Commerce Experience

Every e-commerce leader has a vision for how their brand is going to stand out online. But forcing off-the-shelf commerce functionality into their digital architecture makes it difficult to bring that exact vision to life. To learn more about how composable commerce empowers digital teams to realise their visions of taking complete control of their digital commerce strategy, Brian Walker speaks to Jamus Driscoll, CEO at headless commerce platform, Elastic Path. Together, they discuss the concept of composable commerce versus headless commerce, the importance of investing in new digital capabilities, and what the next 12 to 24 months holds for e-commerce, including: · When it’s time for e-commerce businesses to start moving towards more flexible digital platforms that allow them to adapt to customer needs as they change. · How to get your leadership team on-board with digital architecture changes by asking “is the business living up to its digital aspirations?” · And how we’re technologically not far away from commerce being so embedded in our lives, that we’ll be able to use our televisions to order products. This episode is packed with insights on the technology and business benefits of composable commerce, including the ways future-thinking brands are already using composable commerce to create tailored customer experiences. If this is something your company is thinking about, or you’re just keen to know what the future of digital commerce architecture looks like, Jamus shares some brilliant insights in this episode that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please contact us at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Jamus a little better through his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamusdriscoll/ And learn more about Elastic Path: https://www.elasticpath.com/

It’s not only digital technology that’s advancing at warp speed — customer expectations have grown exponentially in recent years too. And when brands can’t keep up, customers simply move on. So how can businesses build loyalty in this challenging digital environment? To get first-hand insight into how brands need to be engaging with today’s consumer, Brian Walker speaks to Steve Soechtig, Global CEO of Ogilvy Experience. Together, they discuss the evolution of digital and the challenges and opportunities its prevalence across all aspects of our lives creates, including: · The need to differentiate the experience you provide from your competition in a way that connects with potential customers. · How to tap into what the next generation of consumers, who’ve known digital all their lives, expect online. · And why businesses need to step back from specific tools and products to define what their objectives are and use that to build a digital strategy. Steve offers some fascinating insights on what is shaping e-commerce today and in the near future, and how your business can turn these trends into opportunities. If you’re looking for ways to stay at the cutting edge of what’s possible and grow your business in new markets, you won’t want to miss this episode. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Steve a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssoechtig/

Though the impacts of the pandemic have been seen across the globe, it is clear that, while widespread, those impacts were not necessarily equal. One area where this is evident is in the disparity between US and EU/UK e-commerce growth, where increases in the EU and UK lag far behind that of the US. To learn more about the trends and business leader sentiment guiding EU e-commerce strategy through the pandemic and beyond, host Brian Walker speaks to Victor Terpstra, the Chief Commercial Officer at Amsterdam-based digital experience agency SQLI International. Together, they discuss the differences in both consumer confidence and economic conditions in Europe, and how SQLI’s engagement model is evolving with the market. They cover a range of topics in this conversation, including: - Why European based businesses are behind the US when it comes to aggressive investment in digital transformation. - How the digital agency model has evolved without on-site or in-person meetings, and how this has affected system integrations with clients. - And what impact the recent digital inflection will have on European business leaders’ approach to serving consumers and B2B customers post-Covid. This episode is packed with insights on the European digital commerce climate, and how agency-client relationships in the region are evolving to be more ongoing and collaborative rather than single-project delivery. If you’re keen to build more engaging experiences with your clients, or you’re looking to evolve into a digital-first business, Victor shares some great ideas in this episode that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Victor a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vterpstra/ And find out more about SQLI International at: https://www.sqli.com/en

Digital has changed the landscape of retail, and colleges and universities are beginning to find innovative ways to reflect that in their curriculum. Brian Walker speaks to Professor Kirthi Kalyanam of Santa Clara University, a leading academic with research and expertise in retailing, internet, and multi-channel marketing, to learn how classrooms are evolving to keep pace with a changing industry. Together, they discuss the role of education post-pandemic and how businesses can better support the retail talent pipeline from classroom to career. They cover a broad range of topics in this conversation, including: - The evolution of retail and e-commerce, and how that’s been viewed within academia. - How the pandemic has impacted students, not only in the classroom, but also in their ability to prepare for the future ahead. - The importance of training students on the platforms and technologies used in retail today. - What businesses can do to better support the classroom to career pipeline for students. This episode offers many fascinating insights into how modern business and academia overlap, and how education must evolve at the same rate as the e-commerce industry in order to thrive in the new landscape. If you’re looking for ways to help the next generation of bright business minds, Dr. Kalyanam shares some invaluable insights in this episode that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Dr. Kalyanam a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkalyanam Learn more about the Retail Management Institute’s Digital Merchandising Certification program here: https://www.scu.edu/business/retail-management-institute/digital-merchandising-certification/

