We were excited to sponsor and attend the Ecommerce Pulse Summit 2024 by Vervaunt on May 30th. Our team was delighted to hear from industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts, each bringing their unique perspectives to the table. We sat down with our team members Dan, Bill, and Jeanne and have compiled their highlights and key takeaways from the event.
Dan (Lead Solution Specialist)
Key Takeaways:
- AI Personalisation: Dan emphasised the transformative potential of AI in ecommerce. AI personalisation, driven by comprehensive customer data, enhances user experiences. Rather than fearing AI, users should embrace the enrichment of data sets to maximise AI's benefits.
- Shopify's Innovations: Shopify's new language model stands out for its ability to enhance taxonomy management and support advanced customisation. This points to a broader shift towards headless commerce and complex personalisation, enabling highly tailored ecommerce solutions.
Favourite Session:
Dan’s favourite was "The Future of 1:1 Personalisation through Data, Tracking and AI" by Elevar, which provided deep insights into leveraging data and AI for personalized user experiences.
Highlight of the Day:
A powerful quote by Geeta Randev from Champion: “In ecommerce, promoting resell, repair, and donate practices reflects a shared responsibility towards global sustainability, while it can also generate revenue.”
Bill (Ecommerce Project Manager)
Key Takeaways:
- AI Integration: AI and machine learning continue to be pivotal, with noticeable integration across various workflows.
- First-Party Data Focus: With changes to third-party data, there's an increased focus on leveraging first-party data combined with accurate segmentation and trend analysis to navigate these restrictions.
- Sustainability: Sustainability remains a hot topic, with companies striving to find the right approach.
Favourite Session:
Bill enjoyed "The Future of eCommerce - What Brands Should Be Doing in 2025," featuring insights from experts like Piers Thorogood, Martijn Wijsmuller, George Linton, and Anton Johansson.
Highlight of the Day:
Discovering Centra as a promising solution for fashion stores and brands, offering a robust platform with extensive customisation options.
Jeanne (Solutions Specialist)
Key Takeaways:
- AI Revolution: Jeanne noted the rapid advancements in AI, including generative AI, AR, and advanced text-to-speech technologies from companies like Elevenlabs. These innovations are revolutionising personalisation in online shopping.
- Cost Savings with AI: AI-powered customer service bots are reducing the need for additional hires during peak seasons, offering significant cost savings.
- Luxury Brands' Approach: Despite technological advancements, luxury niche brands remain cautious with AI for content creation, focusing on authenticity and tailored brand awareness.
Favourite Session:
Jeanne's favourite, similarly to Bill's favourite session, was "The Future of eCommerce - What Brands Should Be Doing in 2025," particularly enjoying Brad Redding's insights from Elevar.
Highlight of the Day:
The anticipated release of Shopify’s "Segmentation" feature, promising out-of-the-box functionality for merchants, and recognising Centra’s significant progress over the past year.
In summary, the Ecommerce Pulse Summit 2024 highlighted the crucial role of AI in personalisation, the growing importance of first-party data, and the ongoing commitment to sustainability. We are looking forward to the exciting innovations from platforms like Shopify and Centra and what that will mean for the industry.
