Behind the Innovation
VWR®, a part of Avantor®, recently relaunched its e-commerce platform, vwr.com, with AI functionality that enables logged-in lab customers and procurement professionals in the U.S. to retrieve product information, compare prices, and narrow down recommended products based on their purchase history.
VWR’s intelligent digital assistant, VWR AI, is designed to make the online purchasing experience faster, easier, and more intuitive for lab scientists, procurement officers, and administrators. It helps customers quickly find product information, order status, and technical details.
By combining conversational search with intelligent product support, VWR AI helps users compare products, identify compatible accessories, review technical details, and receive recommendations tailored to their needs. This makes product discovery more personalized, more efficient, and more helpful in navigating a broad scientific portfolio. VWR AI can also support the buying process, adding items to carts and prompting order placement.
The storefront AI tool also provides shipping status updates and resolves documentation requests. It will also be updated to include customer service capabilities, such as refunds, product use guidance, and direct connection to a VWR customer service expert.
VWR AI has been available in Canada since 2025, and Avantor plans to introduce the technology in Europe and other parts of the world in 2026.
An AI tool that understands cutting-edge scientific platforms and workflows
VWR designed its storefront AI tool to understand scientific context and workflows, helping users make informed buying decisions.
“Imagine you’re establishing a start-up focused on spatial biology – one of the emerging biotechnologies within life sciences,” said Phil De Winne, VP, Digital, Data and Emerging Technologies for Avantor. “Normally, a question like this would require consultations with a sales rep and a specialist. VWR AI can break down your query based on understanding spatial biology workflows and protocols, and it will suggest products for spatial biology startups, with pricing, pictures, and recommendations.”
“We are the first one out of the gate compared to our competitors with this kind of natively embedded AI-guided buying solution,” De Winne added.
When needed, VWR AI can transition the interaction to a live chat with a VWR customer service representative.
Continuous improvement is the rule
“We continue to refine VWR AI to better understand customers and their lab workflow needs using direct feedback from our lab customers,” Chandra Kumaren, Avantor’s Sr. Director for Data, Analytics and Automation, explained. “By constantly improving performance and response quality, we’re creating a more natural, conversational experience, resulting in a smarter, faster, and more connected way for labs to get the information, products and services they need.”
Feedback from customers, sales reps and customer service agents will continue to inform future VWR AI enhancements.
“We believe the future of scientific buying and discovery will be shaped by intelligence, personalization, and seamless digital engagement. With VWR AI, we are investing in a new kind of customer experience that helps scientists and procurement teams move faster, navigate complexity more easily, and make better decisions with greater confidence,” De Winne added.
To experience VWR AI, visit www.vwr.com and click the “Ask AI” prompt in the upper right-hand corner.
Explore VWR’s extensive digital commerce solutions or get in touch for more information here.