WBR Insights - eCommerce

Having a cracking time B2B Online Europe in Germany! My talented colleagues asked me to do a video covering all things B2B, AI and data analytics. Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below... Thank you Jess Sultana and Mariam Shalikashvili for the video production. #b2b online #b2bonline #digitaltransformation

Just a few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of chatting with our attendees about one of our favourite platforms: TikTok! 🎥   It was clear that this platform is not just for fun and trends anymore—it's becoming a go-to search engine for many!   With people wondering if Google should be worried, we’d love to hear from you. Where do you go to search for information?   A big thank you to our contributors:   Megan Smith at eTail Connect John Sadeghipoor at URBN (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie Group, Free People & Nuuly) Fabrizio Pierri at Corvidae Joshua Lloyd-Braiden at eTail Connect Stay tuned for more on site content!

Last week at eTail Connect Autumn, we asked our audience about the controversial topic of chatbots 🤖 From their reactions, it seems there's a strong consensus... While chatbots offer efficiency and 24/7 availability, many of us still crave that personal connection when it comes to customer service.   A big thank you to all our contributors for sharing their insights!   Trish Lynch at eTail Connect (Host) Vijendra Kunwar, MMC at RTB House John Sadeghipoor at Free People Joshua Lloyd-Braiden at eTail Connect Ryan Gilfrin at La Redoute And of course, our very own Megan Smith! And we'll be sharing more highlights from our conversations on-site, so stay tuned!

The WBR Insights - eCommerce team had a fantastic time at eTail Connect Autumn 2024 at the beautiful Sopwell House last week!  Our very own Senior Content Producer, Megan Smith, was on site to attend sessions, interview industry leaders, and engage with attendees on the most pressing topics ✍ Now, we're excited to share Megan's unique perspective on the key takeaways and discussions from eTail Connect Autumn 2024.  Here are some highlights: 🤖 𝗔𝗜𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 As always, there wasn’t a spare seat in the room for discussions centred around AI and Automation, with everyone desperate to know the best way to harness its potential. It was particularly interesting to listen to Mark Emmett, Head of Data at The Very Group, to hear his expertise on how to use GenAI to better predict product demand and improve customer experience. Although AI integration can be organisation-dependent, there are effective solutions available to ensure success. ♻️𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 A particular highlight for all attendees was hearing from Sophia Holland Thomas, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at FatFace, about how they tripled profits and expertly used first-party data to overturn challenges. The audience was in awe of their ability to turn setbacks into opportunities in very volatile markets. 🖥️ 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗺 Cookies remain on everyone’s mind in the eCommerce space, and brands are desperate to know the latest status and understand what a cookieless world would look like. With expert insights from brands such as Kingfisher plc and Corvidae, eTail Connect Autumn shed light on the latest on the topic and answered the burning questions around personalised experiences and ensuring businesses do not survive but thrive in a privacy-centric digital world. We are already looking forward to eTail Connect Spring live from Twickenham next February. But don't worry, you don't have to wait that long... we have plenty more fantastic on site content coming soon! 👀

If you thought retail conferences were all business, think again! We've just wrapped up eTail Connect Autumn, which was buzzing with excitement, innovation, and a whole lot of fun. From lively networking bingo to brilliant 1-1 meetings, retailers, marketers, and tech leaders from across the industry gathered to share game-changing ideas and strategies. Now we're back, we wanted to share some highlights from the 2 days spent at Sopwell House. Our very own Megan Smith was lucky enough to sit on some sessions, and we're excited to share her wrap-ups and key takeaways! Up first is one of the most anticipated sessions, a fireside chat that promised to tackle one of the hottest topics in marketing: how to survive—and thrive—in a world without cookies. With new privacy regulations phasing out third-party cookies, marketers are scrambling to find new ways to target their audience without losing that crucial personalisation touch. Moderated by the dynamic Trish Lynch, renowned UN Moderator/MC and News Anchor, the panel featured two industry leaders Dany Satine Ch., Group Head of Retail Media Digital Programmes at Kingfisher plc, and Chris Liversidge, CEO of Corvidae. These experts explained how new targeted marketing approaches are helping brands capture the right audience with the right message at the right time—even without the crutch of cookies. This conversation couldn’t be more relevant as we navigate the shifting tides of privacy regulations and the future of online marketing. We hope everyone had plenty of actionable takeaways from this fireside chat! Another highlight was our Oxford-style debate that had the crowd buzzing with discussion based around the statement “Retail media advertising is not compatible with delivering a great customer experience.” Both sides presented their cases brilliantly on whether retail media is an asset or a hindrance to delivering a top-notch customer experience and our audience walked away able to see both sides of the coin. What’s a retail conference without some playful networking? Networking bingo had everyone on their feet, adding an extra dash of excitement as attendees raced to complete their bingo cards by meeting new people and making connections. And let’s not forget the 1-1 meetings—personalised, meaningful connections set up ahead of time to ensure attendees meet exactly the people they need to. This smart approach to networking is always a hit, as retailers and tech providers lock in partnerships and explore new opportunities in a focused, no-nonsense way. And stay tuned for more updates! We were on site for the full 2 days to capture it all, and can't wait to share everything we got up to!

