Extroverting

Tag: Mean Business

  • Bytes to Bites: Lessons from Building the Nation’s Largest Online EBT System

    Bytes to Bites: Lessons from Building the Nation’s Largest Online EBT System

    March 2020 brought an unnerving tide of news reports, a growing sense of unease, and the undeniable arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. As cities locked down and uncertainty swept the nation, my familiar world of software development felt increasingly distant from the stark realities unfolding outside. Millions found themselves confined, facing anxieties not just about a novel virus but about basic survival.

    For a particularly vulnerable group – recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as EBT users – the pandemic presented an agonizing dilemma. Primarily reliant on in-person grocery shopping to use their benefits, they now faced an impossible choice: risk exposure to a deadly virus in crowded stores or struggle to access essential food for their families. The systems designed for one reality were instantly fractured by the demands of another, exposing a critical gap in the nation’s food access infrastructure.

    The scale of this gap quickly became terrifyingly clear. What few outside the sphere of government benefits and payment processing realized was the extremely limited scope of online EBT acceptance pre-pandemic. It wasn’t merely uncommon; it was practically non-existent, confined to a small, obscure USDA pilot program operating in just a handful of zip codes. The digital rails needed to carry these essential benefits into the online grocery ecosystem simply had not been laid on any meaningful scale.

    Against this backdrop, my team and I received a mandate that felt staggering in its ambition and urgency: build a nationwide EBT acceptance system for Instacart, and do it in four months. A project that, under normal circumstances, would represent a multi-year undertaking involving intricate technical development, complex regulatory navigation and extensive partner integration was now an emergency response measure. The timeline wasn’t just accelerated; it was compressed almost beyond recognition.

    This wasn’t merely a technical challenge; it was a race against a rapidly escalating human crisis. As lockdowns continued and economic disruption spread, food insecurity surged across America. The code we were tasked with writing, the systems we needed to architect, represented more than just a new feature; it was a potential lifeline for millions struggling to feed their families safely.

    The months that followed were a crucible. Our team worked relentlessly, often around the clock, navigating the added complexities of remote collaboration during a global health crisis. The task demanded intense coordination not only internally but with a vast network of external partners: government agencies at both federal and state levels, payment processors grappling with new requirements and grocery retailers, many of which had never seriously considered integrating EBT payments into their digital operations.

    The regulatory landscape alone was a formidable obstacle. SNAP/EBT systems were fundamentally designed for the physical world of swipe cards and PIN pads, not the fluid environment of ecommerce. Each state had its own distinct implementation requirements and approval processes, creating a complex patchwork of rules that had to be meticulously understood and integrated. Navigating this labyrinthine world of government benefit regulations while simultaneously building a secure and user-friendly online system became my all-consuming focus.

    Amidst the blur of development sprints and regulatory meetings, one moment stands out: the night we pushed our very first EBT transaction to production. I vividly recall the anticipation and pressure culminating in that single order, placed by a family in South Carolina. It represented far more than a successful deployment; it symbolized months of frantic effort, countless hurdles overcome and technical innovation born from sheer necessity. It was a beacon of hope, proof that the impossible might just be achievable.

    Following that initial breakthrough, the pace did not slacken. As the pandemic continued its relentless march through 2020 and 2021, we rapidly scaled the system. What began as a pilot expanded to hundreds of retailers across dozens of states by early 2022. Systems that typically required years of careful planning, development, testing and deployment were being built and rolled out in a matter of weeks, driven by the persistent, urgent need.

    Amidst the whirlwind of building and scaling, a routine analysis of user data delivered a jolt. Late one night, while examining checkout flows, I noticed a troubling pattern: a significant number of visitors originating from lower-income zip codes were adding groceries to their carts, proceeding to checkout, and then abruptly abandoning the process. It wasn’t just random attrition; it was a distinct signal concentrated in areas where EBT usage was likely higher.

    This data point sparked a critical hypothesis in my mind: these weren’t users simply changing their minds. They were likely EBT recipients, navigating the online store, selecting their needed groceries, only to discover at the final, crucial step that their primary means of payment wasn’t accepted online. The data wasn’t just indicating friction; it was revealing a moment of profound disappointment and likely frustration for users who had invested time and hope in the process.

    This realization served as a powerful wake-up call for me and the team. It underscored that simply enabling EBT transactions wasn’t sufficient. The system needed to be designed with a deeper understanding of the EBT user’s journey, anticipating their needs and potential pain points before they hit a dead end.

