๐ฆ๐บiTNews AustraliaโขStalecollected in 29m
Bunnings to integrate Google AI Mode for shopping
๐กSee how a major retailer is deploying Google's AI to transform the standard e-commerce shopping experience.
โก 30-Second TL;DR
What Changed
Bunnings will implement Google AI Mode for its retail platform.
Why It Matters
This represents a significant adoption of generative AI in mainstream retail, potentially setting a benchmark for how large-scale retailers handle product discovery.
What To Do Next
Monitor the Google Cloud retail search API documentation to understand how to implement similar conversational commerce features in your own storefront.
Who should care:Enterprise & Security Teams
Key Points
- โขBunnings will implement Google AI Mode for its retail platform.
- โขThe feature is scheduled to roll out within a fortnight.
- โขThe move signals a strategic shift toward conversational commerce in Australian retail.
๐ง Deep Insight
Web-grounded analysis with 17 cited sources.
๐ Enhanced Key Takeaways
- โขBunnings' new AI shopping assistant, named 'Buddy,' is powered by Google's Gemini Enterprise for CX and was launched around Easter weekend 2026, replacing an earlier in-house chatbot that lacked image processing and refined recommendations.
- โขThe 'Buddy' assistant is multimodal, allowing customers to upload photos of handwritten shopping lists or obscure broken parts for visual identification and product location within Bunnings' inventory.
- โขThe upcoming integration will enable customers to not only research products but also select recommended items from Bunnings' catalogue and complete transactions directly through Google AI Mode across Google Search, Chrome, and the Google app.
- โขThis initiative is part of Bunnings' strategic shift towards 'project search,' where the AI recommends all necessary components for a DIY project (e.g., building a deck) and provides links to relevant how-to videos.
๐ Competitor Analysisโธ Show
| Platform/Provider | Key Features | Target Market/Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Mode (with Gemini Enterprise for CX) | Conversational product discovery, virtual try-on, agentic checkout, multimodal input (text, image), project-based recommendations. | Retailers seeking advanced AI-driven customer experiences and direct sales within Google's ecosystem. |
| Heyday AI | Conversational AI platform, online sales assistant (24/7), personalized search/recommendations, connects to product catalog, human agent handover. | Retailers focused on 5-star customer experiences, lead capture, engagement, and conversion. |
| Alhena AI | AI-driven shopping assistant, personalized recommendations, automates customer support (returns, tracking, FAQs), integrates with eCommerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce). | eCommerce businesses aiming to boost customer service and sales. |
| Ochatbot | AI chatbot for eCommerce, product recommendations, overcomes sales obstacles, upsells/cross-sells, abandoned cart recovery, order tracking, NLP conversations. | eCommerce platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Magento) and B2B sales/support. |
| Manychat | Chat marketing platform, automates conversations across Instagram, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, SMS, drag-and-drop builder, integrates with Shopify, Stripe. | Businesses and content creators for engaging customers, generating leads, and driving sales via chat. |
| Drift | Conversational AI platform, engages website visitors, qualifies leads, accelerates sales process via real-time messaging, AI chat agents. | Businesses focused on engaging website visitors, lead qualification, and sales acceleration. |
๐ ๏ธ Technical Deep Dive
- Google AI Mode integrates Google's Gemini capabilities with its extensive Shopping Graph, which comprises over 50 billion product listings and is refreshed billions of times per hour to ensure accuracy.
- It employs a "query fan-out" methodology to deconstruct complex user queries into subtopics, facilitating comprehensive product research and comparisons.
- The platform supports advanced features such as conversational product discovery, virtual try-on (for apparel), and agentic checkout, where the AI can autonomously complete purchase steps.
- Agentic checkout functionalities include adding items to the cart, verifying availability, applying user preferences (e.g., size, color, budget), tracking prices, and processing payments via Google Pay.
- Bunnings' 'Buddy' assistant was specifically developed using Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise for CX, a multimodal solution capable of processing and integrating text, images, video, and audio inputs.
- 'Buddy' is designed to shift the e-commerce experience from simple product search to comprehensive 'project search,' providing recommendations for entire DIY projects and linking to Bunnings' instructional videos.
- Its multimodal capabilities allow it to visually identify products from uploaded images, such as handwritten shopping lists or photographs of specific parts.
๐ฎ Future ImplicationsAI analysis grounded in cited sources
Bunnings' adoption of Google AI Mode will significantly increase its online conversion rates and average order value.
The AI-driven conversational interface and agentic checkout streamline the purchasing process, reduce friction, and enable project-based recommendations, leading to more comprehensive purchases.
The move will accelerate the adoption of agentic commerce across the broader Australian retail sector.
As a prominent Australian retailer, Bunnings' successful implementation will serve as a case study, pressuring competitors to adopt similar AI-powered solutions to meet evolving customer expectations for frictionless, personalized shopping.
Bunnings will leverage customer loyalty data to offer hyper-personalized recommendations through the AI assistant.
The AI assistant is designed with the capability to integrate customer loyalty data with consent, allowing for tailored suggestions based on past purchases and brand preferences.
โณ Timeline
2018
Bunnings launched 'Special Orders Online' in Australia, marking its initial foray into eCommerce.
2018-late
Leah Balter joined Bunnings as CIO, initiating a significant digital transformation and insourcing of technology capabilities.
2020-04
Bunnings rapidly scaled its online offering, including a fully transactional website and the 'Drive & Collect' service, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022-08
Bunnings had built an internal technology team of over 700 people, shifting from a largely outsourced IT operating model.
2026-04-23
Bunnings showcased 'Buddy,' its AI-powered shopping assistant built with Google's Gemini Enterprise for CX, at Google Cloud Next 2026.
2026-03
Bunnings launched its 'Buddy' agentic shopping assistant on its website and app around the Easter weekend.
๐ Sources (17)
Factual claims are grounded in the sources below. Forward-looking analysis is AI-generated interpretation.
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Original source: iTNews Australia โ