Tag: Mean Business

The Data Mandate for a Modernized Shopping Experience
Brands like Amazon have set the gold standard for a modern ecommerce shopping experience. Customers expect brands to show them the right product at the right price — and they don’t want to wait weeks to receive it. What’s more, with Gen AI tools now in the fray, customers are likely to want instant product guidance, review summaries and more.

Many retailers are eager to replicate such experiences, but they often stumble on a recurring barrier: data. Without a plan to prepare and leverage the data they have (and gather the data they need), it’s tough to meet customers’ ecommerce expectations — much less exceed them.

The good news? In this piece, we’ll lay out key steps every retailer can take to wrest control of their data and pave the way for a modernized shopping experience.

1. Clarify Your Data Strategy

Today’s retailers face a common set of data challenges. For many, the problem isn’t a lack of data — it’s an excess of it. In fact, retailers often have so much data that they struggle to make sense of it. And the data they can interpret is primarily used for reporting purposes and little else. That means there’s an abundance of untapped data that isn’t being used to enhance the customer experience.

To overcome these hurdles, it’s important to craft a clear data strategy. Three tips that can help:
1. Define your data goals — clarify what you want to achieve with your data. Are you aiming to reduce customer support friction, make better product recommendations, optimize your supply chain or enhance your loyalty program? Clarifying your goals will help you narrow down the data you need;
2. Identify digital tools that can make your vision a reality — if your priority is to improve your customer support experience, for instance, you might choose to build a Gen AI-powered chatbot that assists customer-facing agents and focus on gathering data from support interactions, product documentation, etc.; and
3. Prioritize data governance — your software needs clean, relevant and high-quality data to deliver meaningful insights. One cautionary tale — a food and beverage retailer noticed a sudden spike in breakfast sausage sales. As it turned out, this was due to a critical data quality error: Every recent sale had been tagged as a breakfast sausage. Had they based business decisions off this perceived interest, there could have been costly mistakes.
The result of taking these steps is a roadmap that can help you take advantage of your data to benefit customers and your bottom line.

2. Use Customer Data to Enable Personalization

Customer data is one of your biggest assets, especially when it comes to personalization. But this data tends to be scattered across social media, customer support interactions, etc.

With a best-of-breed customer data platform (CDP), you can centralize data from across your tech stack and draw on third-party sources. Get creative with your data sources, too: your retail mobile app, for instance, can be a wealth of customer information and even incorporate data from first-party sources.

A robust CDP strategy can help you build a 360-degree view of each customer. And you can use customer profiles to:
- Build more effective loyalty programs — for instance, you might create a tiered loyalty program based on shopping frequency, with early access to products you know they’ll love;
- Optimize customer rewards and promotions — you might offer custom discounts based on shopping habits (e.g., 20% off sustainable products for climate-conscious customers). It’s something 48% of customers expect; and
- Unify your physical and digital experiences — in a “phygital” retail environment, in-store associates might use customer data to offer tailored product suggestions.
Want to create even richer customer profiles? Consider another helpful technology: the data clean room. It’s a secure way to exchange aggregate, anonymized data with CPG partners. You have full control over the data you contribute and who gets to see it, of course. And with access to shared datasets, you can tap into each partner’s insights on sales trends, consumer behavior patterns and more. This means more data for more tailored customer experiences.

This degree of personalization can have a huge impact on customer satisfaction. And you can continually run A/B tests and iterate to fine-tune your approach. Over time, you’ll get closer to delivering the experience customers expect — and boost customer loyalty in the process.

3. Use Operational Data to Improve Forecasting

Your retail operations can make or break the customer experience. But by leveraging data about your logistics, fulfillment and inventory processes, you can keep things running smoothly.

Predictive analytics tools are a powerful option here. They can help you forecast supply chain and fulfillment disruptions so you can proactively adapt.

But it’s also worth considering emerging innovations like digital twins. This software uses data from various sources, such as your inventory management system or IoT sensors, to virtually simulate anything from a single packaging line to an entire warehouse. What’s more, you can test out thousands of fulfillment strategies and gauge the hypothetical customer impact for each. This way, you can de-risk new operational changes to maximize the chances of success and lower the cost of failure.

The bottom line: Tapping into your operational data can help you make data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency and reduce costs, leading to better customer outcomes.

Let Data Lead the Way

Your data is key to unlocking a great customer experience. It’s also crucial groundwork for the next generation of ecommerce technology. If recent experiences with AI mean anything, it’s that data matters now more than ever.

