Stay connected with the leading ecommerce platforms. In this episode, we interview leaders and visionaries from Shopify, BigCommerce, Centra, Commerce Layer, Remarkable Commerce, Scayle and Shopline for a fireside chat on what’s happened in Q3 and Q4 2024.

Every 6 months, we catch-up with the leadership teams of leading ecommerce vendors so you can hear directly from them about their strategic and product focus.

For this episode, we’re discussing key product updates, go-to-market focus, major new wins and what the roadmap focus will be for the next quarter.

Timings:

02:05 > BigCommerce

18:50 > Centra

38:35 > Commerce Layer

52:55 > Remarkable Commerce

1:11:35 > Scayle

1:22:45 > Shopify

1:37:40 > Shopline

Contact details for all vendors are on the landing page on insidecommerce.fm

Episode summary:

In this conversation, Janis Thomas, Managing Director of Look Fabulous Forever, discusses the importance of catering to a mature audience in the beauty industry.

She shares insights on the brand's mission to celebrate mature beauty, the challenges faced by older consumers, and the need for representation in marketing.

Janis emphasises the significance of building knowledge about customer needs, the role of educational content in engaging customers, and the impact of user-generated content in fostering community.

The discussion also touches on effective marketing strategies that prioritise customer journeys and trust-building. Janis also shares insights on driving repeat purchases, the significance of customer acquisition strategies, and the role of educational content in enhancing user experience.

The episode then explores the impact of quizzes on customer engagement, the importance of personalisation in the shopping journey, and the four pillars of customer loyalty that go beyond traditional discount strategies.

Key takeaways:

• Authenticity in branding is crucial for customer trust.
• Customer feedback is integral to product development.
• Educational content is key to customer engagement.
• User-generated content helps build community and trust.
• Diversity in marketing teams is essential for representation.
• Understanding customer journeys enhances marketing effectiveness.

• Quizzes can serve as valuable tools for customer engagement.
• Personalisation should cater to both new and returning customers.
• Community building fosters customer loyalty and advocacy.

• Variable rewards can create excitement and engagement.
• True loyalty is built on relationships, not just discounts.

Summary:

In this episode, James Gurd and Paul Rogers discuss the evolving landscape of technology change in ecommerce, focusing on the shift from tactical solutions to strategic decision-making.

They explore the importance of ecosystems in technology selection, the changing roles in project management, and the critical need for customer leads to oversee ecommerce projects.

The conversation also highlights the significance of understanding commercial considerations, managing risks, and ensuring thorough UAT processes to achieve successful technology migrations.

Key takeaways:

• The market has shifted towards strategic decision-making in technology change.
• Ecosystems are now a critical consideration in technology selection.
• Project management roles are evolving to include more strategic oversight.
• There is a need for independent due diligence in technology selection.
• Technical discovery should not be rushed; it requires thorough exploration.
• Customer leads are essential for bridging the gap between agencies and clients.
• Understanding the timing of license fees is crucial for budgeting.
• UAT processes need to be well-managed to avoid surprises
• Agencies have become more capable in handling complex projects
• Contingency planning is vital for successful project execution.

Happy New Year. After a two week break, which seems like an eternity in ecommerce, we're back and raring to go.

To kick-off 2025, we're looking at the broader economic picture and the intersection between macro events and ecommerce strategy, assessing the key trends we think will shape the ecommerce industry this year and which ecommerce teams need to be planning for.

We've pulled out 5 factors that we think will have the greatest macro impact on ecommerce businesses.

1. Mortgages and interest rates
2. Inflation
3. Stronger wage growth
4. Trump’s tariffs
5. Global supply chains

And then explore 6 key trends that arise from the current economic situation:

1. Cross border commerce
2. Loyalty & referrals
3. Content and top of funnel become more important
4. Technology consolidation
5. Flexible payments
6. Returns As A Service (RaaS)

Key takeaways:

• Understanding macroeconomic factors helps shape marketing strategies.
• The economic outlook in UK & US is slightly more positive than 2024 but still cost pressures on many households.
• Consumer confidence is crucial for driving discretionary spending.
• Premium & luxury brands are better insulated from the impact of shopping patterns due to rising costs.

• Tariffs will significantly impact supply chain costs and operations.
• Flexibility in supply chains is necessary to mitigate supply chain volatility.
• Investing in inventory management is essential for ecommerce success.
• Loyalty programs should focus on building long-term customer relationships.
• Community engagement enhances brand loyalty and customer retention.
• Buy now, pay later options can improve conversion rates if communicated effectively.

• Ecommerce brands should explore less competitive international markets for growth.

Every year, Inside Commerce looks back at the key trends that shaped the ecommerce industry over the past 12 months.

