eTail London 2024
25 - 26 June, 2024
QEII Conference Centre, London, UK
Day Two: Customer Engagement & Retail Innovation (19 June)
There are now more ways than ever to connect with your customer across platforms, but how do you foster real engagement rather than just accumulating touchpoints? Join us as we explore tactics for enhancing your customer engagement practices and explore the role of innovation in creating the memorable brand experiences that your customers require to sustain these connections.
8:20 am - 8:50 am
Breakfast & Registration
8:50 am - 9:00 am
Welcome Remarks
Ellen Granoff -
Program Director,
eTail Europe
9:00 am - 9:15 am
Chairperson’s Opening Remarks
Dalia Lasaite -
CEO,
CGTrader
Juergen Schuster -
CEO,
Garten-und-Freizeit.de
9:15 am - 9:45 am
Keynote Panel: Finding The Keys To Retail Success: How To Win In eCommerce
Simon Calvert -
Trading Director,
Bonmarche
Adrian Evans -
CFO,
Made.com
Gil Levy -
VP Global Marketing,
Splitit
Sharon Forder -
VP Marketing, EMEA,
Cheetah Digital
Different eCommerce leaders swear by different strategies that they identify as the "key" to their success. During this fast paced panel, our keynote panelists will be identifying their own keys to success and outline actionable insights for:
- Continuously evolving and pushing your marketing to engage customers online
- Developing core values that ensure innovation and integrity—and how they can be communicated to customers digitally
- Enduring that you never stop delighting: building perks and logistical conveniences that make your brand completely accessible
9:45 am - 10:05 am
Keynote Fireside Chat: Global Growth In The Age Of Omni-Channel Retail
Martin Preen -
CEO,
Buster & Punch
Vytautas Juskevicius -
Head of Marketing,
CGTrader
Buster + Punch, a cult favorite interior design brand, is tackling omni-channel growth challenges head on. In this interview-style session, CEO Martin Preen discusses how he has paved the way forward for international expansion for the company, and how they’ve managed the complexities to achieve financial success.
• Reviewing how Buster + Punch positions themselves in the market
• Applying investment banking techniques
• Understanding how important data is to drive success
10:05 am - 10:50 am
Smoothie Social Morning Break
Sip a smoothie and take a spin around the Exhibit Hall during today’s morning networking break. You’ll have time to refuel and relax before we head back into the session room for the rest of the morning’s Keynotes.
10:50 am - 11:15 am
Keynote Lightning Round Panel: Building A Cohesive Omnichannel Strategy
Shehnaaz Chenia -
Director, eCommerce Development EMEA, Direct to Consumer,
Lego
Andrea Picchi -
Head of Experience Design,
River Island
Vytautas Juskevicius -
Head of Marketing,
CGTrader
In order to execute an omnichannel strategy, you must align your channels for seamless user experience, but this does not mean that all of the channels will function the same way. This session will explore:
- Understanding which channels your customers prefer for specific activities like discovering, browsing, searching, or purchasing
- Optimizing your channels for the specifc functions that your customers prefer them for
- Creating a seamless experience that makes the most of each of your unique channels by acknowledging their individual strengths, weaknesses, and potentials
11:15 am - 11:35 am
Keynote Presentation: Pop-Ups To The Rescue: Non-Traditional Fulfilment Methods Pave The Way For International Expansion
Lisa Cooley -
General Manager,
PFS
Join Christophe Pecoraro from PFS as he discusses the need for agility and innovative thinking for successful cross-border expansion in an increasingly consumer-driven eCommerce landscape. This session will cover:
•The changing needs of consumers and how this is disrupting the eCommerce supply chain
•Current barriers for retailers considering internationalisation
•The concept of the ‘pop-up distribution centre’ and how this can help retailers overcome these challenges
•How non-traditional eCommerce solutions can help retailers alleviate the impact of peak and cross-border trading
•Case studies from retailers already successfully implementing non-traditional fulfilment solutions
11:35 am - 12:00 pm Keynote Presentation: Ancient Product Meets Modern eTailing
John McDonnell - Managing Director International, Tito’s Handmade VodkaBeverage alcohol is one of most enduring of human pleasures. We still have the remains of earthenware vessels, created 9,000 years for storing fermented beverages. How is this ancient part of human existence now being successfully sold today, using eTailing techniques around the world? John McDonnell, global leader in the spirits industry, will share real observations and learnings from his years at Patrón Spirits and now as Managing Director International, Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
- How a brand’s authentic, experience-based identity can provide
- “High Touch” impact that people appreciate in a “high tech” world.