With the recommendations we’ve shared, you’ll be prepared to gain control of your data, modernize your shopping experience and propel your business forward.

Marcelo Vessoni is SVP, Digital and Head of Retail at CI&T. A global technology transformation specialist for large enterprises and fast growth clients, CI&T helps retailers engage customers, increase sales and drive greater operational efficiencies.
April 28, 2025
MarTech Series’s Marketing Technology Highlights of The Week Featuring Adobe, Wix, Verve and More in Martech!
When it comes to utilizing advanced AI powered martech, the question now revolves more around WHY to use it as opposed to how. Experts and industry leaders weigh in with more tops, thoughts, insights on martech in this week’s MarTech highlights by MarTechSeries:

________

Marketing and Marketing Tech Quote-of-the-Week!

Traditionally, in-app and mobile were seen as the preserve of performance marketers. As a result, there is still work to be done around educating brands on why they should move their dollars into this environment. Unknowingly, they’re already benefiting because it’s often one element of their multi-channel campaign. Amongst the wealth of channels, we’re increasingly seeing brand campaign success driven by mobile apps because the user experience is better, engagement is higher as people are emotionally invested in what they’re doing, and the audience scale is there.

–Stephen Upstone, CEO & Founder @ LoopMe

Top MarTech News of The Week – 21st April to 25th April 2025
Top MarTech Articles on Driving Ad Revenue, BNPL and Marketing Trends, Retail Media Impact and more!
MarTech Q&A of The Week

Read More

With AI, it’s easy to get caught up in the next big tool, but the real question isn’t how to use AI—it’s why. The best marketing teams don’t chase technology for its own sake; they start with a business challenge and apply AI where it delivers a real, measurable advantage. AI only creates value when it’s aligned with strategic objectives.

The key to making AI work isn’t just the technology—it’s the data that fuels it. Differentiated outcomes require differentiated data. If marketers rely on the same generic, commoditized data sources as everyone else, they’ll get the same results as everyone else. The real competitive edge comes from proprietary insights, unique customer signals, and rich contextual data that train AI to drive smarter decisions, not just faster ones.

–Aaron Kechley, CEO @ Zappi

Missed The Latest Episode of The SalesStar Podcast? Have a quick listen here!

Episode 226: The Future of Mobile-first Ad Experiences with Kunal Nagpal, Chief Business Officer at InMobi Advertising

Episode 225: The Latest Trends in B2B Commerce: with Daniela Jurado, EVP, North America at VTEX

Episode 224: The Future of Al and Sales with Eilon Reshef, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Gong
April 28, 2025
The Rise of Data Minimalism in Martech: Can Less Data Drive Better Marketing?
Marketing today thrives on data, yet the sheer volume often overwhelms rather than empowers. Data minimalism in martech offers a fresh approach, focusing on efficiency and precision to enhance outcomes. This approach challenges the long-held belief that more data always leads to better marketing outcomes. As brands grapple with data overload and stricter privacy regulations, the concept of doing more with less is gaining traction. Let’s explore how this shift is reshaping the MarTech landscape and driving smarter marketing decisions.

Why Excess Data Hinders Marketing Success?

Marketers once believed that gathering vast amounts of information guaranteed superior results. However, the reality proves different. Martech tools, flooded with endless details, frequently leave teams struggling to find focus. Excessive data slows decision-making and muddies strategies, reducing effectiveness. Data minimalism flips this idea, suggesting that a leaner approach sharpens campaigns and boosts martech performance without unnecessary clutter.

What Data Minimalism Means for Marketers?

Data minimalism centers on collecting only what truly matters for marketing goals. This strategy within martech prioritizes meaningful insights over exhaustive records. Picture a brand tracking customer preference instead of every interaction. The aim remains clear: streamline information to fuel decisions. By homing in on essentials, martech becomes a powerful, efficient engine for growth rather than a sprawling, unwieldy system.

How Data Minimalism Supports Trust?

Privacy regulations now shape how brands operate, and consumers expect accountability. Martech must adapt to these shifts, balancing compliance with effective strategies. Data minimalism aligns perfectly here, reducing collection to essentials while respecting boundaries. Customers appreciate brands that handle information thoughtfully, fostering loyalty. This harmony strengthens trust, proving that minimal data can meet both legal standards and audience preferences seamlessly.

