Artificial intelligence in e-commerce and for bicycle purchases

Racing bikes, trekking or mountain bikes, cargo bikes or pedelecs for everyone who wants to cycle long distances – the range from internet stores is huge. According to the company, it includes 140,000 products and 1,400 brands. As a multi-channel specialist dealer for bikes and outdoors, the company likes to describe itself as the leading bicycle dealer in Europe.

Size matters

Now that spring is slowly approaching and with it the 2022 bike season, the bike dealer is relying on a very special service. With artificial intelligence, the bike retailer wants to give its customers an unforgettable shopping experience. Because when buying a bike, the right frame size is important. If it’s too small or too big, cycling becomes a feat of strength. Accuracy is the keyword. Experienced bike fans have a feel for whether a frame fits. Inexperienced people don’t. Then it is not easy to find the right bike online.

Artificial intelligence in e-commerce

The solution that the specialist bicycle dealer now offers its customers is called: “MQ Fit Bike”. It was created in cooperation with Motesque – an expert for scientific technology solutions in stationary as well as online trade and health tech. In order for MQ Fit Bike to be able to determine the correct frame size, the artificial intelligence of the solution accesses thousands of data sets from different bicycle and e-bike models. They come from the portfolio of the bike shops of internet stores. “If the model you want isn’t available in the size you need, suitable alternatives from the right environment are automatically offered,” explains Thomas Spengler, Managing Director of Internetstores. The company justifies that customers no longer have to leave the shop without the bike they want.

Experience online and offline

Spengler is visibly proud of the new solution. The database for the new customer service does not come from the experiences from the online store. Customer requests from the analogue stores in Düsseldorf, Berlin, Dortmund, Hamburg and Stuttgart have also been incorporated. As a result, the bicycle dealer knows that the right frame size for your new favorite bike still requires a lot of advice. According to its own statements, Internetstores is the first company in the world to offer this digital service.

How does MQ Fit Bike work?

The solution is in Germany below Fahrrad.de available – the webshop of Internetstores. If you want to use them, you need two full-body photos. Customers can either record them themselves or upload them using an input mask. The software records all important body data such as height, shoulder width and stride length. From this she creates an avatar. Prof. Dr. Kai Oberländer, co-founder and CEO of Motesque explains: “This then simulates the ride on the desired bike online with different saddle heights, frame sizes, etc. and thus determines the perfect configuration for the respective customer within a few seconds”.

And the returns?

Artificial intelligence in e-commerce should therefore offer the customer a memorable shopping experience. But it is also suitable for minimizing the number of returns. Because it is well known that perfectly fitting products are returned less frequently. But customers need not fear. You too can return the bike you selected with AI – within 30 days. As Internetstores emphasizes at no cost.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence in e-commerce is suitable for enhancing the shopping experience of customers and offers a tailor-made online experience that could otherwise only be guaranteed through personal advice from a customer advisor. In the coming months, more online retailers will definitely discover the advantages of AI for customer service.

Christiane Manow-Le Ruyet

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