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In this ecommerce podcast, James Gurd speaks with Elian Kool, CTO of VUI Eyeware, about their digital transformation journey in the eyewear industry.

They discuss the challenges of consolidating technology and processes, the importance of a phased approach to tech migration, and the selection of the right ecommerce platform. Elian explains why VIU selected Commerce Layer as their platform and shares insights on order management, after-sales solutions, and the role of automation in improving operational efficiency.

During the conversation, Elian discusses the complexities of automating lens ordering processes, streamlining after sales operations, and leveraging technology to enhance customer experience. He emphasises the importance of a unified system that integrates various functions, such as sales, inventory management, and appointment booking, to improve operational efficiency.

The podcast then explores the operational side of the business, exploring how Elian built a lean development team, adopting agile practices for frequent deployments, and utilising data to measure customer satisfaction and feedback.

Key takeaways:

• Digital transformation requires a focus on customer experience.
• Consolidation of data is crucial for operational efficiency.
• A phased approach to tech migration reduces risk.
• Order management should be integrated with sales processes.
• Effective data management prevents errors and improves service.
• Streamlining after sales processes can significantly cut costs.
• Using Sanity for product data management allows for flexibility and efficiency.
• A lean development team can achieve significant results in a short time.
• Daily deployments enhance responsiveness to business needs.
• Agile practices can be adapted to suit the team's workflow.

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In this ecommerce podcast, James Gurd and Carl Hendy discuss the evolving landscape of organic SEO, particularly in the context of ecommerce.

Carl is a well respected voice in the ecommerce and SEO industry, having delivered SEO audits and strategies for some of the biggest content and comerce website, including John Lewis, M&S, British Airways and Eventbrite.

They explore the impact of AI on search results, the fragmentation of search, and the importance of brand management in maintaining organic visibility. Carl shares insights on how brands can adapt their strategies to navigate these changes and optimise their online presence effectively.

Key takeaways:

• Organic SEO remains critically important despite the rise of paid media.
• The presentation layer of search has changed significantly with AI.
• Search is becoming fragmented across various platforms, not just Google.
• AI overviews are negatively impacting click-through rates for organic listings.
• Brands need to manage their online reputation more proactively.
• 50% of all search queries are branded, which is often overlooked.
• Controlling the user experience is crucial for brand visibility.
• Over-optimisation can lead to confusion and reduced effectiveness in SEO.
• Luxury brands may face challenges in the AI-driven ecommerce landscape.
• Brands should focus on audience-led content that works across multiple channels.

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In this podcast, James Gurd and Alice Brown, founder of Seventh Wave Stories, delve into the intricacies of creating a coherent content strategy that resonates with audiences.

They explore Alice's journey from surf coaching to becoming a messaging strategist, emphasising the importance of understanding audience psychology and conducting thorough customer research.

The discussion highlights the balance between brand voice and customer insights, the role of AI in copywriting, and the evolving landscape of personalised content. They also touch on the significance of emotional connection in copy and the future of content strategies in 2025.

Key takeaways

• Alice transitioned from surf coaching to marketing by helping others overcome obstacles.
• Understanding messaging is crucial for all businesses.
• Effective messaging requires a blend of emotional resonance and data-driven strategy.
• Brands often struggle to align their voice with customer expectations.
• Customer research should involve direct conversations, not just surveys.
• One-to-one interviews yield deeper insights than focus groups.
• Balancing brand values with customer insights is essential for effective messaging.
• Personal content

James Gurd and Paul Rogers discuss the challenges of product data quality in ecommerce with Vidar Trojenborg, co-founder of Emfas.

Vidar has a lot of experience building ecommerce tech stacks to improve and manage product data, having previously held the role of Head of Data & Technology at ASKET.

In the po dcast, we explore how AI can automate product data management, improve catalog quality, and bridge the gap between product and ecommerce teams.

Vidar shares insights on the importance of context-aware AI, the role of guidelines in maintaining brand integrity, and the future of ecommerce technology. The conversation also touches on translation challenges and the integration of Emfas with existing ecommerce platforms.

Key takeaways:

• Data quality issues are a common challenge in ecommerce.

• Bridging the gap between product and ecommerce teams is crucial.
• Emfas uses AI to maintain content authenticity and tone of voice.
• The platform automates the auditing of product data.
• Guidelines can be set for AI-generated content.
• Emfas can handle large catalogues efficiently with rules.
• Context-aware AI ensures accurate product descriptions.
• Translation rules can be customised for different languages.
• The future of ecommerce will heavily involve AI technology.

LISTEN:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/re-platform-replatforming-podcast/id1488091548

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/25sR2mHAFdsVmrZoHMibzZ

Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/6b90a9bb-1554-4d79-849f-066f6139346b/re-platform---ecommerce-cx-and-technology-podcast

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In this episode of the Inside Commerce podcast, Paul Rogers speaks with David Franks, co-founder of Zelph, a SaaS platform designed to help brands and retailers expand their product catalogues without holding inventory.

Zelph's tech is proven at scale, having been built originally to power Kick Game's ecommerce marketplace, processing £50m+ GMV annually.

David shares insights into the challenges faced while scaling Kick Game, the demand for inventory solutions, and the technical complexities involved in building Zelph. The conversation also explores market trends, misconceptions about drop shipping, and the seamless integration of Zelph with Shopify, emphasising the importance of inventory management and strategic pricing for profitability.

