Recovering Lost Sales with Smart Substitutions

Gabriel Nipote
General Manager, Wynshop

We’ve all been there: you’re in the middle of your online grocery shop, everything’s going smoothly, and then you hit a snag—your go-to brand of Greek yogurt is out of stock. Frustrating, right? For many shoppers, this is where the experience takes a nosedive. They abandon their cart, move on to another retailer, or simply give up on that purchase altogether. For grocery retailers, this seemingly small hiccup can result in significant lost sales, not to mention a hit to customer loyalty. But what if there was a way to turn this problem into an opportunity? That’s where smart substitutions come in.

Most substitutions in the industry today are left to the personal discretion of the gig worker or store associate picking and packing the order—someone who often knows nothing about the end user’s preferences. This manual approach not only risks disappointing the shopper but also leads to inefficiencies in the order fulfillment process. That is why we have invested in pioneering AI-driven, context-aware substitutions that understand the shopper’s preferences and offer alternatives that feel personalized and relevant. It’s about more than just filling a gap—it’s about recovering lost sales, saving labor, and enhancing the overall shopping experience in a way that keeps customers coming back.

Here’s how it works:

Halla Intelligence from Wynshop uses advanced AI models to analyze a shopper’s past behavior, preferences, and even the context of their current shopping session. Let’s say that Greek yogurt pops up. Instead of leaving the choice to a store associate who might substitute it with the first available option, our AI considers what’s important to the shopper—is it the organic label? The low sugar content? Or maybe it’s the specific flavor profile they always go for. By understanding these nuances, the AI makes a substitution that the shopper is much more likely to accept. This isn’t just about avoiding cart abandonment; it’s about creating a seamless experience that feels almost tailor-made for the shopper.

But there’s more at play here. Smart substitutions significantly reduce the labor involved in order fulfillment. Instead of relying on individual pickers to make judgment calls, which can vary widely in quality and consistency, AI handles the heavy lifting. The result? More accurate orders, fewer mistakes, and a faster, more efficient picking process. In a world where every minute counts, particularly in high-volume grocery operations, this translates to substantial labor savings and a smoother operation overall.

Let’s look at the numbers. Cart abandonment is a major issue in online grocery, with estimates suggesting that around 70% of online carts are abandoned before checkout (Baymard Institute). That’s a huge chunk of potential revenue slipping through the cracks. But with smart substitutions, retailers see significant reductions in cart abandonment rates. In fact, grocers using the Halla AI-powered substitution engine see a material recovery in sales that would have otherwise been lost due to out-of-stock items. That’s real money being brought back into the business, not to mention the boost in customer satisfaction and loyalty.

And when you consistently deliver a positive experience, even when preferred items aren’t available, customers are more likely to return. It’s simple: happy customers equal repeat customers, and repeat customers drive sustainable growth.

In a market where every sale counts, smart substitutions aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re an absolute must. By leveraging AI to make thoughtful, context-aware recommendations, retailers can recover lost sales, reduce labor costs, and provide a shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and loyal. At Wynshop, with the patent-pending technology powering Halla Intelligence, we’re leading the charge in ensuring no sale—or customer—is left behind.