Can AI Give Wayfair Professional an Edge in B2B Procurement?

At SXSW 2025, Kevin Welton, General Manager for Commercial Office at Wayfair, outlined how AI is shaping the next phase of business-to-business (B2B) furniture procurement. With companies facing tighter budgets and growing demand for efficiency, AI is no longer just a tool for automating processes—it is becoming central to how businesses source, purchase, and design workspaces.

Wayfair Professional’s strategy reflects a broader shift across B2B commerce, where businesses expect the same seamless, intuitive experience that consumer e-commerce platforms have mastered. The challenge is no longer just about offering AI tools, but about making them integral to the buyer’s workflow.

AI-Powered Sourcing: From Concept to Purchase

For companies furnishing offices, hotels, and commercial spaces, procurement has traditionally been complex, time-intensive, and constrained by cost considerations. While high-end competitors focus on commercial-grade furnishings, Wayfair Professional is positioning itself as a flexible, cost-effective alternative that simplifies the process.

Its latest AI tool, Muse, is designed to accelerate decision-making by offering a visualized, AI-curated shopping experience. Rather than sifting through thousands of individual SKUs, buyers can enter a workspace type—such as “modern private office”—and receive fully designed, shoppable concepts. This approach removes friction from early-stage project planning, helping businesses move from idea to execution more efficiently.

AI-driven curation is not a new concept, but the success of Muse will depend on how well it integrates into procurement workflows. If executed effectively, it could increase order values and conversion rates, as businesses commit to larger purchases more confidently.

Beyond Product Discovery: AI in Customer Support

AI’s role in B2B e-commerce extends beyond helping customers choose the right products—it is also being deployed to reduce uncertainty in high-stakes purchases. Businesses making bulk orders often require detailed specifications, material breakdowns, and durability insights before committing.

To bridge this gap, AI-driven customer support is being integrated to provide instant responses to product queries, reducing the need for manual assistance. The goal is to speed up the buying cycle while ensuring customers feel confident in their purchasing decisions.

In an industry where high-touch service has traditionally been a key differentiator, AI-powered support is an attempt to scale personalization and expertise—ensuring buyers get relevant information on demand, without the delays of traditional sales interactions.

AI as a Competitive Advantage—or Just the Industry Standard?

AI-driven procurement is quickly becoming an expectation rather than an innovation. The companies that will gain an edge are those that execute it seamlessly, rather than superficially.

Several factors will determine whether Wayfair Professional’s approach drives real competitive advantage:

1. Can AI-powered tools like Muse move beyond inspiration and drive tangible revenue growth?

2. Will automation meaningfully enhance customer experience, or will it simply be a cost-cutting measure?

3. How will AI adoption at scale impact pricing power and differentiation in the B2B market?

While AI is central to the company’s strategy, it is ultimately only as strong as the business outcomes it enables. The real test will be whether these investments translate into higher order volumes, stronger customer retention, and increased efficiency in procurement cycles.

At SXSW, Wayfair Professional made a clear statement: AI is not just a feature—it’s the foundation of its next phase of growth in B2B commerce. Whether that foundation is strong enough to hold in a rapidly evolving market remains to be seen.

Disclaimer: The above podcast episode was generated using AI based on an interview transcript. While the content remains true to the original conversation, the voices, tone, and delivery were synthesized and do not represent actual recordings of the speakers. This AI-generated format is intended to enhance accessibility and provide an alternative way to engage with the discussion.

📢 Unofficially SXSW is an independent publication and is not affiliated with SXSW.

Proudly Sponsored by Fospha: Powering smarter budget decisions with full-funnel marketing measurement and forecasting for the post-iOS 14 era.

[Not affiliated with SXSW Events]

ClickZ is a Contentive publication in the Events division