Target Debuts New Bullseye Gift Finder, an AI Product Recommendation Tool

Target has debuted its new Bullseye Gift Finder, an AI-driven product recommendation tool. It’s a new way to assist shoppers in picking the perfect item in less time than ever before.

The tool, which is available on the retailer’s mobile app and website, generates personalized product recommendations based on age, hobbies, favorite brands, and other criteria, per a company press release. Target launched the tool with a focus on toys and is adding thousands of gift ideas for kids throughout the holiday season. 

Target explained in the release, “Say you select the fields for a 2- to 4-year-old, including options for baby and toddler, focused on toys for creative thinking and sensory development. The tool searches a selection of our toy assortment and recommends a lineup of ideas your giftee will love, from a Vtech Stroll and Discover Activity Walker to Melissa & Doug Ms. Rachel Wooden Learning Blocks and more.”

The retailer is also experimenting with its new generative AI-powered Shopping Assistant. This is a chatbot that answers questions and gives product recommendations to dedicated Bullseye store shoppers.

To try it, customers will find the AI Shopping Assistant option under “About this item” on the product display pages of select brand items when logged into their Target.com account. The assistant answers product questions and provides shopping recommendations.

“Just type a question into the search field and Shopping Assistant does the work. Picking out a new outfit? Gather important info like: ‘Will this shirt shrink in the wash?’ And when shopping beauty items, you can ask for details like, ‘Does this product contain artificial fragrance or dye?’ Shopping Assistant gives you the answers in real time,” the retailer stated.

Target Will Continue To Use AI To Enhance the Shopping Experience

The use of AI tools is Target’s attempt to streamline shoppers’ experiences. In August 2024, the retailer debuted another product to help team members resolve on-the-job challenges. Called Store Companion, the GenAI-powered chatbot quickly answers team members’ on-the-job process questions, coaches new hires, and supports store operations management.

Brett Craig, executive vice president and chief information officer at Target, said of the use of AI in the retail market, “We know technology will continue to play an outsized role in the future of retail — for our team members, our guests, and our business. With that in mind, we’re continually experimenting with new tools to make it even easier for our team to do their jobs and to bring more of what guests love about shopping at Target to life. The transformative nature of GenAI is helping us accelerate the rate of innovation across our operations, and we’re excited about the role these new tools and applications will play in driving growth.”

Mark Schindele, executive vice president and chief stores officer of Target, added that Generative AI is “game-changing technology.” He said that the Store Companion tool “frees up time and attention for our team to serve guests with care and to create a shopping destination that invites discovery, ease, and moments of everyday joy.”