LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - European home improvement retailer Kingfisher (KGF.L) has agreed a five-year partnership with Google Cloud , a move it said should provide customers with faster and more intuitive searches, and better tailor product ranges.
The company, which owns DIY brands B&Q and Castorama, and trade-focused Screwfix and TradePoint, increased online sales during the pandemic when stores were closed and customers spent more on home improvements.
E-commerce sales were up 138% over three years in its third quarter, it said this month.
Kingfisher, a long-time user of SAP software, had started moving its legacy data to Google Cloud, where it could be used to test new online concepts and improve the efficiency of deliveries such as its less-than-one-hour Screwfix 'Sprint' service.
Google Cloud Chief Executive Thomas Kurian said its technology was helping customers identify product using image search, or by answering questions posed in imprecise terms.