A Virtual Selling Agent Which Is Persuasive and Adaptive

Abstract

In this paper, we claim that the online selling process can be improved if the experience of the customer is closer to that of one in a retailing store. For this purpose, we provide a virtual selling agent that is persuasive and adaptive. Our persuasive selling agent initiates the dialogue and drives it in order to simultaneously advance two processes: customer profiling and the identification of relevant proposals which are supported by arguments. Moreover, our virtual seller is adaptive since she is able to adjust her behaviour and her arguments according to the customer profile.