Marks & Spencer (M&S) may have initially lagged behind in the world of online retail, but the British retail giant has quickly caught up, now integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to transform its e-commerce operations. The company has introduced AI to offer personalized style advice to shoppers, tailoring recommendations based on individual preferences and body shape.
This move follows the successful launch of M&S’s Autumn/Winter 2024 collection, which received widespread acclaim and cemented the brand’s resurgence in fashion. In fact, M&S reported that it had its largest share of the womenswear market in nine years this summer, a clear indication of its ongoing fashion revival.
The new AI-powered feature enhances the online shopping experience by suggesting items that align with the shopper’s size, body type, and style preferences. So far, around 450,000 customers have already utilized the AI tool, gaining access to a wide array of curated outfit options. Despite the growing reliance on AI, M&S maintains a human element in the process. According to Stephen Langford, M&S’s online director, the company’s in-house style advisors still play a critical role in reviewing and refining the AI-generated recommendations to ensure quality and relevance.
Richard Price, M&S’s Managing Director of Clothing & Home, expressed the company’s ambition to drive half of its fashion sales online by 2028, up from the current one-third. The shift to AI-assisted shopping is just one of the ways M&S is embracing technology to meet that goal.
M&S has made significant strides in integrating technology across its operations. The company’s live shopping feature, for example, now attracts approximately 17,000 visitors per session, generating revenues in the millions. Additionally, M&S uses AI to streamline product descriptions, with 80% of its product listings now being generated automatically—a stark contrast to a year ago when none of its descriptions relied on AI.
As the retailer continues to invest in digital innovation, it is clear that AI will play a key role in shaping M&S’s future, enabling a more personalized and efficient shopping experience for its customers.
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