In early April, Ehandel.se reported on the company SmartaSaker, whose CEO spoke about their new AI assistant in the search field and stated that she had not seen anyone else doing anything similar in the industry. However, more players have been working behind the scenes with the same type of technology.
At the end of March, Hornbach introduced its own AI assistant on its Swedish site. The service, named "Fråga Göran" (Ask Göran), meets the customer via an information box where the visitor is prompted to describe their construction or renovation goal.
From Simple Keywords to Complete Sentences
The new function is based on a model that allows the user to formulate their thoughts in natural language. Instead of requiring exact article numbers, product names, or specific categories, the system analyzes what the customer wants to achieve in practice.
The system is designed to remember what has been said in previous messages during the same conversation and combines advice with information about stock levels, current prices, and technical product specifications. The purpose is to guide the customer forward in the work process rather than simply presenting a list of goods.
For us, it's not just about finding a product, but about helping people actually get started and move their project forward. That's why our AI assistant has a name that alludes to doing, to DIY power, and to our own tagline "There's always something to do." The idea is that the assistant should feel like a digital project partner for anyone who wants to take things seriously, says Frida Wahlbeck, Webshop Manager, to Ehandel.se.
Building on the Online Business
This technical addition follows a period of growth for the building materials warehouse's digital business. Last autumn, figures from the parent company showed that online sales reached around 5 billion Swedish krona during the first half of the financial year 2025/2026.
E-commerce's share of the building materials warehouse's total sales had then increased to 13.1 percent. Although the company initiated its focus on the internet at the end of 2017, it has established itself in the digital market in recent years and appeared in several compilations of omnichannel players.
Implementing smart search and chat functions is the next phase in the work of managing a large assortment and guiding correctly in the range. The company sees this direction as a future standard for the industry.
Different players are tackling AI in different ways, but we believe that this type of contextual, guiding shopping experience is already on its way to becoming a natural part of e-commerce, even in Sweden, concludes Frida Wahlbeck.