- Using digital communications for delivery convenience & heightened sales.
- Adjusting eTail communications & experiences from one culture to another.
12:00 pm - 12:20 pm Keynote Presentation: ReThinking Commerce: Next Generation Commerce Led By Experience
Michael Schirrmacher - Managing Director, BloomReachDigital experiences should be not only engaging and magical but also measurable. This session with Bloomreach will explore how to create content, optimize it to be audience-specific, and analyze your success. Key takeaways will include:
- Creating and managing metadata-enriched, re-usable content assets
- Following a clear system for versioning and scheduling brand experiences
- Harnessing your understanding of your current customers and target audience to create digital experiences that drive a real ROI
12:20 pm - 12:45 pm Keynote Fireside Chat: Innovation & Disruption: Lessons Learned From One Of Retail’s Rising Stars
Zak Edwards - Managing Director, Prezzybox.com Vytautas Juskevicius - Head of Marketing, CGTraderPrezzybox is one of the best loved online gift retailers in the United Kingdom. Hear from the company’s founder in this exciting fireside chat. Zak will highlight the elements of agility and innovation that make for truly transformative retail experiences for their customers and touch on topics such as:
-Fostering an internal culture that supports agility, customer responsiveness and innovation
-Making a space for yourself in a crowded eComm market
-Defining elements of innovators that are driving disruptive retail experiences
12:45 pm - 1:05 pm eTail Dragon's Den: Identifying “The Next Best Thing” In Retail Tech
Lindsay Fisher - Co-Founder, Sparkbox Sergey Klimentyev - Co-Founder, Texel Hakeem Buge - Founder and Head of Sales & Operations, ChargedUpHear about the latest and greatest eCommerce innovations from start-up companies pitching their tech in a bid to win first place at eTail Europe. You’ll understand how their tech can translate into revenue for your business as they walk through the technology’s benefits to your business and predict their future success. The ultimate decision is in your hands though, as the audience votes for their favourite. Will you find the next big thing?
11:35 am - 1:05 pm Invitation-Only VIP Think Tank
Exercise your minds and leverage those who are exploring today’s top ecommerce tech. Together, discuss European retail’s current environment, and where you think areas of growth (or decline!) may be. Validate your ideas. Inspire others. Get an “outside-in” unique point of view to discover diverse thinking that can transform your mindset—for both you and your retail business. Limited to 20 retail executives.
1:05 pm - 2:05 pm Lunch For All Attendees
1:05 pm - 2:05 pm Private Luncheon Workshop Hosted By IBM
Track A: Content & Personalisation
2:05 pm - 2:15 pm Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Sai Koppala - CMO, SheerID
Track A: Content & Personalisation
2:15 pm - 2:40 pm Case Study: Putting The Emotion Back Into (e)Commerce Jo McClintock - Brand Director, MoonpigRetail businesses have increasingly become good at functional commerce, providing customers with a good product range, speed of delivery etc. but where most brands still need to improve is how they connect with their customers on an emotional level.
Jo McClintock will discuss Moonpig's brand refresh and why emotions are an integral part of the brand's identity.
Track A: Content & Personalisation
2:40 pm - 2:50 pm Innovation Spotlight: PXM Meets CXM – Excellence In Omnichannel Commerce And Customer Service David Spaeth - Head of Marketing, novomind AGProduct Experience Management (PXM) is the basis for a great customer journey and Customer Experience Management (CXM) is the evolution of customer service. Where PXM meets CXM you will find the ultimate customer satisfaction. In order to achieve this balance, your infrastructure needs to address both omnichannel commerce and customer service.