The Metaverse: A buzzword that once dominated the eCommerce conversation, but has it faded into the background? 💻   At eTail Connect Autumn, we’ve been diving deep into this topic with our audience, exploring whether the Metaverse still holds potential or if it’s had it’s time. And our latest video shares some intriguing insights!   A huge thank you to all our contributors for sharing their thoughts and expertise:   Megan Smith at eTail Connect Sami A. at RTB House Joshua Lloyd-Braiden at eTail Connect Fabrizio Pierri at Corvidae Vijendra Kunwar, MMC at RTB House John Sadeghipoor at URBN (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie Group, Free People & Nuuly)   And we're still here, so if you haven't had a chance to chat with us yet, now's your last opportunity before we wrap up the day! 🎤

AI 🤖 everyone talks about it, but what do they really think? We got to chat with the eCommerce leaders at eTail Connect Autumn to find out their opinions on one of the hottest topics in the industry! Thank you to our contributors: Megan Smith, eTail Connect Sami A. RTB House Joshua Lloyd-Braiden, eTail Connect Fabrizio Pierri, Corvidae Trish Lynch, eTail Connect Host Vijendra Kunwar, MMC, RTB House Besa Terholli, eClerx Paresh Sharma, eClerx And keep an AI out for many more hot topics to come 👀

The coffee is flowing and we are kicking off eTail Autumn Connect 2024 live from Sopwell House! There’s a buzz in the air, with retailers, innovators, and tech experts from all corners of the industry gathering for a few days of groundbreaking discussions, networking, and insights into the future of retail. The setting of Sopwell House adds a touch of elegance to the energy here, making it the perfect backdrop for the bold ideas and revolutionary strategies that are about to unfold. The big question on everyone’s mind? How will AI transform the retail landscape, and what cutting-edge strategies will drive marketing success in an increasingly digital world? The sessions today are poised to answer exactly that—and more! We’re diving headfirst into the future of retail with this must-see keynote from Mark Emmett, Head of Data Science at The Very Group. If there’s one thing retailers can’t stop talking about, it’s how AI is rewriting the rules of the game. As AI is such an industry buzzword, this session helped our keen attendees understand how this tool can transform how retailers operate. Mark’s keynote gave attendees a real-world look at how AI is taking the guesswork out of retail. Whether it’s making smarter decisions on inventory or crafting descriptions that lead to happier customers, AI is the future—and it’s here. Next up, we’re diving into the world of marketing analytics with Luke Regan from DAC, as he tackled a topic every marketer has wrestled with: Attribution Addiction. His session was an eye-opener for anyone grappling with how to correctly measure and optimise marketing performance. These practical solutions showed attendees how to model their campaigns for success. Due to Chatham house rules, we can’t go into all the insights from our brilliant panellists but stay tuned for more expertise when speakers chat live with Megan. What’s Coming Next? As we head into a packed day of sessions and networking, there’s no doubt that AI and data-driven marketing strategies will be the hot topics on everyone’s lips. With insights pouring in from experts like Mark and Luke, attendees are walking away with not only the tools to power their businesses but a deeper understanding of how to navigate the complexities of today’s retail environment. Stay tuned for more live updates as we dive into more sessions, expert panels, and more. The future of retail is here at eTail Connect Autumn—and we can’t wait to see what’s next!

And we’re off… eTail Connect Autumn 2024 is off to a flying start and we’re here to capture all of it! Join Megan and the rest of the WBR Insights - eCommerce team at the onsite content corner! We’re here to interview leading retailers, find out the latest trends and play ‘Overhyped, Underhyped or Hyped’, the game that brings you the hottest opinions on the hottest retail topics! Come by and say hi 👋🏼

Is there life after cookies? Find out as we take a deep dive in the first chapter of the eTail Europe 2024 Playbook - your guide to European eCommerce for 2024. Uncover the findings of the hottest topics facing the industry this year by getting your free copy of the eTail Europe Report by clicking below.   https://lnkd.in/eqzNmmZq   🍪 With the impending removal of third-party cookies, the methods in which customer data is collected must evolve, and that journey will be a key challenge for retailers going forward. Existing processes will need to be adapted and new techniques developed.   🚀 In their efforts to collect and analyse customer data, our research has revealed that 52% of respondents are challenged with data consolidation across multiple sources and platforms, as well as implementing new technologies that can speed up data collection and analysis. Additionally, 50% are struggling with gaining actionable insights with the customer data that they do collect.   🤖 While Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been used by retailers for several years, generative AI solutions such as ChatGPT have come at a great time for the industry, with chatbots providing customer support on a level that has not been possible until now.   🌐 When engaging with AI chatbots, consumers provide retailers with personal data such as interests, purchasing trends - and much more. When asked about the role AI is playing in response to the removal of third-party cookies, our respondents told us that conversational AI is helping to increase customer engagement, streamlining personalisation functions and that they anticipate strong results from their efforts to use AI to fill the data hole.   💡 Customer data is therefore critical for retailers, enabling them to cultivate enduring loyalty in a variety of ways. When asked to prioritise these methods, our respondents identified customer experience optimisation, product assortment decisions, and pricing strategies as the most effective approaches to achieving long-term customer loyalty. In the face of intense industry competition, inflation, and rising living expenses, customer data should serve as the cornerstone of retailers' loyalty-building initiatives.   #eCommerce #eCommerceInsights #WBRInsights