a product on a shopping platform, e.g., Amazon, and opens a product site, alocalo’s search algorithm identifies the displayed product and suggests local retailers who provide the searched article.

User Experience

Within less than 1 second, the end user gets the recommendation for the trader together with:

• The local shop’s name
• Distance to the shop
• Address
• Contact data

The plug-in shows the availability of the searched product, and end users are directed to the retailer’s web shop to order online (guaranteed delivery next day) or buy it locally.