• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, Yesterday

Marketers achieved significant boosts in Cyber Weekend engagement this year with the help of AI shopping tools.

For instance, Bloomreach’s AI shopping assistant saw a 113% increase in Black Friday messaging YoY, and a 61% hike on Cyber Monday, versus the prior Monday (November 24). 

Most of the questions coming in were focused on products: Shoppers often said “tell me more” about certain items. And many messages came in from night owls during the evening hours throughout the holiday weekend. 

Of course, email remains the dominant communication channel. Bloomreach sent almost 600 million emails for clients on Black Friday and 510 million on Cyber Monday.

Granted, this is only one vendor’s experience: Certainly, there are many other things to measure. We don’t know the sales totals. But it is a snapshot for anyone who wants to compare. 

SMS also played a critical role. There was a 104% increase YoY on Black Friday, and a 47% hike on Cyber Monday.

“We’re increasingly seeing that holiday shopping isn’t about a single channel,” says Christina Augustine, chief operating officer, Bloomreach, in a statement. “Even as a newer channel like conversation showed clear momentum this year, the most successful brands are those that meet customers with relevant experiences wherever they are. 

Augustine concludes, “Personalization is a journey, and every touchpoint along that journey is critical.”