Sixty60 has become the first online retailer in South Africa to introduce a fully personalized smart AI shopping assistant, marking a significant shift in consumers’ grocery shopping experience. This assistant, known as Pixie, has been developed entirely in-house by ShopriteX And it's designed to anticipate what individual customers need—and when they need it. This innovation represents the next step in development sixty60Using artificial intelligence to make the platform faster, more intuitive, and ultimately easier to use.
At the core of Pixi is the ability to learn from each user's purchasing behavior. By analyzing purchase history, re-stocking habits and personal preferences, the Assistant provides highly relevant product recommendations tailored to each customer. Instead of scrolling through endless product lists, users are presented with the items they need most, making re-ordering quicker and more efficient.
A key feature of Pixi is the Smart Basket, which offers a new, streamlined interface. Product cards are displayed in a swipe-based format, allowing users to browse easily. Swiping up removes items, swiping down adds them to the basket, and simple gestures replace the traditional search-heavy experience. This design reduces friction and simplifies the shopping trip, especially for repeat purchases.
Beyond convenience, Pixi adds value to customers by presenting personalized offers and promotions. Instead of generic deals, users receive discounts and recommendations based on what they actually buy, making savings more meaningful and relevant.
according to neil schraderThis development signals broader changes in the retail sector. He describes Pixi as a quiet, intelligent assistant that works in the background, helping customers shop more efficiently while also saving money. In his view, shopping is no longer just an activity – it has increasingly become something that can be seamlessly managed by technology on behalf of the user.
Importantly, Pixi is a home solution built specifically for South African consumers. It was created by a multidisciplinary team within ShopriteX, including product designers, data scientists, machine learning engineers, and software developers. The assistant is powered by South Africa's largest retail rewards programme, Xtra Savings, enabling continuous learning and deep personalization with every transaction.
Privacy and trust are at the heart of Pixi's design, with customer data handled securely and responsibly. The Assistant is launching in beta, initially available to Extra Savings Plus members, with plans to expand its capabilities in the future. Upcoming features could include conversational interaction, automatic re-ordering of household essentials, and even meal planning based on budget and pantry ingredients.
Pixi begins rolling out on the Sixty60 app from 9 April 2026, offering a glimpse into the future of personalized, AI-powered retail in South Africa.
//staff Writer
