Lazada Launching AI Shopping Assistant to Boost 11.11 Sales as 88% of Shoppers Use AI to Make Purchasing Decisions

Lazada Malaysia Rolls Out AI-Powered Shopping Assistant for 11.11 Sale

As the 11.11 sale approaches, Lazada Malaysia is launching a new feature to enhance the shopping experience — AI Lazzie, an intelligent assistant designed to help users discover products, find deals, and shop more efficiently on the platform.

Powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, the assistant offers personalised product recommendations and special offers based on users' past purchases and wishlists.

The tool also allows direct communication with the platform via the Message+ feature within the Lazada app.

According to Sharmine Ishak, Senior Communications Manager at Lazada Malaysia, the feature will be rolled out gradually and is expected to be fully available by the time the 11.11 sale begins.

A Fun, Interactive Shopping Experience

To add a playful twist, Lazada is encouraging users to engage with AI Lazzie through an online personality quiz.

This quiz assigns each user a “shopping spirit animal,” such as a llama, fennec fox, sloth, or dolphin, based on their shopping preferences.

Participants will receive a limited code that grants them a LazCash voucher, redeemable for purchases during the 11.11 sale.

This approach blends fun and personalisation, allowing shoppers to discover their shopping persona while benefiting from discounts.

AI-Powered Virtual Try-Ons Transform the Shopping Journey

Lazada is also improving its shopping platform with AI-driven virtual try-on models, allowing users to visualise how clothing items will fit and look on them without trying them on in person.

This feature enhances the shopping experience for consumers and helps sellers by reducing the need for physical models and large-scale marketing campaigns, ultimately cutting costs.

These virtual models reflect a growing trend in e-commerce to leverage AI technology for a more personalised and efficient retail experience.

AI’s Growing Role in Southeast Asian E-Commerce

A recent whitepaper published by Lazada highlights the rising role of artificial intelligence in Southeast Asian e-commerce.

Conducted in partnership with Kantar, the research surveyed over 6,000 e-commerce users across six countries — Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

The findings revealed that a staggering 88% of shoppers rely on AI-generated content and product recommendations when making purchasing decisions.

Furthermore, 63% of Southeast Asians acknowledge the widespread adoption of AI in online shopping, with key features like AI chatbots (63%), translations (53%), and visual product searches (52%) being recognised as critical components.

However, despite the high usage of AI features, the research shows that only one-third of consumers feel these features adequately meet their needs.

This gap presents an opportunity for e-commerce platforms to refine their AI-driven offerings to better serve customers.

Consumer Trust in AI is A Double-Edged Sword

While many consumers use AI for product discovery, customer service, and personalised recommendations, only half of those surveyed in the region find AI assistance truly helpful.

Interestingly, nearly half of the respondents expressed a willingness to pay more for AI-enhanced shopping experiences.

Around 49% of participants believe that AI improves product discovery, customer service, and the overall online shopping experience.

While AI has made strides in meeting consumer needs, the result suggests there is still room for improvement to bridge the gap between user expectations and the actual effectiveness of these features.

The Shift Towards AI-Recommended Shopping

The increasing preference for AI-driven shopping experiences is evident in a separate study by McCann Worldgroup, which explored consumer behaviour in Singapore.

According to the report, 65% of Singaporeans would rather receive shopping recommendations from AI than from a human.

Moreover, 77% agree that seamless customer service — whether provided by AI or humans—is of utmost importance.

In an intriguing twist, the study also found that half of Singaporeans would be open to forming friendships with robots, highlighting a growing desire for more meaningful connections in the digital age.

An Opportunity for E-Commerce to Evolve

The research shows that AI’s role in e-commerce is far from reaching its full potential.

While many shoppers use AI for recommendations and shopping advice, the gap between perception and reality points to untapped opportunities.

By refining AI features, e-commerce platforms can offer highly tailored shopping experiences that not only meet but exceed customer expectations.

This shift could redefine the future of online shopping in Southeast Asia, creating new avenues for growth, customer loyalty, and user satisfaction.