Kentucky Horsewear uses AI as a sales assistant: “From searching to selecting, both online and in-store”

(Advertorial) Generative AI is increasingly pushing retail toward a dynamic, advice-driven shopping experience: less filtering and scrolling, more guidance based on context and intent. This shift is also evident in the fashion industry, where AI is shortening the path from inspiration to purchase.

Kentucky Horsewear is now translating this evolution into a very concrete application: an AI product assistant that helps customers make choices, both on the website and in the physical store. According to CEO Thomas Tuytens, the premise is simple: “Our customers aren’t looking for a list of products; they’re looking for certainty. In our category, product selection is complex, and you want to know right away what best suits your situation.”

Why now

The main trigger is growth. Kentucky Horsewear has significantly expanded its product range recently, meaning customers don’t always know what’s available, let alone what the right product is for their situation. “We noticed that customers often ask the same questions, and that they don’t always realize what solutions we have in-house,” says Tuytens. “So you want an experience that helps them discover options and provides immediate guidance.”

Prompt in, product advice out

The AI assistant works like a digital sales advisor. Customers can describe what they need in plain language and receive immediate product advice. Two typical examples:

A customer types: “My horse has been feeling cold lately; what do I need?” The assistant then suggests specific options, such as a suitable blanket based on usage and conditions, and immediately lists relevant add-ons, such as an underblanket or neck cover.

Another question: “I’m starting to ride—what do I need?” The assistant then creates a practical starter list by product category, guiding customers more quickly to the right choices.

“You no longer have to filter until you get lost,” says Tuytens. “You describe what you need, and you get immediate guidance.”

One experience across all channels

It’s worth noting that Kentucky Horsewear doesn’t just use the assistant online. In-store, it also serves as extra support for both customers and staff, especially during peak times. “It works like an extra colleague. It helps us provide advice faster and makes our product knowledge immediately available,” says Tuytens.

This omnichannel approach fits into a broader trend where retailers use AI to be more relevant without being intrusive, while simultaneously improving service.

Initial Impact

In an initial test phase, Kentucky Horsewear has observed a number of indicative effects among visitors and shoppers who use the assistant: 46% higher conversion rate within the group that actively uses the assistant

Technology

The AI product assistant was developed in collaboration with Taglayer, which helps retailers automate product recommendations and conversion guidance via AI.

Making product knowledge scalable

“Ultimately, it’s all about confidence in choice,” concludes Tuytens. “If customers can explain what they need in a single sentence, we need to be able to guide them straight to the right solution, both online and in-store.”