Guided selling (or guided shopping) closely replicates the interaction a consumer would have with a live sales associate in a retail store. A modern guided selling tool needs to be capable of presenting only relevant questions to consumers just as a well informed sales associate is trained to do.

Retail guided selling tools enable retailers to engage customers both online and in the store by providing intuitive sales assistance designed to help customers reach buying decisions and increase channel conversion rates.

As a customer-facing tool, guided selling can improve customer service, increase customer engagement, drive complex attachment sales, and lower the returns associated with incorrect product purchases.

As an employee-facing tool, guided selling enables sales staff to helpfully engage customers on their first active day on the retail floor by utilizing a "shoulder-to-shoulder" selling technique.