Home Depot Takes Magic Apron Into the Aisles With Localized AI Guidance

The Home Depot has rolled out expanded in-store capabilities for Magic Apron, turning its AI-powered shopping assistant into a localized guide for customers across more than 2,000 U.S. stores. The upgrade connects project and product advice with information about the shopper’s selected location, including inventory availability and the aisle and bay where an item can be found. HomePage News reported the development on August 31, following The Home Depot’s August 27 nationwide announcement. (homepagenews.com)

Shoppers can access Magic Apron through Store Mode in The Home Depot mobile app or by scanning QR codes displayed on in-store signage. They can type questions, use voice-to-text, upload photographs and converse in their preferred language. The assistant can help determine whether a product is suitable for a particular job and recommend additional tools or supplies needed to complete it. Customers can also view a map of their chosen store, locate products and check availability there or at other Home Depot locations. (corporate.homedepot.com)

The Home Depot offered practical examples of how those functions work together. A shopper could photograph a bag of grass seed and ask which fertilizer is appropriate for the local climate. Another customer could request a list of supplies for patching and painting drywall. Pilot participants told the retailer that the features helped them find merchandise faster, better understand product compatibility and feel more confident about purchasing decisions. (corporate.homedepot.com)

Magic Apron already handles millions of questions each month. Jordan Broggi, The Home Depot’s executive vice president of interconnected retail, said the expansion brings the retailer’s digital expertise into its physical stores while helping customers find products, obtain project guidance and make decisions faster. Broggi emphasized that store associates remain central to the experience and positioned Magic Apron as another way for shoppers to obtain support. (homepagenews.com)

For retailers, brands and video-commerce operators, the business significance extends beyond store navigation. ConsumerEXP analysis: Magic Apron demonstrates how digital product education can be connected directly to local inventory and purchase intent. The assistant can perform functions familiar to televised and streamed selling—explaining suitability, identifying complementary products and building confidence—while adding store-specific availability and wayfinding. That combination could help The Home Depot reduce shopping friction, encourage complete-project baskets and convert product questions into measurable in-store sales, although the company did not disclose conversion, average-order-value or revenue results for the upgraded service.