Paul and David also discuss the current ecommerce landscape, focusing on the integration capabilities of Zelph with platforms beyond Shopify, the dominance of Shopify in the market, the potential of circular marketplaces, and the future vision for Zelph, including AI-driven innovations and market strategies.

Key takeaways:

• Inventory risk is a significant concern for many retailers.
• Standardising supplier data is a complex challenge.
• Marketplaces are evolving into ecosystem builders.
• Margins can be profitable with strategic pricing and negotiation.
• Inventory management is automated to ensure accuracy.
• Zelph will extend to other platform integrations, with Magento a focus
• Circular marketplaces are gaining traction, but brands need to offer incentives.
• The resale market is growing, especially among younger consumers.
• Brands must be intentional in their approach to resale to avoid low volume.
• Zelph aims to redefine how brands and retailers scale their offerings.
• AI will play a crucial role in supplier matching and catalogue management.

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In this episode of the Inside Commerce podcast, James & Paul host a discussion with Emily Mcmorran, Customer Journey Manager for Oh Polly, and Samir Kamnani, Senior Product Manager at Loop, about the evolving landscape of return strategies in ecommerce.

They delve into the shift towards paid returns, the impact on customer perception, and the importance of managing returns as a part of the overall customer experience. The conversation also covers innovative solutions like Offset Returns Coverage, and how brands can leverage returns data to improve their service.

The episode concludes with insights into future trends in returns management and the delicate balance between customer satisfaction and operational viability.

Key takeaways:

1. Returns are a significant aspect of the customer journey. 2. The trend of charging for returns has increased significantly post-pandemic. 3. Shoppers are becoming more aware and accepting of return fees. 4. Offering a simple and fair return policy can mitigate negative feedback. 5. New customers often appreciate a free first return to gauge sizing.6. Brands are increasingly viewing returns as an opportunity rather than a burden.7. Utilising returns data can help identify product issues and improve offerings.8. The focus for brands is shifting towards encouraging exchanges over refunds.9. Balancing customer experience with return policies is a complex but necessary task.

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James Gurd and Hamish McKay discuss the critical need for order editing in ecommerce, exploring the challenges faced by customer service teams and the impact of order editing on returns and customer experience.

Hamish shares his journey as a startup founder, the growth of his company, and the technical solutions developed to address common issues in order management. The discussion also touches on the potential for upselling through order editing and the importance of addressing fraud concerns in the ecommerce space.

The podcast also discusses the intricacies of order editing, focusing on fraud prevention, rapid response to merchant needs, and the latest features including multi-currency support. It emphasises the importance of shipping recalculation, switching payment methods, and handling support tickets effectively.

The discussion concludes with an explanation of how merchants can get started with order editing, and the potential for future expansion beyond the Shopify ecosystem.

Key takeaways:

• Order editing is essential for improving customer experience.
• Many ecommerce teams struggle with order changes post-purchase.
• Customer service agents often spend significant time on order edits.
• Reducing return volume can have a positive environmental impact.
• Upselling opportunities arise from allowing order edits.
• Technical solutions can delay order processing to accommodate changes.
• Fraud prevention is a key consideration in order editing; dynamic fraud checks can be implemented during the editing process.
• Shipping recalculation can be complex but is essential for customer satisfaction.
• Switching payment methods is a common reason for order cancellations.
• Support tickets can hold orders until resolved, improving customer service.

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In this podcast, James Gurd interviews Jon Cleaver, CTO of a prominent sports shoe brand, about the challenges and strategies involved in digital transformation within the company.

Jon shares his extensive background in retail, and discusses the importance of resilience and adaptability in project management. He outlines the key challenges he faced upon joining the company, including team morale, technology issues, and stakeholder engagement. Jon emphasizes the need for quick wins and effective communication to build trust and drive change, while also addressing resistance to change and the importance of customer feedback in the redesign of their ecommerce stack.

In this conversation, Jon discusses their iterative approach to launching ecommerce platforms, emphasising the importance of learning from mistakes and customer feedback. He highlights the challenges of SEO during replatforming and the decision-making process behind choosing BigCommerce as a flexible ecommerce solution.

The discussion also covers the impact of these changes on the engineering team dynamics and the transition from project management to product management, showcasing the need for adaptability and continuous improvement in a fast-paced digital environment.

Key takeaways:

• Digital transformation requires resilience and adaptability.
• Building team morale is crucial for project success.
• Addressing complex areas early can mitigate project risks.
• Strong engineering teams are essential for successful project delivery.
• Building a headless architecture allows for greater customisation.

• Creating a flexible toolset empowers teams to work efficiently.

• Identifying quick wins can drive momentum in change initiatives.
• Incremental delivery helps manage change effectively.
• Involving cross-functional teams in discovery fosters collaboration.
• Using a headless CMS can streamline operations and reduce bottlenecks.

• Understanding customer needs is essential for successful redesigns.

• Transitioning to product management requires a shift in mindset and processes.

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In this episode, James Gurd, Liam Quinn and Paul Rogers discuss the current state of AI in ecommerce, exploring its adoption, opportunities, challenges, and the future of AI agents.

They delve into the importance of creative direction, data strategy, and the role of third-party tools in enhancing AI capabilities for brands. The conversation highlights the rapid advancements in AI technology and its implications for customer service, visual content generation, and overall brand strategy.

Key takeaways:

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