Louis Vuitton turns to a Facebook bot to chat up fashionistas online
The maker of US$1,370 canvas duffel bags and US$575 monogram belts has launched a “virtual adviser” on Facebook Messenger for US clients, Palo Alto, California-based AI start-up Mode.ai said in a statement Wednesday. The chatbot will answer queries for all things Louis Vuitton: searching the brand’s online catalogue, pulling up catwalk shows and history about the brand, and giving tips for product maintenance.
“Our clients like to be connected to the Louis Vuitton universe wherever they are,” the leather-good brand’s chief executive officer, Michael Burke, said in the statement.
Facebook has encouraged retailers to develop chatbots as part of the company’s strategy of keeping users on its own site and applications, not navigating away to seek services and information from other companies.
“We are still in the very early stages of AI technology adoption in the retail industry,” said Eitan Sharon, CEO of Mode.ai, which developed the bot for Vuitton. Sharon said he expects more companies to turn to AI as clients demand a more personalised online shopping experience.
The world’s biggest luxury brand continues its digital push, using Facebook chatbots to keep users on their turf