Gifting retailer to launch ‘voice-activated’ shopping

1-800-Flowers.com continues to embrace the conversational commerce game.



The gifting brand is preparing to launch a program that will enable its customers to place orders via Google Assistant on their Android phones and iPhones. Using their voice or text, they can access a menu of gifting categories, and place orders for delivery nationwide. The service also enables users to specify same-day delivery or schedule a gift’s arrival for a future date.



“As a company, we continue to embrace and invest in technology that makes it easier for gift-givers to shop with us, wherever, whenever and however they choose,” said Amit Shah, the retailer’s chief marketing officer. “Voice interaction and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming the customer experience, and we are thrilled to team up with Google to offer shoppers yet another convenient way to connect with us.”



The Google Assistant joins other recent technology initiatives by 1-800-Flowers.com designed to enhance the customer experience, including the company's first online gift concierge, GWYN (Gifts When You Need) powered by IBM Watson. The company also features services that enables users to order gifts through a conversational chatbot on Facebook Messenger, as well as a voice-enabled Skill on Amazon Alexa.