Marketing Technology News: MarTech Interview with Stephen Upstone, CEO & Founder @ LoopMe

Precision as the New Marketing Power

Brands are rethinking martech, moving from broad data sweeps to targeted insights. This transition emphasizes specific indicators, like buying patterns, over unfocused piles of information. A retailer might focus on purchase triggers rather than every website visit. Martech tools amplify this precision, refining campaigns with less effort. The result? Sharper messaging, stronger connections, and a more agile marketing approach.
- Streamlined Campaigns:
Focusing on key indicators helps marketers craft messages that hit the target audience effectively and efficiently every time.
- Resource Savings:
Narrowing data scope reduces the time and money spent managing sprawling martech systems for minimal gain.
- Deeper Engagement:
Precision ensures efforts reach customers with relevant content, building stronger relationships with less wasted effort.

Breaking Silos with Smart Integration

Disconnected martech tools often fragment insights, stalling progress. Data minimalism pushes brands to integrate systems, creating a unified flow of critical information. Imagine linking customer records with analytics for a clear, concise picture. This connectivity eliminates gaps, enhancing decisions with minimal data. Brands adopting this see martech evolve into a cohesive, impactful force rather than a scattered collection of parts.
- Team Alignment:
Integrated martech tools ensure everyone accesses the same vital data, fostering collaboration across marketing efforts.
- Faster Reactions:
Unified systems deliver quick, clear insights, allowing brands to pivot strategies without delay or confusion.
- Growth Readiness:
A connected, minimal-data approach scales smoothly, adapting to new challenges without heavy restructuring.
- Efficiency Boost:
Removing duplicate efforts across tools saves resources, letting martech focus on what drives results.

How to Apply Data Minimalism Practically?

Implementing data minimalism in martech starts with intentional action. Brands can assess current practices, pinpointing what fuels success and trimming excess. From there, refining processes ensures efficiency takes root.
- Review Data Needs:
Identify which insights directly support marketing goals, discarding extras that clog martech systems unnecessarily.
- Adopt Sharp Tools:
Use advanced martech solutions to highlight critical information, simplifying analysis for better outcomes.
- Clarify Objectives:
Define specific aims for each campaign, ensuring data collection stays lean and aligned with priorities.
- Educate Staff:
Train teams to value impactful insights over volume, shifting focus to what enhances martech performance.
- Track Progress:
Regularly evaluate how a minimal-data strategy improves results, adjusting as needed for ongoing success.

Smarter Decisions with Less Data

Data minimalism redefines martech success by proving less can achieve more. Imagine a brand zeroing in on a few key signals to perfect its outreach. Campaigns gain clarity, resources stretch further, and customers respond positively. This approach reveals a truth: effective marketing hinges on the right information, not the most. As martech advances, embracing this mindset positions brands to lead with intelligence and agility in a complex world.

Final Takeaway: Precision Over Quantity

Choosing the right insights over countless data points reflects a bold move in modern marketing. It boosts efficiency, supports privacy, and fosters deeper customer engagement. Data minimalism is not about sacrificing valuable information; it is about prioritizing what truly fuels better decisions.

By shifting from mass collection to targeted intelligence, brands free themselves from the burdens of complexity and align more closely with consumer expectations. As martech continues to evolve, those who embrace this streamlined mindset stand to gain a competitive edge and build campaigns that resonate more profoundly.

Marketing Technology News: Why White Papers Are Powerful Tools For Educating Audiences, Establishing Thought Leadership, And Driving Lead Generation?
April 28, 2025
How Tariff Uncertainty is Impacting Consumer Loyalty, Purchasing, Confidence — and What Retailers can do About it

It’s becoming clear that “tariffs,” a word that just a few short months ago was more familiar to economic historians than the general public, has become shorthand for “economic uncertainty and volatility.” The tariffs themselves are disconcertingly fluid at the moment, with tariff types and amounts seemingly changing on a daily basis. And tariffs’ strongest proponent, President Trump, may be losing his enthusiasm for them; the April 25 New York Times’ front-page story said Trump has “blinked” on tariffs after being faced with a number of economic realities.

These realities included warnings from the CEOs of Walmart, Target and other leading retailers who met with the President earlier this week, telling him that tariffs would lead to higher prices and empty shelves during key selling seasons such as back-to-school and holiday, according to MSNBC and other media outlets.

Stocking up Ahead of Tariff-Spawned Price Hikes

In some ways, the uncertainty is worse than whatever the actual economic impact of the tariffs may end up being. Immediate impacts have included retailers filling their domestic warehouses ahead of the actual imposition of tariffs, a move that makes good business sense, according to John Harmon, Senior Retail/Technology Analyst at Coresight Research.