    Code as Compassion: Engineering the Foundation

    The insight gleaned from the cart abandonment data became a driving force behind the next phase of development. It wasn’t enough to simply process EBT; the system needed to guide and support users from the moment they arrived. This led me back into the complexities of benefit regulations and spurred the development of foundational features designed explicitly to pre-empt the frustration revealed by the data.

    First came an address-based detection system I built. By leveraging geographic data, the platform could intelligently suggest EBT payment options upfront to users in areas with high benefit usage. This simple, proactive step aimed to prevent the late-stage disappointment, informing users early in their shopping journey that their benefits could potentially be used. Crucially, this feature included user controls, allowing individuals to manage this suggestion based on their preference.

    Next, our team tackled the enormous complexity of SNAP eligibility rules. We engineered an eligibility engine capable of evaluating Instacart’s entire, vast catalog of items in real time. This system determined precisely which products qualified for purchase with EBT funds, providing clarity to users as they shopped and preventing confusion at checkout.

    The payment flow itself presented the most significant technical hurdle. EBT users often need to pay for groceries (EBT-eligible) and other items (like fees or non-food essentials) in a single order. I architected a sophisticated split-tender functionality. This system could seamlessly process multiple payment methods within one transaction, automatically applying EBT funds to eligible items first and smoothly transitioning any remaining balance to a secondary payment method like a credit or debit card, all without causing user confusion. These technical solutions, born from that “wake-up call” data, were fundamentally about removing barriers and creating a more intuitive, supportive path for EBT users.

    Beyond Transactions: Engineering for Dignity

    As the system evolved, testing with actual EBT recipients provided another layer of crucial understanding. Functionality was vital, but the experience of using the system carried its own weight. Feedback revealed that some users felt a sense of stigma or discomfort when using their benefits, even online. This feedback sparked a conscious effort within our team to embed privacy and dignity directly into the platform’s design.

    Recognizing the potential for unconscious bias, we built privacy protections into the shopper application used by fulfillment staff. The system was designed to conceal the customer’s specific payment method details from the Instacart shopper picking and packing the order. This measure aimed to ensure that interactions, especially around item replacements or service issues, were handled without prejudice based on payment type.

    For customers choosing grocery pickup, another subtle but significant feature was implemented. I modified label-generation algorithms to omit any identifiers that might indicate EBT payment on the order labels. This allowed customers to collect their groceries discreetly, preserving their privacy and dignity during the handover process.

    Our commitment to user well-being extended to more proactive, data-driven features. Analyzing millions of transactions revealed distinct, state-specific patterns of when EBT benefits were disbursed. This led to the development of what I considered a landmark achievement: a benefits cycle optimization engine. This system allowed us to intelligently time promotions and adjust inventory predictions, ensuring greater product availability and potentially more impactful savings for customers precisely when they received their monthly benefits.

    Furthermore, we built custom recommendation engines. These suggested affordable, nutritious alternatives if a user’s chosen item was out of stock, prioritizing EBT-eligible options when appropriate. Building on this, intelligent bundling logic suggested complementary non-food essentials (like cleaning supplies or personal care items) alongside EBT-eligible groceries, sometimes paired with strategic discounts to help customers maximize their overall budget.

    These features represented a shift beyond merely facilitating transactions to actively supporting the user’s needs, grounded in the principle that technology should not only function efficiently but also operate with respect and consideration for the user’s circumstances.

    The Ripple Effect: Measuring What Matters

    The impact of this concerted effort, born in crisis and refined through empathy, was profound. Within 18 months of our first transaction, Instacart’s EBT systems were processing orders across more than 44 states and integrated with hundreds of retailers. The business metrics validated our approach: EBT customers demonstrated higher retention rates than traditional customers, indicating the service was meeting a critical, ongoing need and fostering loyalty. Furthermore, this customer segment contributed significantly to the business, accounting for approximately 10% of company revenue.

    This data powerfully illustrated that designing for inclusion and serving vulnerable populations was not merely an act of corporate social responsibility, but a strategically sound decision yielding tangible business value. The high retention rates suggested that by meeting a fundamental need previously unaddressed in the digital space, we had cultivated a loyal and appreciative customer base. The perceived dichotomy between “doing good” and “doing well” dissolved; the social impact and business success were demonstrably intertwined.

    Yet the numbers told only part of the story. The true measure of success, for me and the team, often arrived not in spreadsheets, but in emails. Messages from customers – a grandmother in rural Wyoming expressing gratitude for groceries delivered during a blizzard, a disabled veteran appreciating the ability to shop with dignity without facing physical store limitations – these were the testaments that resonated most deeply. They painted a vivid picture of the real-world difference our system was making in people’s lives.

