Dunelm partners with Google Cloud to enhance online shopping experience

In October 2024, Dunelm, a prominent homewares retailer in the UK, announced a significant upgrade to its online shopping platform through a partnership with Google Cloud. This collaboration focuses on implementing a generative AI-driven product discovery solution on Dunelm.com, aimed at enhancing the customer experience by making product searches more efficient and personalized. The initiative began in late 2023 when Dunelm identified the need to modernize its website search capabilities, transitioning from an outdated search engine to Google Cloud's Vertex AI Search for Retail platform. John Gahagan, Dunelm's Chief Technology and Information Officer, emphasized the importance of connecting products with customers more effectively. The early testing of the new AI platform in 2024 showed promising results, including a notable decrease in search friction, with less than 1% of search terms yielding no results. This improvement indicates a more streamlined shopping experience for customers. Dunelm's collaboration with Google Cloud also involved Kin + Carta, a company that assisted in the initial design and experimentation phases of the project. This partnership highlights the transformative potential of generative AI in the retail sector, as Dunelm aims to continue innovating and enhancing its digital offerings. As a result of these advancements, customers can expect increasingly personalized and engaging shopping experiences in the future, positioning Dunelm as a leader in the evolving landscape of online retail.