The main principles of decision support AI-based system for retail enterprises

Abstract

Against the backdrop of global retail digitalization – characterized by omnichannel integration, volatile consumer demands, and intensifying competition – AI-based Decision Support Systems (AI-DSS) have become a critical tool for retailers to optimize operations. However, a 2024 survey by the China Retail Digitalization Alliance shows that only 38 % of Chinese retail enterprises achieve expected outcomes from AI-DSS implementation, with failures often stemming from unclear retail-specific principles, data silos, and misalignment between technology and business scenarios. To address this gap, this master’s dissertation system-atically explores the concept, theoretical foundations, application status, core design principles, and implementation strategies of retail-oriented AI-DSS, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and practical references for retail enterprises to realize data-driven intelligent decision-making.