Brent starts by elaborating on BigCommerce’s distinctive approach to Open SaaS and how it sets the platform apart from competitors. Unlike traditional SaaS solutions, which often offer limited flexibility, Open SaaS is designed to be as open and adaptable as possible, rivaling the capabilities of open-source solutions. This model allows businesses to integrate with various third-party solutions and customize their e-commerce experience extensively.

Robin Helfer’s career spans a diverse range of industries, from confectionery with Cadbury to retail with Ashley Stewart. Through her extensive experience, she has learned that the core of any successful consumer-facing business is understanding and fulfilling consumer needs. Every business, whether it’s in clothing, mattresses, or consumer goods, must have a clear and compelling unique selling proposition (USP). This USP answers a critical question: What need does the business fulfill better than its competitors?

At the heart of this principle is the idea that without addressing consumer needs effectively, a business cannot thrive or even survive. For e-commerce professionals, this means constantly evaluating and refining what their business offers and how it aligns with customer expectations. It’s not just about having a good product; it’s about ensuring that the product or service meets a specific demand and provides a superior solution compared to competitors.

Businesses should focus on deeply understanding their target audience and continually assess whether their offerings meet evolving consumer needs. This customer-centric approach should inform product development, marketing strategies, and overall business strategy to maintain a competitive edge and foster customer loyalty.

In our discussion, Lorenzo shed light on the true meaning of omnichannel strategy. He explained, “Omnichannel is really a way to provide customers with what they need when they need it and where they need it.” This concept goes far beyond mere presence on multiple channels; it’s about creating a cohesive experience that seamlessly integrates all customer touchpoints.

To put it simply, an effective omnichannel strategy is not just about having a uniform brand message across various platforms. It’s about understanding and anticipating customer needs and providing a consistent, personalized experience. Lorenzo’s insight underscores a critical shift: brands must move from a traditional approach of pushing their agenda onto customers to a more adaptive strategy that listens and responds to customer preferences.

Brands need to focus on integrating their channels in a way that makes the customer journey as smooth and interconnected as possible. This involves not only consistent messaging but also adapting services and interactions to meet customer expectations at every stage of their journey.

Jesse makes a compelling case for designing e-commerce solutions with the end-user in mind. This approach is not just about creating a user-friendly interface but involves a holistic understanding of how the product fits into the users’ workflow and daily tasks. For instance, when Paula’s Choice rolled out a new content management system (CMS), Jesse stressed the importance of involving content managers and copywriters from the outset. These stakeholders are the true users of the system, and their early feedback can prevent missteps that could otherwise lead to inefficiencies or dissatisfaction.

Incorporating feedback from end-users isn’t just a best practice; it’s a necessity for creating solutions that drive real value. Jesse’s emphasis on this principle reflects a broader trend in e-commerce where user experience (UX) is prioritized over merely fulfilling business requirements. By engaging with those who will use the technology daily, businesses can ensure that their solutions are intuitive and effective, ultimately leading to higher adoption rates and better outcomes.

Tyler defines site merchandising as being all about how customers navigate your site, i.e. what they see and the path they take to checkout. Thus, your primary goal should be to make their experience as smooth and seamless as possible. To do so, you need to understand your target audience. Everything from their needs, through their frustrations, to their preferences. Then, you can base the site flow on your customer insights,

Tracking conversion rates across multiple brands and countries, and then interpreting them, can be incredibly complex.

Often session data and user data show different pictures, so TFG London focuses on the latter, as this gives them a clearer picture of their return on investment (ROI). They have found that their most loyal customers will often visit five times or more before purchasing, which leads to a much lower conversion rate if they relied on session data, thus skewing the picture.

To understand user conversion, you need to use customer data and CRM systems to track their behaviors. Nicholas notes in particular how useful it is to segment users into groups based on their behaviors, i.e. new, returning, or high-value, to understand what factors impact conversion.

“Fundamentally, if you’re tracking that customer database and you’re looking at how often those customers are buying within that database and how many new customers you’re acquiring, coupling that with the visits to the website, I think you start to build a pretty decent picture.“

Raw conversions do not give you the full picture, so do not rely on them. Instead, focus on customer engagement and long-term metrics to understand the full picture.