Introducing Cora: The Future of Conversational Commerce by commercetools

commercetools Unveils Cora: The AI Shopping Assistant Revolutionizing Commerce

In an era defined by rapid digital transformation, commercetools, a leader in AI-first commerce technologies, has introduced an innovative solution aimed at redefining conversational commerce: Cora. Set to revolutionize the way consumers interact with e-commerce platforms, Cora is an AI-native shopping companion designed to provide seamless and human-like continuity throughout the shopping experience across multiple channels.

What is Cora?

Cora is more than just a chatbot or virtual assistant; it’s a sophisticated system that understands and retains context, allowing customers to switch between devices and platforms without losing their place in the shopping journey. This addresses a substantial pain point in the industry—73% of consumers abandon purchases due to a disjointed experience, leading to an annual loss of $18 billion in cart abandonment for retailers. Cora aims to alleviate this problem by acting as a consistent companion, remembering users' preferences and previous interactions, regardless of where they are in the shopping process.

Key Features of Cora

1. AI-First Product Discovery: Cora utilizes advanced conversational search capabilities, enabling it to interpret vague or complex requests from users and immediately provide relevant product recommendations. This feature ensures that customers have a personalized shopping experience from the start.

2. Omnichannel Continuity: Shoppers can expect to have their context preserved seamlessly. Whether a user begins a purchase on their mobile device and completes it on a desktop or interacts through messaging apps like WhatsApp, Cora ensures that the cart state and conversation history are retained, thereby eliminating the need for customers to restart their journey.

3. Brand-Controlled Experience: One of the unique elements of Cora is its ability to keep shoppers within a retailer’s ecosystem. This not only enhances customer loyalty but also solidifies brand identity as every interaction reflects the distinctiveness of the retailer’s voice and values.

According to Dirk Hoerig, the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of commercetools, "Context is the new currency in commerce." He emphasizes that for far too long, continuity in customer journeys has been an afterthought. Cora is designed to change that perspective by ensuring every interaction feels connected across multiple channels. This is vital for building customer loyalty and providing an experience that simplifies shopping.

Future Potential and Phased Rollout

Cora is set to debut with AI-powered product search capabilities, while its functionalities will expand over time to become a fully autonomous shopping agent. This gradual rollout allows commercetools to focus on solving specific issues as they arise, making it easier for retailers to implement these advanced features into their existing frameworks.

With the conversational commerce market projected to skyrocket from $8.8 billion in 2025 to approximately $32.67 billion by 2035, Cora positions commercetools at the forefront of this growth. The company has also established partnerships with industry leaders like Stripe and OpenAI, building a robust foundation for implementing agentic commerce securely.

Empowering Retailers With Innovation

Cora is fully customizable for retailers, allowing them to brand their AI shopping experience according to their unique identities. This ability to utilize commercetools’ enterprise-grade security measures ensures that brands can offer innovative solutions while protecting consumer data and maintaining trust.

Shiri Mosenzon Erez, the Chief Product Officer at commercetools, describes Cora as a trusted companion that enhances the shopping journey for consumers. With its AI-native foundation and composable technology, Cora provides an orchestrated shopping experience that benefits both retailers and customers alike.

As interested businesses look to engage with this innovative product, they are encouraged to visit commercetools.com/products/commercetools-cora for more information and to request a demo.

Conclusion

In summary, commercetools is setting a new standard for conversational commerce with Cora, promising to enhance customer experiences, foster brand loyalty, and create meaningful shopping journeys. By addressing the critical issue of context in commerce, Cora not only meets the demands of today's consumers but also prepares retailers for the inevitable future of AI-driven shopping experiences.