Voice assistants to revolutionise e-commerce

Voice assistants are set to revolutionise e-commerce and become a dominant mode of consumer interaction in the next three years, says a recent report. Surveying over 5,000 consumers in the US, UK, France and Germany, it was found that shoppers who use technology are willing to spend 500 per cent more than they currently do via this mode of interaction.

Retailers and brands that provide good voice assistant experiences will generate more business and positive word-of-mouth communication, according to the report titled 'Conversational Commerce: Why Consumers Are Embracing Voice Assistants in Their Lives' by Capgemini’s Digital Transformation Institute.

The research found that today around a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents would rather use a voice assistant than a website. However, in the next three years, this figure will rise to 40 per cent. Close to a third – 31 per cent – said they will prefer a voice assistant interaction to visiting a shop or a bank branch, compared to 20 per cent today.

It was revealed that voice assistants are most popular among 33-45 year olds, while close to 1 in 5 (17 per cent) have an annual pre-tax household income of more than $100k.

According to the report: "Consumers who use voice assistants are very positive about their experience, with 71 per cent being satisfied with their voice assistant. In particular, 52 per cent of consumers cite convenience, the ability to do things hands-free (48 per cent), and automation of routine shopping tasks (41 per cent) as the biggest reasons why they prefer using voice assistants over mobile apps and websites. The ability for the voice assistant to understand their human user is also critical; 81 per cent of users want the voice assistant to understand their diction and accent."

"Voice assistants will completely revolutionise how brands and consumers interact with each other," Mark Taylor, chief experience officer, Digital Customer Experience practice, at Capgemini said. "What makes voice assistants so exciting is that they are woven into the fabric of our lives, offering a simplicity and richness of interaction that consumers have never experienced before. Brands that are able to capitalise on the huge consumer appetite around voice assistants will not only build closer relationships with their customers, but create significant growth opportunities for themselves."