    The intense journey of building Instacart’s EBT system under extreme pressure yielded invaluable lessons, extending far beyond the specific context of online grocery or benefit payments.

    Practical Tips

    • See the need before it hits a wall: Use geographic and user data proactively to anticipate needs and suggest relevant options early in the user journey.
    • Align with users’ realities: Understand external rhythms (like benefit disbursement) that shape user behavior and design systems that actively support them.
    • Curate for accessibility: Leverage digital flexibility to create tailored experiences (like EBT-focused aisles) addressing specific user needs.
    • Design for dignity, not just function: Recognize and actively mitigate potential social stigma through thoughtful design, ensuring a respectful and safe experience.
    • Make complexity invisible: Engineer seamless solutions for complex requirements (like multi-tender payments) to minimize user burden and confusion.
    • Amplify impact holistically: Think beyond the core transaction; use recommendations and strategic offers to help users maximize resources.
    • Ensure equitable access: Prioritize performance on diverse devices and network conditions, recognizing reliance on older/less powerful tech.
    • Protect the vulnerable: Implement specialized, compliant security and fraud prevention tailored to unique risks, balancing protection with usability, like building timed sessions that automatically log out on public computers.

    Mridul Singhai is a software engineer with over 10 years of experience who built Instacart‘s first-of-its-kind online EBT system between 2020 and 2024. He worked directly with USDA on policy and design standards. Currently a software engineer at X, Singhai brings strong technical expertise and strategic insights to create socially responsible technologies that deliver business value.

  • Inside the Bob’s Discount Furniture Reality Show: Couples Clash to Create Marketing Magic

    Inside the Bob’s Discount Furniture Reality Show: Couples Clash to Create Marketing Magic

    Of course you love your partner. But do you trust their taste?

    This question — familiar to anyone who has had a screaming match with their significant other in a furniture store — is at the heart of Till Décor Do Us Part, a new six-episode social-first reality series produced by Bob’s Discount Furniture.

    The show, which debuted July 10, showcases one partner shopping for furniture at a Bob’s store in Yonkers, N.Y., while the other, along with host Gabby Bryan, watches and comments in real time from the sidelines. (Viewers also can shop for the furniture that the couples spar over at the Till Décor Do Us Part page on the Bob’s website.)

    The patented reality show twist? Each couple has different, sometimes clashing tastes, but each shopping partner is tasked with creating the non-shopping partner’s dream room. Among the couples are a new girlfriend taking on a bachelor pad that currently has little more than a TV and a couch; a sentimental mamma’s boy watching his partner take over his childhood home; and a jiu-jitsu bro going head-to-head with his minimalist girlfriend. Let the hijinks commence…

    But behind those hijinks is some solid marketing strategy. Retail TouchPoints got the inside scoop from Bob’s Chief Marketing Officer Steve Nesle.

    The Target Audience: Content-Hungry Consumers

    “The catalyst for this idea came out of necessity,” said Nesle in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Everyone isn’t rushing out there to consume advertising content, but they are rushing out to consume content. In a challenging macroeconomic environment, you can do one of two things: circle the wagons, or lean into it. We had to lean in.”

    Each episode will drop on successive Thursdays, accessible via Bob’s new @TillDecorDoUsPart handle across TikTok, Meta and YouTube. Both before and after the drops Bob’s will continue to publish content to the channels related to that couple, said Nesle: “We’re building out the cinematic universe of these couples above and beyond the actual episode.”

    To that end, Till Décor Do Us Part will feature an always-on TikTok and Instagram content strategy with elements such as:

    • Find the Bob: A Where’s Waldo-style furniture hunt;
    • Keep It or Chuck It, where host Gabby Bryan decides the fate of questionable décor;
    • Furniture Eulogies: Heartfelt sendoffs for “interesting” (note the quote marks) design choices; and
    • Couch Therapy, whereBryan helps couples compromise, one loveseat at a time.

    Leveraging the Inherent Tension of Conflicting Design Priorities

    Bob’s Discount Furniture developed the show via a “relatively quick process,” said Nesle, noting that some hurdles are inherent in the format. “Unlike advertising production where everything is carefully scripted, with all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed, this is unscripted reality,” he noted. “Our job is to create all the conditions to let life happen, and then we’re there with the cameras.”

    Asked if he was concerned that the conflicts between the couples might balloon into something irreconcilable, Nesle wryly commented that “it would have been a bad strategy to create the conditions that would lead to a bunch of breakups. There’s a lot of tension when it comes to something as personal as design, and we recognized early on that that was a natural tension — we wouldn’t need to look that far to find it.”

