Sears wants to use artificial intelligence to help to shop for your next tire.
Sears Auto Center announced the pilot launch of its Digital Tire Journey, a web app that uses IBM Watson Natural Language Classifier service to help customers find the best tires that fit their needs. Hoffman Estates-based Sears says that beyond a vehicle's make and model, customers need tires that are built for their everyday routines, and its new AI-powered site is designed to make the shopping experience more efficient.
Rather than using a drop down menu with available selections, Sears' Digital Tire Journey provides tire recommendations based on a customers answer to certain questions. The program asks questions like: "When it comes to tires, what's most important to you?" If someone responds with an answer like, "I am concerned about driving my kids safely," Sears recommends tires with a higher safety rating, the company said.
Sears uses the Watson Natural Language Classifier to understand the driving style of the customer, and recommends tires that are a good match.
"Our vision is to put our members' lives in drive. We do that by investing in people, products and technology to keep them moving safely on the road of life," said Brian Kaner, president of Sears Auto Centers, said in a statement. "The Digital Tire Journey is an innovative service that helps customers cut through the clutter while integrating digital, mobile and online with in-store shopping."
The innovative feature comes amidst a trying time for the once-prominent retail chain. Sears announced earlier this month that it would close 150 stores by the end of March. In September, analysts at Moody’s estimated that Sears' negative cash flow for the 2016 fiscal year would be $1.5 billion, and the company had just $258 million in cash and equivalents on hand, with $3.1 billion in long-term debt, according to the New York Times.
The company also unloaded its Craftsman tools brand in January to Stanley Black & Decker for $900 million.
Screengrab via Sears Digital Tire Journey
