Hey folks, I wanted to update you on how I run this online shop, so that you can make an informed purchase.
As you may or may not know, I run this store on Shopify, as do A LOT of merchants. It works well for me, and I hope that on your end, you hardly think about it at all, and are having a smooth process.
You may be familiar with the Shop App, which is part of Shopify. You will have noticed it if you are asked to download the app in order to see your tracking information, for example. It creates a kind of Shopify marketplace, and makes payments and tracking easy from the app, which you have to download. Although I am on Shopify, I have opted out of using Shop. I don't want you to need an app to see your tracking information, and I do not want an AI assistant "helping" you. That's my job. I don't think the Shop App is inherently bad, and probably works well for a lot of folks, but I don't think it is well suited for items that are made to order. I don't think AI can give you good advice on how to get a good fitting ring, etc.
Now Shopify is rolling out Agentic Storefronts, which means shopping via an AI chat.
Full disclosure, I don't willfully use AI. I know about ChatGPT, etc., but I haven't used any of it, so if I get some terms wrong, please forgive me. I will probably sound like I do to my teenagers when I use modern slang incorrectly. *cringe*
Back to what I was saying about Agentic Storefronts. The idea is that a person can ask ChatGPT advice on buying a gift for someone, and in my case, let's say it's for a knitter who likes jewelry. ChatGPT can recommend my Knitting Needle Gauge Ring, and the person can buy the ring without leaving the chat. Just buy it without ever needing to click a link to my site. Okay, but what if that person needs help with sizing, or choosing a ring that reflects that knitter's preferences, and ChatGPT gives them bad advice. Or maybe the person impulsively buys it without taking the time to see what their options are, or thinks I have everything in stock ready to ship, and gets made when they have to wait a couple of weeks. I think you get the idea. We are right back at AI giving advice it is probably not well suited to give. And, again, I am here for you to answer your questions about the jewelry that I lovingly make one piece at a time by hand. I don't want you to feel rushed or pressured, or even misled by an AI bot.
So, I will be opting out of the agentic storefronts. I am not anti-technology at all, and to a degree I am not anti-AI. I think it has real uses, but is getting shopping, or any kind of advice a good use? I think not, and I especially think not for hand-made jewelry (and art in general.)
Besides, will AI ever try to sell you "This Machine Kills Fascists" necklaces?
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