    Bob’s internal production company worked with creative agency Gale and media agency Horizon Next to develop and produce the series: “It’s out of the box, and that’s in the Bob’s DNA,” said Nesle. “This is yet another organic and authentic way to tell our story — to bring people into the brand and expose them to our assortment and our in-store experience.”

    In May 2025 Bob’s announced it would open 20 new stores this year and expand into the Southeast U.S. for the first time. The retailer is nearing the 200-store milestone.

  • MarTech Interview with Haley Trost, Group Product Marketing Manager @ Braze

    MarTech Interview with Haley Trost, Group Product Marketing Manager @ Braze

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    What does it take to truly get personalization right in the modern marketing ecosystem? Haley Trost, Group Product Marketing Manager at Braze weighs in with some pointers in this MarTech Interview by MarTech Series:

    _________

    Hi Haley, tell us more about your time at Braze and journey in Martech?

    I’ve been on the Braze product marketing team for nearly five years, working across a wide range of product areas, but today, I focus specifically on marketing our core email, app, and web channels. I started my career at a startup that I often describe as “Braze-lite”: a single-channel SMS platform built for a single industry (education). That early experience sparked my interest in how transformative a little nudge can be, whether it’s a text that inspires a student to enroll in college or a product recommendation that helps you find the perfect Father’s Day gift.

    What’s kept me excited about working in martech is how often I see our work come to life in the wild. I’m a customer of many brands that use Braze, so it’s always fascinating and rewarding to watch how our platform powers the moments I experience personally. Just last night I redeemed a loyalty promo when ordering dinner, and it was oddly gratifying to tell my husband, “That was a Braze Content Card!”

    Can you share more about Braze’s latest enhancements that can enable marketers to drive better personalization practices?

    Personalization is often treated like a switch: you either have it or you don’t. In reality, personalization is a spectrum. At one end, it’s a first name in a subject line. Technically personalized? Sure. But meaningful? Not really.

    Today’s consumers expect more. They want brands to understand their values, anticipate their needs, and engage in ways that feel personal, not programmed or purely transactional. It’s the difference between “How did they know that?” and “That’s exactly what I needed.”

    That shift requires two things: trustworthy data and the ability to act on real-time signals. Most brands have plenty of data. The challenge is using it responsibly, transparently, and in a way that adds genuine value. Without the right context, even the best-intentioned message can become a distraction.

    Braze has always believed that trust is earned. Over a decade ago, before “first-party data” became a buzzword, we built our platform on the idea that customer engagement should feel more like a relationship—you listen, you show up when needed, and you say the right thing.

    We just launched three new solutions in this area, including Canvas Context, which addresses one of the biggest scaling challenges marketers face: how do you create unique experiences for every customer without building infinite campaigns? It works by letting marketers add temporary, situation-specific variables (like flight time or order date) to a journey to personalize timing, logic, and messaging to each customer, turning a single Canvas into virtually infinite possible customer journeys.

    We also built RCS and Banners to expand where these dynamic, meaningful interactions can actually happen. Whether they’re browsing your website, exploring your app, or scrolling through their messages, customers expect marketers to keep up. RCS is the next generation of SMS, with richer, more interactive experiences delivered within the native Messages app, while Banners sit naturally within the app or website, updating with personalized content for each visitor without feeling like they’re competing for attention.

    In our data-saturated landscape, brands must grasp their customers’ immediate context and needs. Success isn’t about visibility alone – it’s about delivering the perfect message at the precise moment that creates meaningful connections with the people they’re engaging.

    What challenges do modern marketers face when it comes to scaling personalized marketing campaigns?

    The biggest challenge isn’t lack of data, but lack of data intelligence. Marketers are drowning in information but struggling to turn it into meaningful actions across channels. Building unique experiences for every customer sounds great in theory, but with millions of customers across multiple channels, the complexity becomes overwhelming and it simply doesn’t scale. Marketers need tools that can interpret and act on real-time cues.

    Marketers are also reimagining personalization in a first-party data world, getting smarter about the data they have rather than relying on third-party insights. When customers willingly share their information, it creates a foundation for helpful personalization that doesn’t feel invasive. To build that trust, marketers must respect consent and turn each volunteered detail into immediate, visible value.

    Marketing Technology News: Martech Interview with Meena Ganesh, Senior Product Marketing Manager @ Box AI

    How can modern marketers drive impacting and meaningful customer engagements in today’s multi-channel environment?

    The companies doing this well understand that each channel serves different purposes for the same person. Customers don’t think in channels, they think in journeys, where each touchpoint should feel like the same conversation picking up exactly where the last one left off. A relevant push notification should reinforce what they just saw on your site. An email follow-up should align with their in-app behavior.

