Picture this: You’re scrolling Instagram at 11 PM, spot the perfect sneakers, click the ad, and immediately get stuck navigating a brand’s clunky mobile website with microscopic buttons and endless loading screens. Frustrated, you’re prompted to “Download our app for a better experience”—but who wants another app cluttering their phone for a single purchase?

Now imagine clicking that same ad and instantly connecting with that brand’s smart shopping assistant directly in your messaging app. No downloads, no account creation, no friction—just seamless conversation leading to purchase.

This isn’t wishful thinking. Smart shopping assistants powered by Rich Communication Services (RCS) are enabling brands to deliver conversational shopping experiences directly within customers’ native messaging apps, eliminating the need for brand-specific apps while creating richer, more personalized retail interactions.

The Retail App Breakdown

The current retail landscape is broken. Industry data shows that 73% of mobile shoppers abandon purchases due to poor mobile website experiences, while countless others refuse to download yet another retailer app for one-time purchases. The average consumer has 15+ retail apps installed but actively uses only 3-4 regularly.

Every retailer demands the same exhausting process: download our app, create an account, enter payment details, enable notifications, and navigate our unique interface. The result? App graveyards on smartphones and frustrated customers who abandon purchases mid-journey.

The friction multiplies when customers want to research purchases. Each brand’s app has different search functions, checkout flows, and loyalty programs. Even simple tasks like checking product availability or comparing similar items across your preferred retailers requires downloading and navigating multiple separate apps.

Enter Smart Shopping Assistants

What is RCS? Rich Communication Services is the next-generation messaging protocol that transforms basic SMS into rich, interactive conversations with high-quality media, verified business profiles, and app-like functionality—all within your phone’s native messaging app.

Smart shopping assistants represent a fundamental shift from reactive customer service to proactive commerce enablement. These AI-powered systems don’t just answer questions—they guide entire shopping journeys through natural conversation.

Instead of downloading a major retailer’s app to check if they have your size in stock, you simply message “Do you have size 9 running shoes in red?” The assistant instantly shows available options with rich product images and enables one-tap purchasing if desired.

Recent research indicates that 39% of shoppers already use AI for product discovery, with younger generations showing even higher adoption rates.

Why RCS Powers the Shopping Revolution

RCS vs. SMS reveals why traditional messaging falls short for commerce. While SMS limits businesses to 160 characters of plain text, RCS enables rich product catalogs, interactive buttons, secure payments, and verified business identities. For retail, this difference is game-changing.

Does Apple support RCS? Yes! Apple enabled RCS messaging with iOS 18 in September 2024, and RCS for Business became available with iOS 18.1 in October 2024. This universal support means shopping assistants can reach every smartphone user without platform limitations..

RCS on iOS changes everything for retail. Google reported that over one billion RCS messages are now sent daily in the U.S., representing massive growth following iPhone support. For retailers, this means universal reach without app download barriers.

The power of RCS for business messaging becomes clear in retail contexts. Shopping assistants can showcase products through high-resolution carousels, enable size selection via interactive buttons, process payments securely within the conversation, and provide real-time order tracking—all while maintaining the familiar messaging interface customers already use daily.

Real-World Shopping Transformation

Fashion and Apparel: Instead of downloading a fast-fashion retailer’s app, customers message “Show me black jeans in size 32” and receive a curated carousel with pricing, availability, and customer reviews. The assistant remembers preferences, suggests coordinating items, and enables one-tap purchasing with saved payment methods.

Electronics Shopping: Rather than navigating a big-box retailer’s complex website, customers ask “Show noise-canceling headphones under $200” and get instant product carousel with specifications, reviews, and local availability. The conversation continues across days, maintaining context as customers research and decide.

Grocery and CPG: Instead of navigating a grocery chain’s mobile website or downloading their app, customers message “Add milk and bread to my cart” and receive confirmation. The assistant processes the order, confirms pricing, and sends delivery notifications—all through simple conversation.

AI on RCS transforms these retail interactions by leveraging the rich capabilities that traditional channels could never support. The AI can showcase products through high-resolution image carousels, present size and color options via interactive buttons, and guide customers through visual product comparisons—all while maintaining natural conversation flow. This combination allows retail assistants to deliver app-like functionality within the familiar messaging environment customers already use daily.

The Business Case for Conversational Commerce

The economics strongly favor RCS for business messaging over app-based retail strategies. The Rich Communication Services Market size is estimated at USD 2.87 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 8.89 billion by 2030, driven largely by retail adoption.

For retailers, RCS-powered shopping assistants offer compelling advantages:

• Reduced Development Costs: No need for separate iOS and Android apps with constant updates
• Higher Conversion Rates: Eliminate download friction and complex checkout flows
• Universal Customer Reach: Access customers regardless of device or platform preference
• Better Customer Data: Rich conversation analytics provide deeper insights than app usage metrics
• Competitive Differentiation: Early adopters gain significant advantage in conversational commerce

For customers, the benefits are immediate and obvious:

• Simplified Shopping: One familiar messaging interface replaces dozens of retail apps
• Faster Purchases: No app downloads, account creation, or navigation complexity
• Reduced Digital Clutter: Eliminate storage-hogging retail apps

The Infrastructure Behind the Revolution

The shift to conversational commerce isn’t theoretical—it’s happening now. Traffic to retail sites from AI-powered chatbots increased 13X during 2024 holidays, with usage peaking on Cyber Monday. These early indicators suggest massive customer appetite for conversational commerce.

However, this transformation requires robust RCS infrastructure that can handle the demands of retail-scale messaging. Telcos need platforms that enable seamless RCS implementation without network changes, while developers and aggregators require reliable access to global RCS networks for building these shopping experiences.

Business messaging through RCS represents the foundation layer that makes conversational commerce possible. The technology exists, the customer demand is proven, and the business case is compelling. What’s needed now is the infrastructure to scale these experiences globally.

For telcos, this represents a significant monetization opportunity in the RCS ecosystem. For developers, ISVs, and aggregators, it’s the chance to build the next generation of commerce applications. The retail industry’s move toward conversational experiences creates demand for RCS infrastructure providers who can deliver reliable, scalable messaging solutions.

The future of retail isn’t in app stores—it’s in the conversations that convert, powered by the RCS infrastructure that makes them possible.