Smart Substitution Picker: what this AI agent does and how to use it
Lets shoppers choose acceptable substitutes in advance for online orders when an item is out of stock. Who it's for, the questions it answers, the data it needs and how to switch it on.
Try the Smart Substitution Picker live demo →
What it does
Shoppers rarely know the exact product name. These agents turn a question like "a black dress for a wedding under 80 euros" into real products from your catalog, in the shopper's own language. The Smart Substitution Picker agent is the specialist for this job: lets shoppers choose acceptable substitutes in advance for online orders when an item is out of stock.
Who it's for
Your customers. It runs in the branded shopper assistant on your website (one line of code) or on a shareable link, and through the REST API in your own app or contact centre. Your team can also use it in the console Playground.
Questions it answers
Ask it in any of our languages, for example:
- "Choose substitutes for my order HC-1001 in case items are out of stock"
- "If the yoghurt in HC-1001 is out, what would you swap it for?"
- "How do substitutions work?"
The live demo shows these as sample prompts in your language, on a fictional store's data.
How it works
- It understands the question in the language it was written in, even when your catalog is in another language.
- It looks things up with tools, never from memory:
- Order and delivery status
- Find_substitutes
- Search over your policies and faqs, with citations
- It answers from your data, in your brand voice and currency, and shows which tools it used.
- Rules stay in code. Prices, eligibility and permissions come from your data and settings; the agent explains them and can't invent them. Why this matters.
The data it needs
Orders, Order lines, Products. As soon as these tables are loaded, the agent is ready to switch on. Files can use your own column names: they're mapped automatically. See Connect your data.
Works well with
- Personal Shopper: Finds products by intent, budget, colour and occasion; compares options and recommends the best fits.
- Shop the Look Stylist: Builds a complete, coordinated outfit around any product or occasion using only real catalog items.
- Gift Finder: Turns "who it's for, occasion, budget" into a curated shortlist of gift ideas.
- Product Comparator: Compares 2–4 products side by side on price, colour, category, brand and suitability.
- Beauty Advisor: Recommends makeup, fragrance and personal-care products for a look, occasion or preference.
In the shopper assistant and the Playground, a router reads each message and hands it to the right agent, so connected agents work as one assistant.
Turn it on
- Load the data it needs.
- Install Smart Substitution Picker from the Agent catalog and add your own instructions (guide).
- Test it in the Playground, in every language you serve.
- Go live on your website or a link, or call it from your own app.
New to ServiceBuddy? Start with how onboarding works.
Try it, and related AI Agent Buddies
Shopping & Discovery
Smart Substitution PickerLets shoppers choose acceptable substitutes in advance for online orders when an item is out of stock.
Shopping & Discovery
Personal ShopperFinds products by intent, budget, colour and occasion; compares options and recommends the best fits.
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Shop the Look StylistBuilds a complete, coordinated outfit around any product or occasion using only real catalog items.
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Gift FinderTurns "who it's for, occasion, budget" into a curated shortlist of gift ideas.
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Product ComparatorCompares 2–4 products side by side on price, colour, category, brand and suitability.
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Beauty AdvisorRecommends makeup, fragrance and personal-care products for a look, occasion or preference.
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Size & Fit AdvisorHelps shoppers choose a size from sizing policies and product details.
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Festive Gifting PlannerPlans gifts for Eid, Diwali, Lunar New Year or Christmas by recipient and budget, with one basket per person.
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Budget Basket OptimiserRebuilds a basket to hit a target budget with cheaper equivalents and current deals from the real catalogue.
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Accessible Shopping AssistantHelps shoppers using screen readers or voice: describes products clearly and keeps every step simple.
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Capsule Wardrobe BuilderBuilds a mix-and-match capsule wardrobe from the catalogue around your budget, style and climate.
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Sports Gear Fitting AssistantFits running shoes, sports clothing and kit to your size, level and activity, from the real range.
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Skincare & Make-up Routine BuilderBuilds a simple morning and evening routine by skin type and look, using products from the catalogue.
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Recipe to BasketTurns a recipe or meal idea into a basket of in-stock ingredients, scaled to the number of servings.
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Weekly Meal PlannerPlans a week of meals around budget, dietary needs and current promotions, then builds the shopping list.
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Dietary Filter AssistantFinds products that fit allergies, halal, kosher, vegan or low-sugar needs, explaining each ingredient flag.
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Ramadan Iftar PlannerPlans iftar and suhoor menus for the household with a shopping list built around festive offers.
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