Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
The Smart Lab: AI and the Future of E-Commerce
Artificial intelligence uses data to make recommendations and is key to creating a better e-commerce experience, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Artificial intelligence might seem like a complicated thing, but for the purposes of online retail it is actually quite simple.
Artificial intelligence, or AI, works by using data to make recommendations. It is an excellent automation tool that can help people make better decisions faster.
For online retail, it is the key to creating an interactive experience on an e-commerce website.
Interactive Retail
Jewelry shoppers, like all shoppers, are expecting better experiences both in-store and online.
AI-powered tools allow jewelers to bring the interactivity of in-store shopping to the web.
If you are asking why you would bother to add artificial intelligence to your website, then you should know that 79 percent of consumers today find that it’s easier than ever to take their business elsewhere, according to a survey by Salesforce.
Jewelers who offer cutting-edge features stand out from the crowd. With thousands of online jewelry retailers, service that is perceived as inferior is less likely to be tolerated by shoppers.
Artificial Intelligence
When online shoppers visit your website, a lot of data is captured.
This data can tell you whether a visitor is a returning visitor or a new one, the pages a visitor frequently views and even where the customer is viewing your website from. AI tools can quickly track each visitor and offer a personalized experience to each one.
But data tracking is only the beginning of what AI can do.
The simplest AI tools jewelers can implement to improve their websites are live chat and personalized recommendations.
1. Live Chat and Virtual Shopping Assistants
With thousands of companies out there offering outstanding customer experiences, excellent customer service is no longer optional. One of the ways AI can help improve customer service is through live chat and virtual shopping assistants.
Live chat is an incredible tool because it uses AI to interpret and answer customer questions 24/7. That means you’re helping your customers even when your store is closed.
The tool is also great because it is available on every page of your website, which means customers don’t have to navigate away from the item they’re considering.
Live chat is already popular with online shoppers, with 79 percent of shoppers preferring live chat because they do not have to wait on hold.
Additionally, live chat has the highest level of customer satisfaction at 73 percent, compared with 61 percent for email and 44 percent for phone, according to eDigitalResearch.
As an
2. Personalized Recommendations
The best way to delight your customer is by knowing their tastes and showing them what they want to see; this is as true online as it is in the store.
AI can curate product recommendations based on a user’s past search history. This makes your website more engaging while also making a purchase more likely.
Salesforce reports that 59 percent of customers say that creating recommendations based on past history is key to winning their business.
Artificial intelligence presents an opportunity to create personalized, frictionless experiences for your online visitors.
As the digital part of shopping increases in importance and becomes more competitive, it will become difficult for companies not using AI to compete.
If you can determine how AI fits into your digital strategy, you will be poised to take advantage of this powerful technology, and your customers will be happy you did.
Emmanuel Raheb is the CEO of Smart Age Solutions, a digital ad agency and coveted Premier Google Partner. With nearly 18 years’ digital marketing and e-commerce experience, Raheb is passionate about helping and strategically growing national jewelry brands and local retailers alike. Contact him at eraheb@smartagesolutions.com.
The Latest

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.