• If it is not about the customer, rethink what you are doing
• Customers expect personalization – before, during and after purchase
• Shopping experience will soon be more important than the actual product
Track A: Content & Personalisation
2:50 pm - 3:00 pm Innovation Spotlight: How Leading Brands are Personalizing Offers To Acquire Next Generation Customers Sai Koppala - CMO, SheerIDAccording to a survey with WBR, almost 75% of retail marketers like you say they feel like they’re under more pressure than ever before. They’re balancing challenging KPIs with a noisy, homogenous marketplace. Many companies rely on regular mass discounts to keep consumers interested, but never truly earn their ongoing loyalty.
How do you differentiate your brand from the cacophony of discounts?
CMO of SheerID, Sai Koppala, dives into five ways brands can use gated offers to target audiences based on social identity, and create an exclusive promotion that is sticky enough to become habit-forming.
Track A: Content & Personalisation
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Fireside Chat: Are You Better Off On Your Own? Evaluating And Overcoming The Limitations Of Marketplaces Mark Dunhill - Chief Executive Officer, Whittard of ChelseaWhen you list your goods or services on a marketplace, you boost your brand’s exposure and get your product in front of a whole new group of engaged shoppers. However, this often comes at the cost of control over your brand’s image and perceived identity in the space. Join us for a lively discussion about the pros and cons of marketplaces and come away with insight into:
- Using robust product descriptions to differentiate your product when it is listed amongst competitors on a marketplace
- Ensuring consistent pricing across all of your channels to enhance confidence in your brand’s authenticity
- Utilizing alternative product touchpoints on your own site such as FAQs and supplemental brand content to engage with customers that have purchased your product elsewhere
- Understanding that perhaps the true purpose of marketplaces is brand exposure rather than enhanced customer lifetime value
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
2:05 pm - 2:15 pm Chairperson’s Opening Remarks James Bennett - Business Development, ContentSquare
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
2:15 pm - 2:40 pm Retail Case Study Revolution: Merchandising Techniques That Set Sales In Motion Sophia Holland Thomas - Digital Marketing Manager, Oasis FashioneCommerce merchandising is both an art and a science, as it requires a deep attention to detail as well as a thorough understanding of who your customer is. Join us for a dynamic session during which we will discuss:
- Providing high-resolution imagery, videos, accurate product descriptions and specifications to help the customer feel close to the product
- Creating unique product journeys
- Linking socially-promoted products
- Encouraging up-selling and cross-selling in the customer journey
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm Innovation Spotlight: BP... Creating The Retail Customer Experience Andy Duggan - Global Digital Marketing Specialist, BP Daniel Mathew - Vice President, UberallBP's Andy Duggan and Uberall's Daniel Mathew speak about harnessing the power of Uberall's technology platform to optimise the online presence of BP's retail outlets.
To be found by their customers across the digital universe is a major challenge for all brands, particularly as consumers now engage with BP through online directories, search engines, maps, apps, in-car navigation systems, social media channels, and increasingly through conversational commerce platforms like voice assistants. And once they are found, retailers need to ensure that their customer's experience is frictionless and consistent; that includes ensuring that retail outlet listing information is accurate, relevant and informative.
The discussion highlights the enormity of this task for BP and how this problem would be impossible to solve without the use of the latest location marketing technology.
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Fireside Chat: Take And Use Only What You Must: Balancing Your Need For Data With Your Customer’s Desire For Privacy Kunal Banerjee - Head of Product, Analytics & UX, Pizza Hut Digital VenturesIt is important to be sensitive about data collection and usage in a market now governed by GDPR. However, it is also important to offer customers personalized online shopping experiences that are suited to their unique consumer preferences. How do you find the balance? This session will walk you through:
- Best practices for data collection at checkout that maximize your useful data collection without invading the customer privacy
- Limiting usage of personal data like first names to email promotions rather than creating overtly and obviously personalized sites
- Displaying some non-optimized or otherwise irrelevant content to ease consumers’ fear of surveillance
- Seeking feedback from customers about the types of personalized experiences and services they prefer so that you are able to deliver accordingly
- Refining your Personalisation practices to ensure that they are helpful without crossing into the territory of being creepy
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
2:05 pm - 2:15 pm Chairperson’s Opening Remarks Amit Bivas - VP, Global Marketing, Optimove
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
2:15 pm - 2:40 pm Fireside Chat: Keeping It Human: Delivering Authentic Customer Experiences In A World Of AI Clare Willetts - Former Brand Director/Head of Customer Experience, Virgin, and Former Managing Partner, M&C Saatchi London, Virgin / M&C Saatchi LondonCustomer Experience seems to be the buzz word of the moment but what actually is it? Why are so many people talking about it and how do you make sure that your customers are experiencing what you as a brand want them to? Clare Willetts has worked in advertising and marketing for almost two decades, most recently as Head of Customer Experience for Virgin. Join us for a discussion around:
- How you find your Brand’s authenticity and finding your authentic voice
- Understanding where to focus in order to deliver your Brand’s unique customer experience
- How you can keep your brand human in a world of AI
- The importance of data and the use of human oversight in AI automation
Clare Willetts
Former Brand Director/Head of Customer Experience, Virgin, and Former Managing Partner, M&C Saatchi LondonVirgin / M&C Saatchi London
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
2:40 pm - 3:00 pm All Things Retail: How to Manufacture Shopping Serendipity Jeff Samuels - COO, IterableAs technology continues reshaping business as we know it, retail brands must embrace the changing needs of the consumer if they hope to remain relevant inside the retail landscape.
