Swedish fintech Klarna has unveiled a new AI-powered image-search feature and several other tools as part of a major autumn launch aimed at enhancing the online shopping experience.
Shopping lens, the flagship new feature, allows shoppers to take a picture of things and styles in their surroundings, instantly find out where to buy them and get the best deal in the Klarna app, using the search and compare tool.
According to Klarna, it uses AI to translate the image into a search term, so consumers can turn whatever catches their eye into a shoppable item.
In May this year, Klarna released research which found that 8 out of 10 shoppers look forward to having an AI shopping assistant. The latest enhancement builds on the company’s previous applications of AI to provide a discovery shopping feed in the Klarna app which recommends products based on personal interests. The feed has now been updated to include the global roll-out of shoppable videos, the firm said.
Announcing the autumn launch, Klarna said it was also taking new tech to the high street with a feature that gives smart spenders instant access to detailed product information when in-store. In effect, the company has brought its online search and compare tool to physical stores. Users can scan the item’s barcode for customer reviews, to see whether there could be different colors or variants available online, or if they can find it for a cheaper price, Klarna said.
Speaking on the announcement, Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO and Co-founder of Klarna, said: “Just like the internet gave everyone access to information, AI gives everyone access to intelligence, context and personalisation. At Klarna we’re using this to bridge the gap between the physical and digital world, connecting how humans get inspired with how computers search. I’m super proud that Klarna is leading this revolution in retail.”
How the shopping lens works
With the in-app camera feature, Klarna’s AI shopping lens is said to be able to visually identify over 10 million items such as a piece of clothing, home decor or electronics, and match these with over 50 million store offers in Klarna’s search and compare tool. For curious shoppers looking to learn more, and compare prices, retailers and reviews they are shown similar items that match the style of the pictured product. The feature is designed to provide inspiration for products that previously would not have known about. The shopping lens is available to consumers in the US, UK, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
Shoppable videos expand to Europe
Alongside the US, shoppable videos are now available in the UK, Germany and Sweden. By blending aspects of social, video, and ecommerce, shoppable video allows shoppers to explore everything from unboxings and tutorials, to reviews and product drops from videos made by Klarna’s partners. Any item they like can be shopped directly from the video. The feature has been designed so consumers can enjoy a more personalised video experience, with content that aligns with their unique interests.
Earlier this month, the company announced the first of its updates. It said it had introduced a conscious shopping dashboard to help make sustainable shopping easier while it had added new sustainability certification filters to the app’s intelligent search and compare tool. In total, Klarna unveiled 13 new products as part of its launch.
……….
