I had a simple question: “Which stores sell sustainable sneakers?”
In most malls and large department stores, this is where the wandering begins.
You check a directory. You Google it. You move between floors, departments, and brand corners that might have what you want. Finally, you give up and order a pair on your phone while standing in the food court.
That’s not just a bad customer experience. It’s a systemic failure.
Industry data shows that 58% of visitors leave shopping centers without buying. Not because they didn’t want to buy, but because they couldn’t find what they wanted. Anchor stores attract more than 45% of total foot traffic, and small brands (with higher conversion rates) remain invisible.
When a customer spends ten minutes on Amazon, Amazon knows their intent, their price sensitivity, and their likely next purchase. When a customer spends two hours moving through your mall or department store, what do you know?
Nothing.
You’re operating a multi-million-dollar asset with your eyes closed.
Every unanswered question in your hallways is lost revenue that evaporates the moment the visitor leaves. Because that intent is invisible, there’s no way to intervene in real time — no way to guide demand, help smaller tenants, or turn browsing into buying.
But this mall was different.
.avif)
Instead of a static directory or a generic chatbot, it was powered by AI Findr, an AI agent designed specifically for physical retail.
I asked my question.
The assistant responded instantly:
“Three stores carry sustainable sneakers. Footworks (Level 2) has the largest selection and a 20% flash sale today. EcoStyle (Level 3) specializes in vegan leather. Want a map?”
I asked about prices.
It compared them.
It showed inventory photos.
After I picked a pair, it added something unexpected:
“There’s a new Root & Bloom juice bar next to Footworks. Since you value sustainability, you might like their Green Press. Want a 20% off voucher?”
I bought the sneakers.
I bought the juice.
I downloaded the app.
OK, wow. I’m never shopping in a mall without AI again.
And that’s how users engaging with AI convert at 30% higher rates than everyone else strolling through your mall.
When Conversational AI Knows Your Business
Not all conversational AI creates this kind of experience.
AI Findr works because it does three things most systems don’t:
- It understands intent, not just keywords
- It maintains context across a conversation instead of restarting every query
- It connects to live systems, so answers reflect real inventory and pricing
That’s why 75% of users ask follow-up questions, a signal that the system is actually useful.
The Advantages of Conversational AI in Retail
One conversational layer runs 24/7 across stores, departments, and brand partners. It handles questions, guides shoppers, and turns every interaction into first-party demand data you can actually use.
Instead of all traffic flowing to anchor tenants, visitors are guided to the right store for their needs—lifting conversion across the long tail and monetizing previously invisible corners of the mall.
When visitors find what they’re looking for faster and with less friction, they come back more often—and start choosing your center over others.
Owning the point of search means owning intent. Just as Amazon built a massive advertising business, operators can offer sponsored discovery, proximity-based offers, and premium placement—powered by first-party data.
Intent data accumulates quickly. The first operator in a region builds a durable lead: demand insights, proven conversion lift, and a loyal returning audience that competitors struggle to displace.
Most centers recover the investment in weeks, not quarters. Even with only 3–5% visitor adoption, first-year ROI typically reaches 700–2,000%.
Savings show up first. Conversion lift follows. New revenue comes next. And adoption compounds it all.
%20(1).avif)
For Retail Operators, the Game is Changing
With a small investment, the operators implementing AI search this year are permanently changing how physical retail feels and is consumed.
Customers feel guided instead of lost.
Preferences are remembered instead of ignored.
The space responds to them instead of overwhelming them.
Once shoppers experience a personal shopper in the palm of their hand, it’s hard to go back to wandering.