Jeff Samuels, Iterable's Chief Operating Officer, will reveal valuable insights into the current state of retail and e-commerce digital cross-channel marketing and what they can do to stand out from the crowd, citing examples and recommendations for optimizing your organization’s cross-channel marketing strategy.
Key Takeaways include:
- Analysis of marketing campaign strategies by 50 leading retailers
- How to implement cross-channel marketing
- Recommendations to activate consumer attention and drive brand loyalty
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm Case Study: Not Just A Lofty Ambition: Customer Obsession Drives Profit Zoe Nicolay - Group Head of Customer, HalfordsIn retail, you need to keep things simple and implement things fast, whilst keeping a close eye to the bottom line. It’s no good being “interesting”: our obsession with understanding customers has to drive action and positive change that creates real, tangible profits. How does this fit with a desire to understand your customers and create compelling customer experiences for them? What does customer relationship management really mean and how can we deliver connected experiences across the traditional business silos? How do you prove that these things pay back?
In this session you will learn about Halfords' journey from being product led to being customer led, and the pragmatic and practical solutions that have driven this transformation:
- Demonstrate payback: make your Finance team your loudest cheerleaders, by driving, and measuring, improved sales and efficiencies
- How to zero in on the data that matters most, delivering the fastest and most effective results
- Leveraging data to drive loyalty, repeat spend and lifetime value
- Monetising your customer insight and closing the loop on customer feedback
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
3:30 pm - 3:40 pm Innovation Spotlight: Follow The Leaders: Increase Customer Retention & Lifetime Value, A Case Study With Epsilon Abacus and Revolutionary Flower Delivery Brand, Bloom & Wild Ben Collier - Business Development Director, Epsilon Abacus Jim Warren - Director of Marketing, Bloom & WildWhat do brands like SPOKE, Biscuiteers, Phase Eight, This Works and Bloom & Wild all have in common?... They all use data-driven direct mail campaigns to increase average order values, drive repeat purchases and ensure higher lifetime value from their customers. Take This Works for example; 34% higher first year spend from customers and 47% higher lifetime spend vs the average. Joe Fletcher describes these results as ‘essentially recruiting VIPs’. There are hundreds of direct mail success stories like This Works but few are as compelling as that of Bloom & Wild. You’ll hear:
• Why Bloom & Wild decided to test a direct mail catalogue
• How customer engagement results compared to previous marketing campaigns
• Why data played such a major role in the results
• What the key learnings from catalogue design and production were
Interactive Retailer-Only Roundtables
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm Table #1: Determining The Appropriate Level Of Personalisation For eCommerce Shoppers Simone Williams - Head of eCommerce, WhistlesRoundtable discussions are small peer-led group discussions on a niche topic. Talk about your key challenges and hear how other retailers are overcoming them. Please visit the website to see updates on roundtable moderators.
Hosted By: Simone Williams, Head of eCommerce, Whistles
3:40 pm - 4:25 pm
Cheers & Beers Afternoon Refreshment Break
Join us for a pint and networking at our final refreshment break of the conference. Be sure to bring your best banter and business cards with you!
