Bunnings has launched an AI shopping assistant called Buddy in New Zealand, available through its local website and app.
Built with Google Cloud's Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, Buddy is designed to help customers plan home improvement projects, search for products and get do-it-yourself advice online. Bunnings says the launch makes it the first retailer in New Zealand to introduce a shopping agent using the Google Cloud system.
The assistant is intended to sit alongside Bunnings' in-store service rather than replace it. Customers can ask questions, upload a photo or submit a handwritten shopping list, and Buddy will suggest products and outline project steps before directing shoppers to complete purchases through Bunnings' online store.
Bunnings says the tool can help with tasks ranging from building a deck and organising a vegetable garden to choosing outdoor items such as a chilly bin. It can also suggest what a customer may need next as a project develops.
The New Zealand rollout follows a recent launch of Buddy in Australia, where Bunnings also introduced the service through its website and app. The move is part of the retailer's broader investment in digital tools for customer service and online shopping.
Melissa Haines, General Manager, Bunnings New Zealand, said the system had been tailored for local customers.
"Kiwis are renowned for rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into home improvement projects, and Buddy is designed to make that a little easier.
Whether you're planning a weekend project, refreshing the garden or finally tackling the shed clean-out that's been on the to-do list for months, Buddy provides practical advice, inspiration and product recommendations to help get projects underway.
This is about using AI in a practical and responsible way to complement the advice our team members provide every day, while giving customers another way to interact with Bunnings when and where it suits them," Haines said.
Bunnings says much of the advice offered through Buddy is drawn from its existing project guides and how-to material, with the aim of making that information easier to access through digital channels.
Guardrails in place
The retailer says Buddy has been built with guardrails and consent-led customer interactions intended to keep recommendations useful and relevant. It did not provide further technical detail on how those controls operate, but presented them as part of its approach to responsible use of AI in customer-facing services.
Google Cloud described the launch as an expansion of its work with Bunnings in New Zealand.
"We're thrilled to expand our collaboration with Bunnings across New Zealand to help more people bring their ideas to life," said Paul Migliorini, Vice President, Google Cloud Australia & New Zealand.
"By building Buddy with Gemini Enterprise for Customer Experience, Bunnings is helping take the guesswork out of D.I.Y. Shoppers can now get personalised advice and find the tools they need for any job, big or small," Migliorini said.
Bunnings is one of New Zealand's largest home improvement retailers, with 50 locations across warehouses, smaller-format stores and trade centres. The business employs more than 5,000 people in the country and serves both consumer and commercial customers, including builders and tradespeople.
The introduction of Buddy reflects a broader push by retailers to use generative AI in online shopping journeys, particularly in categories where customers often need guidance before making a purchase. In home improvement, that can include breaking jobs into stages, estimating materials, and identifying the tools or accessories required for a task.
For Bunnings, the launch adds an AI interface to a retail model that has long relied on staff advice and project know-how as part of the sales process. The company says the digital assistant is intended to extend that support beyond the shop floor and into online channels used by customers planning jobs from home.
Buddy can accept typed questions, images and handwritten lists to identify products and support project planning.