Exclusive Q&A: Hibbett saves sales with visual search
The parent company of Hibbett Sports and City Gear is addressing out-of-stock issues by recommending similar products via visual search.
With most of its sales generated by size-specific footwear products, out-of-stocks pose an especially challenging issue to Hibbett. The specialty athletic retailer had been experiencing difficulty in recommending complementary products when a customer’s first online selection was not in stock.
To address this situation, Hibbett has implemented the Syte Visual Discovery solution on its e-commerce site and app. Now, the retailer can recommend similar products to out-of-stock selections through online image carousels. This has helped Hibbett reduce customer friction and boost its overall online shopping experience.
Specific results Hibbett has achieved from implementing visual search technology include a 162% increase in average revenue per user (ARPU), as well as a 2.4x higher conversion rate and a 9.1% in average order value (AoV).
Chain Store Age recently spoke with Bill Quinn, senior VP of marketing and digital at Hibbett, about the retailer’s experience with visual search technology.
What business issues was Hibbett facing?
In the first half of 2022, there were shortcomings in the global supply chain. Many retailers faced the challenge of increased out-of-stocks. Hibbett sought a solution to reduce friction and offer highly relevant alternatives when a shopper was interested in an out-of-stock item.
What made you select the Syte visual search solution?
Prior attempts at offering product recommendations on the Hibbett website and app didn’t go far enough. In particular, similar item recommendations were not based on how the item actually looked. Equipped with Syte’s technology, we could offer up truly similar items that had similar silhouettes and colors.
How does the solution work and what benefits do you receive (metrics if possible)?
The Syte Visual AI Platform for Retail solution allows Hibbett to eliminate dead-ends and drop-offs by redirecting shoppers to similar suggestions when encountering an out-of-stock item they were looking for. As a result, Syte’s visual AI has enabled Hibbett to improve the shopping experience and increase conversion.
Are there any future plans for visual search you can discuss?
The Syte Visual AI Platform can also be used for outgoing marketing. We are in the process of testing a variety of campaigns that utilize similar item recommendations.
[Read more: Hibbett accepts online returns in-store – from hundreds of retailers]
Hibbett headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., is an athletic-inspired apparel retailer with more than 1,100 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores located in 36 states nationwide.