In this episode, James and Paul discuss the evolving landscape of ecommerce as they reflect on the trends of 2024. They highlight the following:

1. More positive sales outlook & better consumer confidence

2. Consumers becoming increasingly value focused

3. Renewed focus on the importance of international markets

4. Emergence of focused use cases for GenAI

5. Growing significance of brand collaborations and influencer marketing.

6. Increased focus on loyalty and subscription strategies

7. Greater emphasis on sustainability

The discussion emphasises the need for brands to adapt to changing consumer preferences and leverage technology to enhance their strategies. We explore what's shaping consumer behaviour and the future of online retail, emphasising the need for brands to adapt and innovate in a competitive market.

Key takeaways:

• Ecommerce is seeing a more positive sales outlook in 2024.
• International markets are becoming a key focus for brands.
• Consumers are increasingly value-oriented in their purchasing decisions.
• AI is being integrated into ecommerce for practical use cases.
• Collaborations between brands are on the rise as a marketing strategy.
• Influencer marketing has matured with better tools and reporting.

• Loyalty programs are evolving to focus on rewarding positive customer behaviour.
• Subscription models are shifting towards quality and service rather than just discounts.
• Sustainability is becoming a priority for brands and consumers alike.

• Brands are investing more in creative content and brand strategy.
• The importance of data in shaping marketing strategies is increasing.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

In this episode, James Gurd & Paul Rogers interview David Magee, Product Director at World of Books, about their recent migration from Commercetools to Shopify.

The conversation covers the strategic shift towards direct-to-consumer sales, the challenges faced with their legacy tech stack, and the innovative solutions implemented during the migration process.

David shares insights on the importance of middleware, A/B testing for performance validation, and the project management structure that supported this significant transition.

In this conversation, David Magee discusses the integration of Algolia for search and recommendations, the challenges faced in navigating international markets with Shopify, and the transition to Shopify Enterprise.

He emphasises the importance of a build-measure-learn approach during migration, the significance of partner selection, and the complexities of launching a new site while ensuring a good customer experience. The discussion highlights the lessons learned from these experiences and the proactive strategies needed to overcome challenges in ecommerce.

Key takeaways:

• World of Books aims to be the world's largest sustainable online bookstore.
• The migration to Shopify was driven by rising costs and the need for innovation.
• Custom middleware was developed in-house to handle complex data integration.
• A/B testing was crucial to validate the new site's performance against the legacy system.
• Direct involvement from leadership was essential for project success.
• The migration process included extensive customer feedback and competitor analysis.
• Understanding data quality was key to the migration process.
• Understanding platform limitations is crucial during migration.
• A build-measure-learn approach is vital for success.
• Deciding when to launch a new site is complex.
• Collaboration with Shopify's product team was valuable.
• Clarity on success metrics helps align team efforts.

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE:

In this podcast, James Gurd and Paul Rogers delve into the concept of unified commerce, exploring its definition, evolution, and practical implications in the ecommerce landscape.

They discuss the similarities between unified commerce and omnichannel strategies, emphasising the importance of data integration and customer experience. The conversation also highlights the challenges of payment systems and the complexities of global operations. Through examples of successful brands, they illustrate how unified commerce principles can be effectively implemented, while also addressing the future of ecommerce strategies.

Key takeaways:

• Unified commerce is a rebranding of omnichannel strategy.
• Data integration is crucial for creating a seamless customer experience.
• Payment systems can complicate platform consolidation in ecommerce.
• The democratisation of technology has lowered barriers for small businesses.
• Unified commerce aims to simplify operations without compromising customer experience.
• Globalisation presents unique challenges for unified commerce strategies.
• The conversation around unified commerce is often clouded by jargon and semantics.
• A strategic aim of unified commerce is to consolidate technology and processes.
• The future of ecommerce will focus on data-driven decision making.

Replatforming isn't always the best solution to technology challenges.

An ecommerce platform can be fit-for-purpose but the implementation flawed, or outdated, resulting in the business thinking the issue is the underlying tech. Sometimes it's quicker, cheaper and more effective to improve how the current platform is built rather than pivot to a new vendor ecosystem.

For this podcast, James Gurd and Michal Klim discuss the complexities of re-engineering ecommerce platforms, particularly focusing on Shopify. Michal is the CTO of respected development agency Commerce UI, and recently helped Pangaia re-engineer their Shopify storefront and tech stack.

James & Michal explore the concept of technical and process debt, the importance of thoughtful maintenance, and the challenges of historical decisions in technology.

Michal shares insights from his work with Pangaia, emphasising the need for a clean slate approach to build better solutions. The discussion also covers the role of automation, the use of Shopify Flow and MetaObjects, and the integration of third-party tools, culminating in a conversation about transitioning from classic to new customer accounts.

Key takeaways:

• Re-engineering can be a better solution than re-platforming.
• Technical debt accumulates over time and needs addressing.
• Thoughtful maintenance is crucial for long-term success.
• Historical decisions can complicate current technology choices.
• A clean slate approach can lead to better outcomes.
• Simplifying complexity can enhance user experience.
• Automation tools can significantly improve operational efficiency.
• Shopify Flow and MetaObjects provide powerful solutions to operational challenges.