We all have something we want to buy online. I prefer to buy experiences instead of earrings, but I do enjoy adding pieces to my wardrobe. Clothes that last, like timeless Levi’s jeans, a black blazer, a warm coat for New York winters, colorful pants to welcome the spring — I tend to build my outfits around staple pieces I fall in love with.
The problem is, these items tend to cost more because they’re higher quality. So when I heard that “buy now, pay later” leader Klarna had launched an artificial intelligence shopping assistant that helps compare products to find the best price for you, I was intrigued. It also has access to reviews and is able to answer your questions.
What is Klarna’s AI tool?
Klarna was founded in 2005 and logs about 2 million transactions per day. Its AI shopping assistant is powered by OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT and Dall-E. It’s available free in the Klarna app.
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said in an interview with Bloomberg late last year that he believes in AI so much that he thinks “AI can already do all of the jobs that we as humans do.”
For now, let’s see if Klarna AI can help me save on a new black bag for my city coworking days.
Setting up with Klarna AI
I downloaded the Klarna app and created an account. If you already use Klarna, you can start using the AI assistant immediately — click on the chat icon in the top right-hand corner.
It looks like any other AI chatbot with an “ask a question” section, as well as prepopulated prompts such as “compare Nike and Adidas shoes,” “show me the best coffee machines” and “most popular wireless headphones.” You can also click on Shop to browse and compare products, alongside the AI assistant.
First, I wanted to try out the AI to see how it would do finding me a black bag that’s stylish and functional. I needed to replace my Kate Spade handbag that hurts my shoulder when I carry my laptop in it.
This became my first prompt:
“I have a black Kate Spade handbag with a laptop slip. I love the style, but I need to switch to a backpack for better shoulder support. This is a look I like from the brand, Cole Haan. Can you provide similar options, compare the reviews, and find the best option under $300?”
Off the bat, it found four options I liked that were $50 to $100 cheaper than the link I supplied. It understood that I was looking for a “chic” backpack. Then I selected the top two and the result came up as out of stock, which was frustrating.
I checked one style that was available and Klarna AI generated a graph to help me understand if the price was high, low or standard.
In my follow-up prompt, I told the Klarna AI that the styles I wanted were out of stock and to provide more options. It asked me to select similar brands I like. I didn’t love the second options so next I requested “boho styles” and prepopulated brands to choose.
I found one I liked at a good price. But again, it was out of stock.
Then I tried a more general prompt: “women’s premium leather backpack for work.” It did better this time.
I asked the AI assistant a question about the size, and it generated the key features, which included “plenty of room to store a 13-inch MacBook Pro.”
Next, I asked Klarna AI to check the reviews. It told me the product has a 4.7 rating out of five stars, with 379 reviews. I went to the Michael Kors website to verify this, and it was correct.
I also found that the bag was 80% off. It was $498, marked down to $99. When I started the search for a new bag, I had the $328 Cole Haan backpack in mind but was more than happy to find this $99 Michael Kors alternative that I liked just as much — and that would save me $229.
My verdict on Klarna AI
Like other AI tools, Klarna’s AI assistant was a fun shopping partner. While Klarna needs to fix some bugs, such as not showing out-of-stock items, it was helpful to be able to chat about a product I was planning to buy.
It made the shopping experience more interactive and more informed. While I don’t think it should be a consumer’s only search tool, it can play a part.
You don’t need to put the purchase on a Klarna installment plan. The AI assistant can be used purely as a research partner. It helped me save $229 by finding a backpack at a better price — in less than 30 minutes.
That’s a pretty good deal if you ask me.
Pros and cons of using Klarna AI for online shopping
Cons
- It generated results that, when I clicked on them, came up as being out of stock on seller websites.
- Specific prompts don’t always generate super accurate results, so use more general prompts.
Pros
- Klarna AI can generate the key features of the product you’re searching for, such as whether a backpack can fit your specific laptop.
- Klarna AI can also summarize reviews and ratings online of the product you’re looking for.
- It can provide you with some good alternatives that are similar to (and cheaper than!) the product you’re hoping to buy.
