Dunelm has launched an AI-powered shopping assistant that lets customers search for products, receive recommendations, and visualize items in their homes through natural conversation. The company’s new ‘Ask Dunelm’ tool is now available within its iOS app and has been developed in partnership with Google Cloud. Customers can use the assistant to describe what they are looking for in their own words, ask questions about products, and receive suggestions tailored to their style, budget, and requirements. The tool can also help shoppers plan an entire room, find a specific item, or explore homeware inspiration without relying on traditional keyword searches.
Dunelm stated it was among the first UK retailers to launch a multimodal shopping agent using Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience technology. The launch follows the introduction of Dunelm’s customer app earlier this year, which has now been downloaded by more than 500,000 shoppers. The app includes personalised product recommendations, Click & Collect integration, detailed product information, and features designed to support customers while shopping in stores. Dunelm said Ask Dunelm was the first of several new enhancements planned for the platform.
Chief technology and information officer John Gahagan said: “Ask Dunelm represents a significant step up in how customers can discover our products, allowing them to shop through natural conversation rather than traditional search methods. Customers increasingly expect digital experiences that are intuitive and tailored to their needs. By combining our deep understanding of home and customer preferences with Google Cloud’s AI capabilities, we’ve created a tool that can help customers handle choices, find inspiration and confidently create homes they love.”
While the system promises to understand vague requests and generate room layouts, it is limited to the digital environment for now. Shoppers cannot physically point their phone at a piece of furniture to see how it would look in a room, nor can they ask for a refund or track an order directly through the chat interface. The integration with Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise technology suggests the retailer is looking to expand beyond simple text-based queries as the software matures.
Google Cloud technology powers the underlying engine of this new shopping assistant. The platform allows users to describe items or room needs using casual language, removing the barrier of complex search bars. This approach shifts the focus from typing keywords to describing what the user actually wants. Ralph Lauren profits soar on renewed optimism suggests that retailers are finding success by shifting their focus toward more conversational and personalized customer engagement strategies.
Despite its current limitations, the assistant offers a glimpse into the future of retail. John Gahagan highlighted the importance of understanding customer preferences to create a tailored experience. The AI understands vague requests and generates room layouts, which aids in planning. This digital tool aims to replicate the in-store advice of a knowledgeable sales assistant, but entirely through a screen. The system currently handles text-based queries effectively.
