Grace's guide to using AI to shop better
What are AI shopping assistants?
Essentially a personal shopper in digital form. There are numerous AI tools available that are free to use that can revolutionise how you shop - Saving you time and money in the process.
There are tools that help find the best prices, find outfits and interiors you've spotted online or in the street and even give advice on what suits you.
How to find products with Google Lens:
Use the Google Chrome app, which is free and easy to download. In the search bar you'll see a camera icon. Use this to take photos of things you see or analyse photos or screenshots on your phone.
This is a useful way to instantly identify an outfit or product you spot or find out more about something you've seen.
ASOS style match for similar alternatives:
On the ASOS app which is free to use and download. In the search bar, use the camera icon to take or upload a photo of an outfit or garment. ASOS will then suggest similar items.
If you've seen a vintage piece of clothing you like, take a photo of it and you can use ASOS style Match to help you find something similar.
Using ChatGPT to make sure the product is right for you:
Ideal for use on desktop or phone. Free to use and you can pretty much ask it anything. Great for price analysis, looking at customer and expert reviews and suggesting better alternatives.
For example: You spot a sofa you love but it's expensive. Take a screenshot, upload it to ChatGPT and explain 'I love this sofa but it's beyond my budget of X. Is it worth the investment? And can you recommend some dupes?'
You can also ask 'are there any negative features of this sofa I should be aware of'? TOP TIP: Be as specific as possible, e.g. 'Can you suggest some dupes that cost X, made from X material, available to buy now in the UK'.
And you can use ChatGPT for style advice too?
ChatGPT can also recommend styles, cuts and colours based on your skin tone and body shape using the camera feature. Upload photos with no make up, in natural lighting and see what it suggests.
You can upload photos of your body shape but be cautious as although OpenAI doesn't claim to hold on to images or conversations, it's best not to put sensitive images online.
Gemini can help with grocery shopping
Google Gemini can be used for creating shopping lists and meal planning. If you give a list of what you have at home, Gemini will create a shopping list that only includes the items you're missing.
If you have specific dietary restrictions, Gemini can suggest suitable recipes. It can provide ingredient-based searches, if you give a list of ingredients you have, it will suggest recipes you can make with them. Saving Money: Gemini can suggest cheaper alternatives for certain ingredients.
Organisation and Efficiency: it can also organise your shopping list by grocery store aisle (e.g., produce, dairy, canned goods) to make your shopping trip more efficient.
How to use Amazon Rufus to find specific features
Rufus is a built-in Amazon AI assistant. Look for the speech bubble with a star icon on the Amazon shopping app. It suggests products based on your search and purchase history and helps you find the products you need based on specific criteria.
For example, if you are looking to buy a parasol you can ask Rufus for recommendations. If you're looking for one that blocks UV light, Rufus will narrow the search based on that criteria.
You can also ask Rufus what other features are important to look for when buying a parasol.
Klarna AI chatbot for product suggestions
Klarna's AI chatbot allows you to have a conversation about the products you're looking for.
For example: If you say you are looking for a new sofa, discuss the style and colour you want and ask what would work best with the wall colours. Klarna will suggest several. You can also ask which have the best reviews, then save your chosen sofa to your wishlist.
Use with caution as it can be a little inaccurate e.g. showing wrong size clothes or deadlinks, but it's a useful way to get inspiration and see what's out there without having multiple tabs open.
What's the best site for spotting interiors?
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