ShopriteX, the tech-forward innovation wing of the Shoprite Group, has officially launched Pixie, an AI-powered shopping assistant integrated into the Sixty60 app. The feature is currently rolling out in beta, exclusively for Xtra Savings Plus members.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Streaming wars!
Pixie functions as a personalized recommendation engine that analyses purchase history, restocking frequency, and individual preferences to predict what a shopper needs. To streamline the experience, ShopriteX introduced the “Smart Basket” interface—a Tinder-style card system where users swipe down to add an item to their cart or up to dismiss it. The goal is to eliminate the tedious scrolling usually required to find recurring household staples like bread and milk.
The assistant is deeply integrated with the Xtra Savings rewards program, surfacing personalized deals and offers directly within the interface. Addressing data concerns, ShopriteX emphasized that the engine is built on a privacy-first foundation and does not share individual customer data with external parties.
While AI recommendation engines are common in global retail—used by the likes of Instacart and Amazon Fresh—Pixie is notable for being built entirely in-house. A South African team of data scientists, machine-learning engineers, and product designers developed the tool, using the vast repository of Xtra Savings data as its training foundation.
While Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Neil Schreuder suggests that Pixie “handles” shopping for the user, the current beta is primarily a recommendation tool. However, the roadmap for Pixie is ambitious, with planned features including:
See also
- Conversational AI: Direct interaction to build lists.
- Meal Planning: Suggestions based on budget or existing pantry inventory.
- Automatic Reordering: Truly hands-off management of household essentials.
Xtra Savings Plus members can access the Pixie beta immediately, with a wider rollout to the general public expected to follow shortly.