How can industries that operate in physical experiences, many of which were hit hard by the pandemic, drive greater success by thinking like an e-commerce company? This is what Brian Walker and Ari Greenberg - Chief Commercial Officer at Brightline Trains, dig into in this episode of ‘The State of Commerce Experience'. Brightline Trains is the first and only privately funded high speed rail company in Florida. In this episode Brian and Ari discuss how Brightline is optimizing its mobile experience, data operations, and purchase funnel to power the business forward into the post pandemic world. They cover a range of topics in this conversation, including: - How Brightline is breaking down the perceived barriers of high-speed rail travel in the same way airlines have done. - The importance of frictionless user journeys. - And how the company is reimagining the traditional train ticket model. This episode is packed with insights into how thinking like an e-commerce company can help you raise awareness and change customer behaviours. If you’re looking to challenge the traditional ways of working, or blend physical experiences with digital experiences, Ari shares some great ideas in this episode that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Ari a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aripaulg/ And find out more about Brightline Trains at: https://www.gobrightline.com/

To stay ahead of the latest retail trends and keep pace with ever-changing consumer behaviors, you need data gathered from the front lines of commerce. And that’s where today’s guest has spent her entire career. In this episode, Brian Walker speaks with Sucharita Kodali, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, and leader of the 2021 State of Commerce Experience Report - a study of US, UK and German eCommerce consumers, B2B buyers, and the decision makers within the businesses serving them. Together, they discuss why research like this is crucial for B2B and B2C retailers, the picture it paints of the future of commerce, and what it means for decision makers as they reassess post-pandemic retail strategies. They cover a range of topics in their conversation, including: - The growing importance of a brand's direct website and how the direct-to-consumer experience is crucial in keeping customers coming back. - How, despite the large shift towards D2C, there’s still a large role for distributors to play as trusted advisors. - And how to invest in best-in-class digital capabilities that consumers expect, while overcoming the huge disconnect between buyers and sellers that the research has highlighted. This episode offers many fascinating insights into where digital commerce is heading, and what you must do to educate others inside your business about what needs to happen. If you’re looking to conduct a maturity assessment, benchmark yourselves, or build a business case for change, Sucharita shares some invaluable insights that you won’t want to miss. You can also download the report now for a complete view of the research: https://www.bloomreach.com/en/state-of-commerce-experience-hub If you’re looking for even more digital commerce insight, then you’ll want to catch up on last month’s Commerce Experience Summit 2021, where over 1000 ecommerce and marketing professionals came to discuss the latest digital commerce trends and consumer shifts: https://visit.bloomreach.com/commerce-experience-summit We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at: https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Sucharita a little better by checking out her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sucharitamulpuru/ And find out more about Forrester Research at: https://go.forrester.com/

In part one, Brian spoke to Bloomreach CEO Raj De Datta about his entrepreneurial journey and his role in evolving the company into the industry leader for eCommerce experiences. In this, the second half of their conversation, Brian speaks with Raj about his new book ‘The Digital Seeker,’ a how-to guide for digital teams to build winning digital experiences. Together, they discuss what it means to be ‘seeker-centric’, why it’s important, and how digital teams must evolve to meet the new and growing expectations of consumers, including: - What brands like Bayern Munich, Peloton, Spotify and the UK’s National Health Service are doing to build winning experiences for seekers over transactional consumers. - How you can encourage your customers to give you more of their data in return for delivering a better experience. - And how Raj would approach pitching a CEO or a board member on the importance of a digital-first, seeker-centric approach to product service and experience design and execution. This episode offers in-depth, compelling insights into the difference between customers and seekers, and how the organizations of tomorrow are building their offerings around the latter. If you’re looking for some brilliant examples of companies who are putting seekers first, and ideas for how you can develop and differentiate great digital experiences, you won’t want to miss this episode. Pre-order The Digital Seeker ahead of its launch on June 1: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Seeker-Guide-Winning-Experiences/dp/0231202202 We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us . And you can get to know Raj a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdedatta/

