Cuppa Commerce

In her work as a project/program manager in the retail and travel space, Karthika Mayo focuses on building out digital solutions for direct-to-consumer brands and retailers.

In this episode, we discuss:

Her recent work with cosmetics company e.l.f. to replatform from a legacy ecommerce system to Salesforce Commerce Cloud (along with other SF solutions)

Why both vender salespeople and business executives should include a company’s broader digital team when considering a new commerce project

Just selling to “who holds the checkbook” doesn’t work – your product may not be short-listed for consideration

Digital stakeholders are found across the organization, and their adoption will determine a solution’s success post launch

How the sales process itself is an educational opportunity

Businesses use the RFP process to learn about available solutions and build out their list of requirements

Insisting on using a scripted, scenario- and demo-based approach to evaluation is key to comparing options

Vendors’ reputations in the market are powerful – retailers/brands narrow down options based on what they hear from their own network

Why vendors should be transparent and proactive in helping a business understand potential tradeoffs needed or where customization will be required

Why personalization is the theme for 2019 in the Beauty space

In her consulting work at Soleberry over the past 13 years, Gabrielle Hase has helped both established retailers and startup brands grasp how the digital space impacts customer behavior online and offline, giving her clients a deeper understanding of their consumer.

In this episode, we discuss:

How her new UK-based digital venture, CatDogFish, helps her keep in touch with the market and gives depth to the advice she’s offering clients

The differing challenges facing today’s "digital first" startups vs. established consumer brands – and what each needs to do to keep both their product strategy and their brand story pointed in the right direction

How to appeal to today’s "fickle and promiscuous" consumers, who expect weekly if not daily engagement from their favorite brands

Why your digital strategy MUST be driven from the very top of the organization to have any chance to succeed

Why the biggest challenges for direct-to-consumer businesses include "the hygiene factor" and getting your data in order

Her view that 2019 is the year to figure out your strategy for Voice

Chuck Cantrell, Director of Strategic Commerce Consulting for LiveArea, shares his thoughts on how direct-to-consumer brands and retailers can achieve omni-channel success, despite myriad internal/external challenges and competitive threats. Chuck outlines how focusing on the "Zero Moment of Truth" and and a customer-first philosophy can orient all of your omni-channel efforts.