Retail & E-commerce Case Studies

Real-world results from leading retail organizations

Intelligent Recommendation Engine

Major Fashion E-commerce Platform

A leading fashion e-commerce platform struggled with low conversion rates despite high traffic. Their rule-based recommendation system produced generic suggestions that failed to account for individual style preferences, browsing context, or seasonal trends. Customers frequently abandoned shopping sessions without finding products that matched their tastes.

The Challenge

  • Browse-to-purchase conversion rate stuck at 2.1%
  • Rule-based recommendations with single-digit click-through
  • Unable to personalize for new visitors without history
  • No cross-sell recommendations in checkout flow

Results

35%
Conversion Increase
2.1% to 2.8% conversion rate
28%
Higher AOV
Average order value increase
4x
Recommendation CTR
From 3% to 12% click-through

Solution Highlights

Orion AI deployed a deep learning recommendation engine that analyzes browsing behavior, purchase history, and product attributes in real-time. The system personalizes recommendations within the first few clicks, even for anonymous visitors, by detecting style preferences from browsing patterns. Contextual recommendations adapt to session behavior—showing outfit completers on product pages and complementary items at checkout. Continuous A/B testing automatically optimizes recommendation strategies across customer segments.

Intelligent Inventory Management

Regional Grocery Chain

A regional grocery chain operating 200+ stores struggled with the classic retail dilemma: stockouts on fast-moving items frustrated customers while slow-moving products sat on shelves, tying up capital and creating waste—especially in fresh categories. Manual replenishment planning couldn't keep pace with demand variability across locations.

The Challenge

  • 8% average stockout rate on top-selling items
  • $12M annual inventory write-off from spoilage
  • Store managers spent 6+ hours weekly on ordering
  • No visibility into demand variations across locations

Results

65%
Stockout Reduction
8% to 2.8% stockout rate
45%
Waste Reduction
$5.4M annual savings on spoilage
80%
Planning Time Saved
Automated replenishment

Solution Highlights

Orion AI implemented an intelligent demand forecasting system that predicts daily demand at the SKU-store level, accounting for local events, weather, promotions, and competitive activity. The system generates automated replenishment orders optimized for service level and inventory cost, with special handling for perishables to minimize waste. Store managers receive exception-based alerts only when intervention is needed, freeing them to focus on customer service.

Intelligent Customer Service

Consumer Electronics Retailer

A consumer electronics retailer faced rapidly growing customer service volumes as their online business expanded. The support team handled everything from simple order status queries to complex product troubleshooting. Wait times were climbing, customer satisfaction was declining, and hiring and training enough agents to meet demand proved unsustainable.

The Challenge

  • Average chat wait time exceeded 12 minutes
  • 60% of inquiries were routine order/return questions
  • New agent training took 8 weeks to full productivity
  • Customer satisfaction scores declining quarter-over-quarter

Results

<30s
Response Time
For AI-handled inquiries
72%
Automated Resolution
Without human intervention
18pts
CSAT Improvement
Customer satisfaction increase

Solution Highlights

Orion AI deployed an intelligent customer service platform that handles order status, returns, shipping inquiries, and basic product questions automatically across chat and email channels. The system integrates directly with order management and product information systems for accurate, real-time responses. Complex technical issues are seamlessly escalated to human agents with full context, reducing handling time even for escalated cases. AI-assisted response suggestions help human agents resolve remaining issues faster.

Store Analytics Platform

Specialty Retail Chain

A specialty retail chain with 150 locations lacked visibility into what was actually happening in their stores. Traffic counters provided basic footfall data, but understanding customer behavior, conversion patterns, and staff effectiveness remained a mystery. Performance comparisons across stores relied on sales data alone, missing critical operational factors.

The Challenge

  • No visibility into customer traffic patterns throughout the day
  • Store conversion rates unknown beyond sales/traffic ratio
  • Staff scheduling based on intuition, not traffic patterns
  • Monthly performance reports arrived 3+ weeks after month end

Results

15%
Conversion Increase
Optimized staff-to-traffic alignment
Real-Time
Performance Visibility
Dashboards updated continuously
12%
Labor Cost Reduction
Through optimized scheduling

Solution Highlights

Orion AI built a comprehensive store analytics platform that integrates traffic sensors, POS data, and workforce management systems into a unified view. The platform provides real-time dashboards showing traffic patterns, conversion funnels, and staff productivity. AI-powered scheduling recommendations align staffing levels with predicted traffic, ensuring adequate coverage during peak periods while reducing overstaffing during slow times. Heat map analytics reveal customer flow patterns, informing store layout and merchandising decisions.