Personalization

Eighty years after the classic movie "Casablanca" made its debut, lyrics from the film’s signature song still ring true today — “the fundamental things in life apply, as time goes by.” I think of this every time there’s another story about the ways that retail shopping habits have been impacted by digital technologies and, over…

For e-commerce businesses, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are nothing new. Both have been gradually transforming the way retailers operate and improve their online offerings through enabling greater efficiency and a better understanding of their markets. In 2021, however, technological advancements and enhanced intelligence in these areas will expand the way businesses can benefit…

The November partnership between Target and Ulta Beauty exemplifies how retail disruption in 2020 forced brands, particularly brands in niche segments, to rethink go-to-market strategies in the wake of fewer in-store visits, declining sales, and consumers’ increasing preferences for contactless interactions. Like many retailers, Ulta was hit with store closures, experiencing a 27 percent year-over-year…

E-commerce personalization has come a long way. Personalized product recommendations and content, as well as personalized social media ads, emails and more are now increasingly being adopted by retailers to enhance multichannel shopping journeys and to drive sales. The increasing interest in the technology is fueling further innovation. Based on our knowledge of the latest…

No industry sector has experienced a year quite like 2020. For retailers, the pandemic caused massive upheaval to in-store shopping, supply chains, marketing budgets, and more. Retailers that relied heavily on brick-and-mortar sales were forced into e-commerce seemingly overnight. But the truth is the pandemic arrived at a time when retailers were already grappling with…

Two minutes into browsing through an e-commerce site for new workout clothes, I closed the window in favor of checking my emails. Three minutes later, I couldn’t even remember the name of the website. How is it that some e-commerce sites create completely unmemorable experiences, while others make you think, “Where’s my wallet?” The difference…

From the range of digital marketplaces to the proliferation of social media platforms, consumers now have the ability to discover new brands and products faster and easier than ever before — and the amount of time they’re spending online is only increasing. As such, it’s critical for brands to not only have a presence across…

2020 might be over on the calendar, but there’s still much we’re learning and adjusting to as we begin 2021. The pandemic forced retailers into a digital acceleration unlike anything we’ve seen before. Add to that drastic changes in consumer behavior. Needless to say, as we begin this new year, there are many trends retail…

We’ve all had the experience: you finally click “Buy” on the perfect pair of new boots. A second later you click to open another browser window and boom: ads galore for the same pair of boots. Are they relevant? Technically. Are they useful? Not at all. As online shopping continues to grow, especially in the…

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred drastic shifts within the customer landscape. Shoppers are changing their buying habits and branching out to find new or different solutions to suit their needs. Many of these changes will be permanent, presenting companies and marketing teams with unprecedented challenges for the foreseeable future. One of the more significant customer shifts…