AI transforms online shopping in Australia & New Zealand
Retailers in Australia and New Zealand are increasingly implementing artificial intelligence (AI) strategies to provide enhanced online customer experiences.
In response to the growing demand for personalisation and digital-first interactions, prominent retailers such as David Jones, MECCA, and Mitre 10 NZ have turned to Snowflake's AI Data Cloud. This move is aimed at leveraging their data to deliver personalised shopping experiences, optimise pricing strategies, and enhance supply chain operations.
Hugh Fahy, Chief Technology Officer at David Jones, emphasised the significance of AI in enriching customer experiences and the importance of having a structured data strategy.
"In a sector as competitive as retail, only the best customer experience will do," Fahy stated. "Delivering this experience requires making well-governed, democratised data available throughout the business. Our relationship with Snowflake has greatly accelerated unlocking this value and enabled us to implement AI use cases across the organisation."
To further support this trend, Snowflake has appointed Damien Ballesty as Head of Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) for the Asia Pacific and Japan region.
Ballesty, who has experience as Chief Information Officer at Chemist Warehouse, intends to assist retailers in overcoming challenges related to data management and AI implementation. "Retailers and consumer goods companies in our region are at varying stages of their data and AI journey, but all recognise the need for a solid data foundation," Ballesty said. "My focus will be on helping them overcome common challenges – from addressing skills gaps and data silos to governing data and keeping it secure – so they can deliver on key benefits."
Snowflake's solution is reportedly breaking down data silos and enabling greater data access within organisations. This is considered crucial for implementing AI and machine learning projects that respond to increasing consumer expectations in the digital realm.
Theo Hourmouzis, Senior Vice President ANZ and ASEAN at Snowflake, highlighted the shift among major retail brands as they seek to realise their AI and data goals.
"Retailers are looking to break down data silos, democratise data, and unlock the value of their data as consumers increasingly go 'digital-first' when engaging with brands," Hourmouzis remarked. "AI is fundamentally transforming how retailers operate and we're helping some of Australia's best-known brands to accelerate this transformation."
Additionally, Workwear Group has reported significant benefits from using Snowflake's AI Data Cloud.
George Prieto, AI and Automation Lead, noted substantial cost reductions and efficiency improvements. "In the last twelve months, we've been exploring generative AI here at the Workwear Group," Prieto mentioned. "Snowflake's a huge enabler of our AI journey. Over the last few years, we've built really well-governed and secured data so we're now able to leverage that and build out AI across a lot of our business processes."
As retailers across Australia and New Zealand advance their AI initiatives, the emphasis on well-structured data strategies remains a common theme in enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency.