4:25 pm - 5:25 pm
Invitation Only Cheers With Peers Wine Tasting Hosted By Selligent
Join us for an exciting tasting experience as you relax with fellow retailers during the conference.
This session is by invitation only and is hosted by Selligent
Track A: Content & Personalisation
4:25 pm - 4:55 pm Panel Revolution: Consumer Generated Content Is The New Advertising Anouk de Lange - eCommerce & Marketing Director, Perch & Parrow Ltd. Marisa Thomas - Head of Brand, Bloom & Wild Robyn Blake - Performance Marketing Strategist, SelfridgesIt is becoming increasingly common for product reviews, photos and other related content about your product to appear not only on your own site, but also on the social media channels of your consumers. Everyone with a smartphone has a platform through which to photograph, praise, criticize, demonstrate and market your goods to an audience of their peers. And this exposure—both positive and negative—allows you to market your product through the social influence of those showcasing it. Join us as we discuss ways to harness the power of consumer generated content (CSG) as a powerful form of brand advocacy. Takeaways include techniques for:
- Harnessing your understanding of your customer base to fine tune your brand messaging to be in sync with those you are targeting and engaging
- Developing hashtags that encourage consumers to post about their experiences with your products
- Designing “wow” moments through online activations, events, packaging elements, and surprises to inspire photography and reviews
- Featuring consumer generated content on your own channels to elevate the voices of those speaking about you
- Turning consumer generated reviews and content into meaningful brand relationships by closely monitoring, responding to, and featuring the feedback collected through these channels.
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
4:25 pm - 4:55 pm Case Study Presentation: Building Digital Foundation With An API-First Approach Danus Chidambaram - Head of Digital Integration Architecture, MARSMars has embarked on a Data, Analytics and AI-led Digital Transformation. Danus is leading the global efforts for an API-First approach to Integration to fuel this Digital Transformation. In this session, Danus will share the “Application Network” strategy and underpinning architecture and technology approach with the participants.
Track B: AI, Data & Future Tech
2:55 pm - 3:30 pm Panel: Using Data To Connect With Your Customers Julian Highley - Director of Data, BI & Data Science, Clarks Madeleine Melin - E-tail & CRM Marketing Lead Europe, ElectroluxWe all know that consumer data is the key to unlocking insights into how and why your customers interact with your brand. However, moving from understanding your customers to engaging with them can require a big leap. This session sets out to explore:
- Understanding how and why today’s customers are seeking brand relationships
- Creating and implementing an effective retention programme
- Testing and measuring the effectiveness of your programme and iterating as needed
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
4:25 pm - 4:55 pm Panel Revolution: Keep Your Customer Coming Back For More: Enhancing Your Customer Relationships Robin Phillips - CEO, The Watch Shop Rob Watson - Head of eCommerce, HotterIt costs more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an old one, yet forging brand loyalty can be a tricky process. This session will explore best practices for:
- Understanding how and why today’s customers are seeking brand relationships
- Connecting with your customers: assessing data to understand how to engage them long term
- Creating and implementing an effective retention programme
- Testing and measuring the effectiveness of your programme and iterating as needed
Track C: Customer Retention & Engagement
4:55 pm - 5:30 pm Case Study: New E-Business Models: How To Use E-commerce For Testing & Scaling New Consumer Ideas Amy Brix - Global Head of Online Delivery, UnileverTesting is no longer just for email; it is now possible to test difference eCommerce models to evaluate and scale new consumer ideas. This session will delve into the specific of:
•Consumer problem & validation - Understand how to set-up a digital consumer test/experiment
•Hypothesis validation & the power of data insights
•When going direct to consumer
•How to scale an experiment in a large organization
Interactive Retailer-Only Roundtables
4:25 pm - 4:55 pm Table #3: Globalization Best PracticesRoundtable discussions are small peer-led group discussions on a niche topic. Talk about your key challenges and hear how other retailers are overcoming them. Please visit the website to see updates on roundtable moderators.
Interactive Retailer-Only Roundtables
4:55 pm - 5:30 pm Table #4: Customer Engagement Best PracticesRoundtable discussions are small peer-led group discussions on a niche topic. Talk about your key challenges and hear how other retailers are overcoming them. Please visit the website to see updates on roundtable moderators.