British beauty retailer Superdrug has argued that human advice and expertise reign supreme when it comes to Christmas gifting, despite a number of consumers turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for shopping inspiration this year.
This comes amid a shift in the way AI is involved with shopping experiences, as consumers turn to platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini to help select gifts for friends and family.
Despite this, Superdrug is doubling down on human-led, tailored advice to help consumers give gifts with confidence.
Superdrug’s Shop Live service, redubbed the ‘Sleigh Line’ for the festive season, is giving Superdrug shoppers access to gifting experts and leading voices in beauty to offer digital personal shopping and gifting advice.
The virtual gifting helpline offers free, real-time chats with the retailer’s trained Shop Live advisors, as well as experts including beauty columnist Sarah Jossell, Superdrug’s Curls & Waves Creative Consultant, Ateh Jewel, dermatologist Dr Nora and fragrance expert Haydn Williams.
The brand revealed that early Shop Live performance insights show shoppers using the Sleigh Line service were ‘more likely to find the perfect present’, and felt ‘more satisfied with their gifting choices’
The insights also uncovered that shoppers were spending up to three times more on products and gifting when guided by personalised recommendations from experts.
Simon Comins, Superdrug’s COO, said:“The festive season can be overwhelming, and with so much choice, the Sleigh Line brings real experts directly to customers to help them choose gifts with confidence.
“It is personal shopping for the festive season, it is fast, fun and genuinely helpful.
“Our Shop Live advisors are happy to share this expert-inspired guidance all December long.”