“It’s prudent for retailers to [fill domestic warehouses] during this window,” said Harmon in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “You might have to discount later, but that’s as opposed to waiting and potentially not getting enough product and disappointing customers. With such a high degree of uncertainty, it’s better to stock up even if [tariffs force] a 10% margin hit now.” He added that in most cases the math would continue to work even if retailers are later forced to discount these products in order to achieve sell-through.

Consumers also appear to be buying now in anticipation of higher prices down the line, although consumer sentiment and the reasons for making purchases are both tricky thing to measure. The National Retail Federation (NRF) quoted Census Bureau figures showing that March 2025 retail sales climbed 1.4% seasonally adjusted month-over-month and rose 4.6% unadjusted year-over-year, compared to 0.2% and 3.5% increases, respectively, in February.

Major Hit to Consumer Wallets

While noting that we are still in “unknown territory,” Heather Rice, Tax, Consumer and Retail Sector Leader at KPMG, said during an April 9 webinar that “we expect consumers’ wallets to be hit by $6,000 [in extra costs] this year, and we’re not even talking about electricity or car insurance rate hikes. It will affect lower- and middle-class households more, so how consumers and businesses respond will be critical.”

Household budgets already are stretched thin, according to a consumer survey of 2,000 consumers and over 100 retailers conducted by Rakuten. “36% of consumers can afford both daily expenses and non-essential items, but that means there’s a huge swath that cannot, and they are now making strategic decisions regarding essential and non-essentials,” said Julie Van Ullen, Chief Rewards Officer at Rakuten in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “19% can’t afford to pay their household bills and 17% can’t afford necessities like food and gas.”

Belt-tightening already has begun: “We’ve already seen consumers cutting back, shifting to private label, buying chicken versus steak and forgoing experiences like restaurants, travel and concerts,” said Harmon.

Encouraging Sales Now Before Prices Rise

Even so, there are opportunities for retailers to encourage purchases in the short term. “We still need to meet a value-seeking consumer,” said Van Ullen. “The question becomes, how can retailers get in front of the consumer right now with sales, discounts, offers and loyalty program benefits while they are in a ‘buy now’ mentality?”

Cashback programs like Rakuten can be a useful tool as well: “Many retailers think about cashback as a way to heighten promos and discounts, but we also have the luxury sector, which views us as a way to push full-price sales,” said Van Ullen. “The mindset of many retailers is to use ‘levers’ like cashback to help.”

Still, “it’s fundamentally clear that consumers are prioritizing price above all else,” she added. “It’s not just what they’re going to buy, but where they’re going to buy it. The across-the-board sentiment is that they’ll buy their essentials at a place where they can get the most bang for their buck, even if that’s antithetical to whatever brand loyalty they may have had before.”

As During COVID, Supply Chain Diversification Remains Critical

While an oft-stated goal of tariffs is to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., this remains a long-term result — and one that ultimately may not be viable, given the international interconnectedness of supply chains for raw materials, parts and finished goods.

Manufacturers also will have to contend with U.S. labor costs, which far exceed those in China and the other Asian countries that have become the source of much of the world’s consumer goods production. “The cost of labor to build a television in Asia is about $300, but it’s three to four times that in the U.S.,” said KPMG’s Rice. “The question becomes, will people pay $3,500 for a [domestically manufactured] smartphone?

“Without substantial automation I don’t know how we bring manufacturing back,” Rice added. “It might be that even with high tariffs, it still could be cheaper to pay the tariff and import from a country like Vietnam rather than manufacture in the U.S.”

Coresight’s Harmon also noted that China directly and indirectly supports its manufacturing industries with free or low-cost loans, land grants and other benefits, and agreed that “the U.S. can’t compete with the cost of labor [in China].”

Additionally, “you need months or years to build a new factory as well as to train the technical people you’ll need, so we also need to build trade schools,” Harmon added.

Some brands already have made moves into tariff-friendly countries, as World Emblem has done with its planned Dominican Republic factory. And some of the supply chain diversification and nearshoring work that retailers and brands began with the onset of the COVID pandemic is still ongoing.

However, until these initiatives begin to bear fruit, retailers will be stuck with the same dilemma: raise prices to cover tariff-generated costs and risk losing customers, or “eat” the costs and see their margins shrink or disappear altogether. At the moment, alternatives to these scenarios are, you’ll pardon the expression, in short supply.

