Shoptalk – Groundbreaking news and trends

Shoptalk – Groundbreaking news and trends

With over 100+ sessions, 325+ speakers and 5000+ attendees, this event weighed in as a huge contributor of fresh and groundbreaking e-Commerce conversations. With a main focus on how consumers discover, shop and buy inside the retail and e-Commerce space, the Shoptalk narrative shared insights directly from the companies on the front lines of defining customer engagement.

Utilizing customer engagement as a tool to starting a conversation

One of the largest themes taken from sessions at Shoptalk this year was the importance for companies to open and maintain a constant “conversation” with their e-commerce consumers. Whether a brick and mortar retail store, e-tailer, or mobile application – personal marketing has always been a reliable way for companies to “converse” with their customers on an individual level and influence their purchasing decisions. Continued success in this area will be dependent on using these same practices in new and inspiring ways! For example, many companies at Shoptalk insisted on using all the customer data at your disposal to create personalized touch to everything they possibly can. The days of providing a blanket advertisement that may or may not be absorbed by the customer are dying. It’s about personalization with a purpose to create utility at the same time as marketing. This allows for consumers to receive valuable information while driving ongoing engagement and repeat business.

Delivery continues to have key influence on the overall customer experience
Shoptalk entrance
Photo: Direct Link

With regards to the final mile of fulfillment especially, several of Shoptalk’s speakers agreed that consumer expectations are very high when it comes to the topic of delivery. Consumers are looking to retailers to make it simple, make it easy and make it happen as promised! Some e-tailers, such as Elliot Shmukler from Instacart – a grocery delivery service, have attempted to accomplish this feat on their own and end up relying on a product mark-up to cover their delivery costs. Instead, as he suggests, pairing with a trusted delivery provider is the ticket to overcoming challenges and providing a premier experience for the customer.

And this was something that many of the companies in the various sessions dove into, shaping the overall important customer experience and new evolutions in the last mile of delivery.

Austin Whittenberger, Sales, Direct Link USA

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