CHICAGO -- Retale, a leader in mobile shopping experiences, has launched a voice-activated chatbot, Retale Go, that is expected to improve the way consumers interact with retailer brands in their home. Now available in the Google App Store and in the Amazon Skills Store later this week, Retale Go is a shopping information assistant for Amazon Echo and Google Home users.
Consumers can use Retale Go to access local shopping information by asking their Amazon Echo or Google Home devices. Integrated directly with the Retale platform, users can request store information from more than 320,000 locations in its network of retailer partners in the United States.
For example, after launching Retale Go, users can ask for:
- Store hours: “Alexa, ask Retale Go what time Macy’s closes today."
- Store location information: “OK, Google, ask Retale Go what’s the address of my closest CVS.”
- Store phone number: “Alexa, ask Retale Go what JCPenney’s phone number is.”
- Deal information: "OK, Google, ask Retale Go if there are any deals at Meijer."
Implementation is seamless, according to the company. Users simply add Retale Go from the Amazon Skills Store or ask Google Home to begin using the technology. Although operating through Retale’s platform and data, Retale Go works regardless of whether Echo and Google Home users have downloaded the Retale mobile app for their smartphone or tablet.
“At Retale, we are constantly looking for ways in which we can integrate our services with forward-thinking technology to deliver better shopping experiences to consumers,” said Dan Cripe, chief technology officer of Retale. “Web and apps are a fantastic foundation, but voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home are the biggest disruptive wave since the smartphone, greatly expanding access to information.”
Retale Go moves Retale’s shopping services beyond traditional web and mobile platforms, connecting home assistant users to Retale’s customer roster that features more than 5,200 of the world’s retailers. Smart speakers are in more than 8 million U.S. households, and this tool offers a new way for consumers to interact with brands.
“Voice interfaces, aside from being really cool, enable natural interactions that simply don’t happen via other channels. By fitting into the natural flow of a person’s life, voice technology provides a convenient, hands-free and instant conversation between consumers and brands,” Cripe said. “Google voice search queries are up more than seven times since 2010. As the personalization and context-driven nature of this technology continues to expand, the use cases between retailer and users are endless.”
Founded in 2013, Chicago-based Retale allows 26 million active users worldwide to discover and receive savings through weekly ads and coupons. All information is location-based, making it possible for shoppers to find offers on products at the location most convenient for them.
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