April 25, 2025
The Secret Sauce to Retail Media Success

Retail media is in the news every week as retailers and brands worldwide expand and innovate their offerings. Retail media refers to retailers monetising their physical and digital assets by enabling advertisers to reach shoppers with targeted messages, often at or near the point of purchase.

Recent examples include major players like Metcash, Wesfarmers and Woolworths, all of which are expanding their retail media capabilities through initiatives such as digital screens and in-store radio ads.

In the case of Metcash, it’s been reported that the company is pursuing an ambitious retail media strategy. Metcash is targeting a $30 million annual earnings contribution from retail media by 2029, with a phased rollout beginning in supermarkets this year, followed by liquor and then group-wide implementation.

The ASX-listed group sees particular potential in local advertising and community targeting through its independent store network, with plans to share profits with these independent operators.

Wesfarmers has made equally significant moves, with Bunnings, Officeworks and Priceline each launching their own retail media businesses to diversify revenue streams.

The company’s growing OnePass program, combined with PowerPass and Flybuys data, has created a robust foundation for their retail media strategy. Recent investor updates highlighted “strong engagement and results from initial retail media trials” at Bunnings.

Woolworths’ retail media arm, Cartology, has also shown remarkable growth. Operating across online, in-store, and retail out-of-home media assets, Cartology has expanded its reach significantly in 2024.

Notable achievements include growing their retail out-of-home network to over 3300 screens across 530 shopping centres, complemented by 1900 in-store screens throughout the Woolworths ecosystem. Strategic partnerships, including with Mirvac,and a major rollout with Vicinity Centres, have further strengthened their position in the market.

It’s an exciting time in the retail space with regards to retail media innovation and experimentation.

However, while most large retailers are now participating in retail media, the results are not uniform. Only a few omnichannel retailers globally are achieving the benchmark of generating over 0.5% of their sales through retail media.

A key differentiator among these top performers is their strategic use of personalised loyalty programs. This blog explores how personalised loyalty programs can be a game-changer for retail media success and why they are the secret sauce behind the industry’s top achievers.

Marketing Technology News: MarTech Interview with Stephen Upstone, CEO & Founder @ LoopMe

1. Precision Targeting & Personalisation Across Channels

One of the most significant benefits of personalised loyalty programs is their ability to deliver targeted experiences across both in-store and online channels.

A recent example is UK retailer Tesco’s Clubcard Challenges program, which has driven record levels of digital engagement and sales. By using AI-driven solutions, Tesco tailored challenges to each customer, encouraging participation and rewarding completion with up to £50 in Clubcard points. This approach increased customer engagement and spend, demonstrating the effectiveness of personalised and gamified loyalty programs.

2. Enhanced Customer Data & Insights

Personalised loyalty programs are a treasure trove of first-party customer data. By tracking customer behaviours, preferences, and purchase patterns, retailers can build detailed customer profiles. This enables them to create tailored messages that resonate with individual customers, driving higher engagement and conversion rates.

For example, Southeastern Grocers’ SEG Connects retail media program uses its loyalty platform to gather detailed customer insights.

These insights are then used to create highly targeted, personalised campaigns that cater to customers’ unique needs and interests. Advertisers can leverage this information to connect with the right audience at the right moment, leading to increased campaign effectiveness and higher advertiser satisfaction.

3. Real-Time Data for Campaign Optimisation

Personalised loyalty programs provide a continuous stream of real-time data on customer behaviour across all channels. Retailers can use this data to monitor campaign performance, identify underperforming elements, and make adjustments on the fly.

This level of agility is crucial in today’s fast-paced retail environment, especially as AI-driven technologies will empower marketers to respond to real-time data, such as shifting customer preferences or emerging sales trends.

For instance, Tesco’s Clubcard data allows the retailer to track the effectiveness of its retail media campaigns, measuring sales uplift for featured products.

With access to detailed reporting, advertisers can see how many customers were influenced by the campaign and how much they spent. This data can be used to optimise campaigns in real-time, maximising return on ad spend (ROAS) and overall performance.

Enhancing the Experience

A personalised loyalty program is more than just a tool for rewarding customers, it’s a strategic asset that unlocks the full potential of retail media.

By leveraging comprehensive customer insights, enabling precise targeting, and providing actionable, real-time data, personalised loyalty programs empower retailers to create highly effective, cross-channel media campaigns.

In my view, retail media’s biggest winners will be those retailers who can integrate their loyalty programs into their retail media strategies to enhance the customer experience and maximise the value of every campaign.

Marketing Technology News: Breaking Down Data Silos: The Key to Smarter Marketing Decisions

April 25, 2025