Square Gives Merchants New AI Tools

Square has added pre-built website design templates and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated product descriptions to its range of eCommerce tools.

The features are among several new solutions Square has added for sellers, the commerce and financial services company said in a Tuesday (Sept. 26) press release.

The new pre-built site design templates for Square Online, dubbed Themes, allow sellers to create unique and on-brand websites, according to the release. With 19 templates and customizable options such as colors, fonts, layouts and buttons, businesses can tailor their website to match their brand aesthetic.

Another new solution, AI-generated product descriptions for Square for Retail, assists sellers in writing titles and descriptions for new products, the release said. The AI-generated descriptions evolve to become specifically tailored for each business, enabling them to create content for their customers in half the time.

Square for Retail has also launched new features to streamline inventory management, per the release. Sellers can now archive old items, ensuring their inventory is organized and updated with seasonal products. The integration of barcode label printing into operational workflows, such as purchase orders and inventory receipts, simplifies the preparation of products for sale.

To facilitate efficient fulfillment, Square has introduced a new Shipments Page that allows sellers to centralize their shipping tasks for in-store orders, Square Online purchases and Square Subscriptions, according to the release. Integration with Shippo further simplifies order fulfillment and empowers sellers to optimize their shipping operations. Square for Retail’s checkout interface has also been enhanced to integrate multiple fulfillment options while auto-calculating taxes based on order shipping destinations.

To maximize customer engagement and retention, Square has introduced new features dedicated to expanding consumer touchpoints, the release said. House Accounts allow business regulars and corporate clients to charge purchases to a deferred payment account. Square’s Text Message Marketing now supports images and GIFs, engaging customers who prefer mobile shopping or messaging. Retail Bundles enable sellers to offer holiday gift baskets with multiple items. Additionally, Group eGift Cards make it easier for individuals to contribute to a group present.

Square CEO Jack Dorsey said in May that there is potential for the company’s commerce and financial services to further penetrate the retail, restaurant and beauty verticals.

During a quarterly earnings call, Dorsey said “the key differentiator to our mind is our ecosystem of tools. And it’s not just about any one particular vertical but how everything works together ultimately.”

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