CSA Exclusive: DXL provides AI-based online personalization
The nation’s largest men’s big and tall specialty retailer is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to offer online customers individualized styling and outfitting.
As exclusively previewed to Chain Store Age, Destination XL Group (DXL) is implementing the FindMine retail AI platform to scale its expert styling and outfitting services across its digital environment. Customers can obtain personalized advice on how and whether to wear specific products.
By shifting styling and outfitting offerings from manual merchandising to the FindMine AI content engine, DXL can deliver them in-store and digitally at scale, while maintaining quality of service. In the first few months since launching the FindMine platform, DXL reports it has made a “meaningful” gain in incremental revenue per visitor (as measured in an A/B test), and also improved product discovery and sell-through of strategic product categories.
In its marketing campaigns, DXL achieved a 65% interaction rate and an 8% conversion rate, compared to industry-standard conversion rates closer to 2. Digital styling and outfitting services are delivered across FindMine-supported dynamic and themed landing pages, which incorporate “micro-moments,” such as a current trend toward backyard weddings.
In a recent exclusive interview with Chain Store Age, Harvey Kanter, CEO of DXL, discussed how the company is repositioning its entire brand around delivering a more personalized customer experience. Kanter said DXL is shifting away from being promotional- and discount-driven to offering a proposition that is grounded in comfort, fit and experience.
As part of this shift, Kanter said DXL has invested in outfitting software designed to help customers complete their look digitally and see entire outfit options. Through technology, the company is also making it possible for sales associates to connect with customers and stay in touch with them. According to Kanter, DXL is investing further in clienteling technology to help it build relationships digitally.
“Our shopper is an underserved customer, and he often finds it difficult to outfit and buy clothes at other places due to a lack of broad selection and fit,” said Ujjwal Dhoot, chief marketing officer, DXL Group. “We are most excited about FindMine’s ability to bring to our digital channels the high-touch store service around styling and outfitting that customers have come to expect from our store associates, while saving us significant time and effort in doing so.”
“At FindMine we believe the biggest strategic advantage brands and retailers have is their unique editorial point of view,” said Michelle Bacharach, CEO, FindMine. “That specific way DXL sees fashion is something so unique - but it’s challenging to scale. We are thrilled that DXL has trusted FindMine’s content engine to scale what the DXL style stands for.” Canton, Mass.-based Destination XL Group Inc. (DXL) is the largest retailer of men’s clothing in sizes XL and up, with operations throughout the U.S. as well as in Toronto, Canada. In addition to DXL Big + Tall retail and outlet stores, subsidiaries of DXL also operate Casual Male XL retail and outlet stores, and e-commerce sites, including DXL.com.