Fanatics has partnered with OpenAI to rebuild its Shop the Look tool, an AI-powered outfit curation feature that recommends coordinated items when shoppers view a product page. The tool uses in-stock merchandise that matches the style and sports team of the chosen product, and is available on Fanatics' website as well as the online stores for the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. OpenAI's models leverage the retailer's product data, team information, and inventory to generate recommendations, while Fanatics applies merchandising rules to ensure compatibility and relevance. The suggested looks refresh daily.
Following a pilot across approximately 30,000 MLB products, the OpenAI-supported version achieved 10% higher engagement than its predecessor. This partnership reflects a broader trend of retailers integrating OpenAI's technology to enhance product discovery and personalization. For commerce practitioners, the engagement lift signals that AI-driven outfit recommendations can meaningfully improve customer interaction and likely conversion rates, making generative AI a viable tool for merchandising at scale.
Fanatics' move comes as other major retailers—including Walmart, Nordstrom, Target, Sephora, Lowe's, Best Buy, The Home Depot, and Wayfair—have adopted OpenAI's commerce capabilities, from in-platform apps to virtual try-on features and product research tools. The competitive adoption underscores the growing expectation that retailers integrate AI into core shopping workflows.