People don’t go online because they want to watch ads, they go online because they want great experiences. That’s exactly why Raj De Datta co-founded Bloomreach back in 2009. In today’s ‘The State of Commerce Experience’ episode, Brian Walker speaks to Bloomreach CEO Raj De Datta to learn more about his entrepreneurial background and his role in evolving Bloomreach into the industry leader for eCommerce experiences. Together, they discuss the story behind Bloomreach, how the company made the most of the pandemic, and the strategies eCommerce businesses should adopt as the world heads back to normality, including: - Where the idea for Bloomreach came from, the surprises and discoveries that Raj has encountered over the past decade, and the lessons he’s learned. - The strategy behind Bloomreach’s acquisition of the customer data and experience platform Exponea earlier this year. - And an introduction to Raj’s new book The Digital Seeker: A Guide for Digital Teams to Build Winning Experiences. This episode offers fascinating insights into the entrepreneur’s mindset, including what it takes to found, lead, and grow a successful company. If you’re looking to deliver better digital experiences, you won’t want to miss the crucial insights Raj shares in this episode. For more on Raj’s new book, The Digital Seeker, make sure you come back next week for the launch of part 2 of this episode. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Raj a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rdedatta/ You can also pre-order Raj’s new book The Digital Seeker ahead of its launch on June 1: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Seeker-Guide-Winning-Experiences/dp/0231202202

While many organisations have diversity and inclusion initiatives, there’s still a long way to go to make the C-suite, VP and director level grades as diverse as the consumers they serve. To find out how we can level the playing field, Brian Walker speaks to John Thompson, former SVP and GM at Best Buy, and one of the few black leaders at the helm of the US e-commerce industry. Together, they discuss the transformation of big box retailers into e-commerce stores and what businesses can do to further open the industry to a more diverse talent pool, including: - What the next chapter of retail looks like, and what the future holds for both malls and retailers with physical stores. - The crucial steps businesses need to take to make diversity and inclusion a priority and how higher education could play a huge role in this. - And John’s thoughts on how the industry can support and encourage both black Americans and other marginalized communities to pursue e-commerce careers. This episode offers many fascinating insights into how you can improve the approach to diversity and inclusion in your e-commerce business, with several real-life examples of industry programs that are leading the way. If you’re looking to grow a diverse team that embraces new ways of thinking, John shares some great insights in this episode that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know John a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-thompson-28ab2081/ Find out more about Best Buy at: https://www.bestbuy.com

When you take up a new role as CEO, your first year is usually very hands-on as you scope out the challenges that lay before you. But what happens when that new role coincides with the worst global pandemic in the last 100 years? To find out how one global industry leader has navigated this huge challenge, Brian Walker speaks to Charlie Cole, CEO at FTD, the 110-year-old flower and gift delivery business with operations in over 125 countries. Together, they discuss how to get consumers and employees to embrace change in a post-Covid world, the importance of market differentiation and how to overcome the challenges the global pandemic has brought on. They go into detail on a range of fascinating topics, including: - The changes FTD had to make to their supply chain in response to Covid and how they were able to do this without impacting customer experience. - Charlie’s lessons from leading a business through the crisis and how he was able to do so, even without having ever met most of his team in person. - And why Charlie is looking forward to the death of the Cookie, and what it means for customer experience in eCommerce. This episode offers many fascinating insights into the role of the modern CEO, what it takes to lead a global business through a major crisis and what you should be thinking about for your eCommerce strategy for the coming year. Whether you’re looking to make the step up to your first CEO role, or you already head up an eCommerce business, Charlie shares some great insights that you won’t want to miss. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, as well as any recommendations for future guests, so please get in touch at https://www.bloomreach.com/en/about/contact-us. Get to know Charlie a little better by checking out his LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charliecole/ Find out more about FTD at: https://www.ftd.com/