Case Study: Accelerating Time to Market with Merlin AI

A Conversation with Michael Johnson, Senior Vice President of Strategy at an Anonymous Retail Brand

AT A GLANCE

• 50% increase in non-branded search
• One week instead of months to launch in a new market
• 3,500 product descriptions created in minutes

HEADQUARTERS
San Francisco, CA

INDUSTRY
eCommerce and retail

KEY FEATURES USED

• Merlin AI
• AI Chatbots
• Merlin Framework
• Market Research
• Ask Merlin

Introduction

An anonymous leading sustainable fashion brand leveraged Merlin AI to boost its content creation and market responsiveness. We spoke with Michael Johnson, the Senior Vice President of Strategy at the company, to understand how the deployment of Merlin transformed their business operations.

About Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson is the SVP of Strategy at this pioneering eCommerce company specializing in sustainable clothing. Founded in 2012, the company was among the first to introduce eco-friendly fabrics to mainstream fashion. Certified as a B Corporation, the company integrates sustainability into every aspect of its operations.

The Pursuit of Generative AI

Michael explained, "Becoming a certified B Corporation heightened our compliance around sustainability, necessitating more efficient content strategies. We needed a partner to help us create cohesive style guides and content across the company. Merlin was the obvious choice due to its advanced AI capabilities and robust privacy features."

Use of Generative AI in the Company

Michael elaborated, "We use generative AI for any kind of content creation, things that show up in front of the customer. We also envision using generative AI to create hyper-personalized customer experiences, such as tailored product recommendations and personalized website content. The potential applications are limitless."

Prioritizing Initial Use Cases

The company focused initially on structured, low-revenue risk content, such as product descriptions and email subject lines. "These use cases allowed us to experiment without significant negative impact," Michael explained.

Impactful Initial Use Cases

Michael shared, "Our first major success was generating product descriptions. Using Merlin, we saw a 50% increase in non-branded search traffic. Another significant use case was handwritten notes for our personal shopping service. Merlin-created drafts reduced the time stylists spent on handwritten notes by 36%, freeing them to focus on higher-value tasks."

Building AI Chatbots with Merlin AI

Michael highlighted the efficiency gains from Merlin AI: "We can now develop AI chatbots in days, rather than months. The combination of no-code tools and the Merlin Framework allows seamless collaboration between business and engineering teams."

International Expansion

The company recently launched in the Canadian market, streamlined by Merlin AI. "We used Merlin to translate and culturally adapt our content quickly, achieving a nuanced approach for the Canadian audience," Michael noted.

Marketplace Descriptions

Michael described another impactful use case: "We adapted our product descriptions for multiple marketplaces, significantly cutting down the time needed from 20 hours a month to just 20 minutes."

Quick Apps for Teams

Merlin's ease of use inspired the creation of custom quick apps for various tasks. "Creating apps for speaker bios or other repetitive tasks has become simple and efficient, enhancing productivity," Michael stated.

Measuring the Impact of Generative AI

Michael emphasized the importance of early wins: "Merlin AI has brought significant time savings and improved employee satisfaction, fostering a more innovative culture."

AI in Retail and eCommerce

Commenting on future trends, Michael said, "Generative AI will transform customer personalization and content creation, making online shopping more engaging and tailored. The ability to adapt language and recommendations based on customer data will revolutionize customer interactions."

Recommendations for AI Leaders

Michael advised, "To overcome the initial fear and doubt, start with specific, manageable use cases that demonstrate clear value. Fostering an iterative learning environment is crucial."

Future Plans

The company plans to integrate more end users in the AI chatbot development process. "Educating our team on the power of prompting and the capabilities of no-code tools is our next big focus. This will further empower our staff to innovate and solve problems," Michael concluded.

Conclusion

Merlin AI has profoundly impacted the company, enabling faster market entry and more efficient content creation. The company's journey with generative AI underscores the importance of strategic implementation and continuous learning.