Zero clicks: how does PIM boost voice and conversational commerce?

Commerce is entering a new era: that of zero clicks, where interaction with brands no longer necessarily involves a screen or a classic product sheet. Consumers are getting used to interacting via voice assistants, AI chatbots or embedded interfaces, whether on smartphones, connected speakers or instant messaging. Search is becoming conversational, instantaneous, fluid - and invisible.

In this context, brands need to be able to provide reliable, consistent and enriched answers, without a graphical interface to support them. The stakes are high: poor information or a lack of clarity in a conversational channel can immediately damage the experience.

This article explores how PIM (Product Information Management) is becoming a strategic foundation for structuring, adapting and distributing product data in the zero-click era, and supporting new conversational and vocal uses.

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Zero clicks: a new user experience paradigm

At a time when speed and fluidity are paramount in the customer journey, a new mode of interaction is essential: zero clicks. 

This expression designates an experience in which the user accesses information or performs an action without having to click, and sometimes without even using a screen. It's the culmination of a logic of minimal friction in digital uses.

Examples of "zero clicks": 

This phenomenon is embodied in several fast-growing types of interaction:

• Voice searches, performed via smartphone or connected speaker (Google Home, Alexa, Siri), which provide an immediate verbal response;
• Conversational chatbots, present on platforms such as WhatsApp, Messenger, or directly on e-commerce sites, which guide the user in a few messages ;
• Headless interfaces, embedded in applications or connected objects, which do away with the traditional interface in favor of a fluid, invisible experience.

The impact on the purchasing process

Zero clicks radically transform consumer expectations. They are looking for instant, contextualized answers, without having to navigate between several pages. This simplification of the customer journey presupposes that the brand is able to deliver precise, reliable and synthetic product information directly via these channels.

In this context, companies need to rethink the way they structure and distribute their content. This is where PIM comes into play as an indispensable foundation for these new conversational experiences.

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The challenges of zero clicks

While zero clicks offer the promise of an ultra-smooth consumer experience, they also impose new technical and strategic challenges on brands and e-commerce players. In a world where users expect instant answers, companies need to provide structured, clear and relevant product information... from the very first interaction.

Less space, more demands

Vocalized or conversational channels leave no room for approximation. Unlike a traditional product sheet, the information transmitted must :

• Be synthetic: the short voice or text format forces you to get to the point;
• Be contextual: conversational AI must be able to adapt the response according to the intention expressed;
• Be reliable and consistent: poor product data leads to poor recommendations, and therefore an immediate loss of trust.

Structuring for a better response

In a zero-click logic, the organization of product data becomes critical. Without a single repository, it's impossible to guarantee that the right information is passed on to all channels: chatbot, voice assistant, internal search engine, etc.

This is where the need for a robust foundation such as a PIM comes in. By centralizing and structuring product data, it enables these new contact points to be fed intelligently and automatically.

Zero clicks is not just a UX issue: it's a question of product data governance.

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PIM as a structuring base for zero-click interactions

To meet zero-click requirements, brands need to rely on a solid product information management foundation: the PIM. This system centralizes, structures and enriches all product data (descriptions, attributes, visuals, technical data sheets, etc.), while ensuring consistency across all channels.

In a vocal or conversational environment, the PIM enables the creation of adapted versions of product content: short formats, channel-specific responses, real-time updates. Thanks to APIs, this data can be accessed directly by chatbots, voice assistants or internal search engines.

In this way, the PIM becomes a strategic building block for fuelling click-free uses. It ensures that every interaction, even without a graphical interface, delivers a reliable, relevant and up-to-date response. In short, it enables a controlled, high-performance zero-click experience.

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A conversational experience enriched by product data

In the age of generative AI and conversational commerce, exchanges between brand and customer are no longer limited to keywords or fixed menus. Users ask complex questions, wait for personalized recommendations or want to compare products, ... without ever clicking. In this zero-click context, the quality of the response depends directly on the richness of the upstream product data.

A well-structured PIM then becomes a catalyst for conversational intelligence: it feeds AI agents with clear, complete and contextualized content. It also enables responses to be segmented according to channel (voice, chat, social), language or market.

The result: a fluid, credible and engaging user experience, where every conversational interaction becomes a conversion opportunity - without the need for a traditional product sheet.

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Conclusion 

Zero clicks is not just a UX trend, it's a profound paradigm shift. In a world where the user expects an immediate response, whether vocal or conversational, brands need to rethink the way they structure and distribute product information.

The PIM is therefore a strategic pillar. It guarantees data consistency, quality and accessibility, whatever the interface, or lack of it. By centralizing product data, it enables companies to respond effectively to the demands of click-free commerce: fast, fluid, automated.

The PIM is therefore a strategic pillar. It guarantees data consistency, quality and accessibility, whatever the interface, or lack of it. By centralizing product data, it enables companies to respond effectively to the demands of click-free commerce: fast, fluid, automated.