Bol lets AI chatbot pick your Christmas gifts

Will a bot be choosing your end-of-year gifts this year? Dutch retailer Bol is introducing its ‘Gift Assistant’, an AI feature that guides customers to the right gift through a short conversation.

“Easier and more personal”

According to Bol, Gift Assistant aims to relieve consumers from the agony of choice they experience when they have to choose a gift. Users say who they want to surprise, what that person likes and what budget they have in mind. The tool then asks targeted follow-up questions about hobbies, interests and the relationship between the giver and the recipient. The more specific the input, the more accurate the recommendations.

Marketing Director Fiona Vanderbroeck emphasises that the tool heralds the next phase in customisation. “With the Gift Assistant, we are taking a big step towards more personalised shopping. The tool understands what someone is looking for and translates that into relevant recommendations. And this is just the beginning: we see that customers increasingly need smart solutions that make online shopping more personal and easier. Thanks to our product knowledge, millions of reviews, and a wide range of products, we can use AI in a valuable way throughout the entire shopping journey.”

The Gift Assistant works entirely within the Bol app: customers can immediately add suggestions to their wish list or order directly. Bol explicitly positions the functionality as a tool for peak periods such as Sinterklaas and Christmas, but also for birthdays and anniversaries. According to the retailer, the tool will continue to evolve as the system is refined based on user feedback and real-time interactions.