How to leverage AI in 2026 and beyond

Standing out online is hard, and attracting and retaining D2C customers has become increasingly more challenging. With Mastercard reporting an all-time high basket abandonment rate of 80% in beauty, the time to implement new strategies is now. 

Shoppers often land on a PDP or site page with questions about a product or routine. Those are normally high-intent questions that if unanswered immediately, result in the shopper bouncing.

Renude, an AI company powering specialist customer service for skincare brands and retailers, may just have the answer. Their innovative technology, Skin Chat AI is the recipient of the CEW Digital Innovation Award 2025, and has delivered remarkable results for its customers. Brands are reporting conversion rates of up to 14% from opening the chat to purchase, with a +48% increase in average order value.

This is evidence that customers are looking for clear, personalised advice to build confidence in their purchasing decisions. 51% of shoppers engaging in the on-site advisor by Renude are providing their email address and marketing opt-in permissions, clearly demonstrating a desire for personalised information and follow-up.

The AI conversation continues to grow, yet many brands are struggling to translate these concepts into tangible business results. This challenge led to the launch of Renude Insights, a free quarterly report to bring beauty businesses the latest in AI news, trends and real world applications to impact their bottom line.

This is part of Renude's ongoing mission to help beauty brands understand how AI can be leveraged to improve customer experience, drive sales and inform better business decisions.

Download the first edition of Renude Insights here.    

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