Salesforce unveils AI-powered unified Commerce Cloud platform

Salesforce announced the release of its next generation Commerce Cloud, which aims to unify various elements of commerce such as B2C, DTC, and B2B Commerce, Order Management, and Payments on a single, integrated platform. The platform is powered by enterprise-wide data and artificial intelligence (AI).

This new iteration of Commerce Cloud includes several innovations, most notably the introduction of three Agentforce agents - Merchant, Buyer, and Personal Shopper. These agents are designed to augment commerce experiences by managing tasks autonomously, such as recommending products and looking up orders without requiring human intervention. These agents utilise a wealth of data, including in-store and digital interactions, orders, inventory, customer reviews, unified customer profiles, and CRM data to enhance operational efficiency and drive productivity. The agents are compliant with privacy and security guidelines.

Michael Affronti, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Commerce Cloud, commented on the new release. "Commerce Cloud embodies unified commerce - giving businesses a single, integrated platform that brings every part of the commerce journey together with Agentforce agents to unlock new revenue opportunities and AI-powered efficiency, delivering consistent, personalised experiences across every channel."

Affronti further explained that traditional point solutions often result in isolated parts of a business, termed as 'commerce islands', which can lead to fragmented customer journeys and missed revenue opportunities. Unifying all commerce systems and data enables businesses to personalise interactions with AI, thereby boosting customer loyalty and revenue opportunities, a necessity in today's market. Research from Adyen suggests that adopting unified commerce strategies presents a USD $1.5 trillion opportunity for global retailers.

The new Commerce Cloud also integrates functionalities from Sales, Service, and Marketing Cloud. For instance, leveraging Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud enables businesses to create precise marketing segments with detailed engagement and purchase data to deliver highly personalised offers. Integration with Service Cloud lets service agents handle orders, process returns, and place orders on behalf of customers within the customer service console. Revenue Cloud integration allows businesses to manage product bundles, digital subscriptions, and recurring billing invoices.

The Agentforce agents promise to bring autonomy and agility to business operations. The Merchant agent, for instance, helps manage e-commerce sites through easy conversational setups and goal setting, handling tasks like generating personalised promotions and product descriptions. The Personal Shopper agent acts as a digital concierge, providing shoppers with personalised assistance on e-commerce sites and messaging apps like WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the Buyer agent provides an autonomous shopping experience for B2B buyers, making it easy to find products and place orders with pre-negotiated pricing through chat or messaging channels.

Key new capabilities of Commerce Cloud include In-store Inventory Planning, Seamless D2C Consumer Experiences, and the integration of Amazon's "Buy with Prime" service. In-store Inventory Planning offers real-time inventory data and precise predictions through Data Cloud, enabling customer service reps to add items directly to customers' carts during support interactions. The Seamless D2C Consumer Experiences feature optimises site components for faster page loads and responsiveness. The Amazon "Buy with Prime" integration allows businesses to leverage Amazon's fulfilment network and Prime brand for fast, reliable delivery and easy refunds.

The enhancements also feature Salesforce Checkout for faster transactions with one-click checkout, and expanded payment methods including Amazon Pay and Link by Stripe. Furthermore, a new partnership with Stripe and an integration with Adyen provide flexibility for merchants to connect their existing payment providers without needing to recontract or switch providers.

Frank DeMaria, Vice President of Digital Engineering & Platforms at MillerKnoll, shared his insights on the new platform. "We are focused on offering personalised experiences to each and every customer to meet their unique needs. Embracing the complete power of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and its connection to sales, service, marketing, and more, helps us create a unified experience across our portfolio of brands. We're already seeing the increase in online sales and customer satisfaction."