German bookshop chain Thalia harnesses AI for business growth

German bookshop chain Thalia has revealed plans to integrate an AI tool into its e-commerce website, with the aim of aiding business growth and improving product discovery for customers.

Headquartered in Hagen, Thalia has more than 500 bookshops across German-speaking countries, 6,500 employees and a significant digital presence comprising its website and app. Over the next three years the chain plans to double its marketplace from 20 million items to 40 million items. In order to achieve this, Thalia has announced a new partnership with the AI platform Coveo, with the aim of improving product discovery, delivering more personalised book recommendations and reducing manual site maintenance.

Thalia chief customer officer Roland Kölbl commented: "Coveo is exactly the right partner for us. With their decade of AI experience, AI search and recommendations, and strength in security, Coveo is the best option to effectively support our strong growth targets in the digital sector."

Nick Bowles, m.d. for EMEA at Coveo, added: "Thalia understands the importance of integrating AI into their commerce experience to create remarkable customer experiences. Providing relevant, personalised search and recommendations for brands with large and diverse catalogues even when a shopper is not logged in is where Coveo’s AI platform really shines. We have no doubt that Thalia shoppers will enjoy the new experience and return time and time again.”

Thalia’s new AI-powered website will be rolled out later this year.