    The key is real-time decisioning at the moment of data ingestion, so when a customer takes an action—makes a purchase, opens a message, browses a product—your platform instantly interprets that signal, determines the optimal response, and delivers it on the most relevant touchpoint. That means you also need your data and your channels to coexist in the same platform, so you can use interactions happening on one channel to inform actions on another.

    Can you highlight a little about some brands across the world that have got the personalization game right?

    The brands getting personalization right aren’t guessing what customers want, they’re reading the signals and responding accordingly. Instead of just segmenting by age or location, they’re paying attention to how customers engage, when they make purchases, and where they are in their journey.

    Max is a good example – their personalization framework balances what they implicitly know about a viewer with what the viewer explicitly shares with them. For example, Max might recommend a certain movie to a viewer based on what that viewer watched recently. The viewer is indirectly telling Max what type of content they’re interested in.

    But when preferences aren’t clear – they directly ask! Their fun in-app quizzes, like “Which Hogwarts House are you in?”, double as engagement and smart first-party data collection. This blended approach builds trust, fuels better recommendations, and sets the stage for more personal, high-performing campaigns.

    Another great example is Kayo Sports, which delivers 1:1 personalized experiences with AI determining the optimal message, creative, channel, timing, frequency, and promotions for each individual subscriber. Their sophisticated AI-powered personalization system has delivered a 14% increase in customers reactivating within 12 months of churning, an 8% increase in average annual occupancy, and a 105% increase in cross-selling.

    These brands understand that timing and context matter more than knowing someone’s zip code. They’re responding to actual behavior rather than making assumptions based on broad categories.

    How will AI impact the overall marketing game and how will future marketers be able to use AI effectively to drive deeper personalization and relevance?

    AI is reshaping the personalization landscape by making true 1:1 experiences at scale finally possible. It empowers marketers to engage with each customer as an individual, tailoring content, timing, and messages based on real-time signals. We see AI as a powerful enabler of this shift. It takes on the heavy lifting of analyzing data, identifying patterns, and optimizing journeys, so that marketers can focus on strategy, creativity, and human connection.

    The exciting part is predictive personalization, using AI to anticipate what customers need next, not just responding to past behavior. But as AI gets more sophisticated and accessible, brands need to be thoughtful about privacy and consent. The goal isn’t using AI to send more messages, it’s using data to be more strategic about when and how you reach them.

    A few ways in which your own team at Braze does this for now?

    One of the sort of meta things about being on the marketing team at Braze is that we are marketers using Braze to market Braze to marketers. We actually use our own platform to keep our customers engaged. First, we combine what we know about an account, like business size and industry, with user-level signals, like feature usage or content engagement, to deliver targeted recommendations at just the right moment. For example, we might send an email with ideas for what to do next right after a user launches their first campaign.

    We also blend implicit signals with explicit preferences. We collect preferences from users directly in the dashboard, so we know if they are looking for product tips, learning resources, webinars, etc and can proactively share new resources related to those preferences with them on a regular basis.

    Five takeaways you’d leave everyone in marketing and martech with before we wrap up?

    • Personalization is a spectrum, not a switch. Don’t settle for just using basic data like names and purchase history while missing the deeper signals about timing and context. Push toward anticipating needs before customers even realize them and delivering real value in those moments.
    • Think of journeys, not channels. Customers don’t want to be bombarded on every application, they want consistent, contextually relevant experiences that feel like one continuous conversation, regardless of where they interact with your brand.
    • Real-time responsiveness beats static segmentation. The future of personalization is about listening in the moment and anticipating accordingly, not assuming what someone might want based on demographic profiles.
    • Scale requires smart architecture. You can’t build personalized experiences for millions of customers with manual processes. Invest in platforms and technologies that can process data and make engagement decisions at the speed of customer behavior.
    • Let AI do the grunt work so you can get creative. AI handles data crunching and optimization, but it can’t write compelling stories or understand what actually moves people. Use it to free up your brain for the stuff that matters—the creative thinking and storytelling that makes brands stick.

    Marketing Technology News: Cross-Department Collaboration with Marketing Workflow Automation: Enhancing Alignment Between Sales, Customer Service, and Marketing Teams

    About Braze

    Braze is a leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging.™

    About Haley Trost

    Haley Trost, is Group Product Marketing Manager at Braze

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  • American Eagle Leverages Expanded, Shoppable ‘Snap Map’ Listings for Back-to-School

    American Eagle Leverages Expanded, Shoppable ‘Snap Map’ Listings for Back-to-School

    They say location is everything in retail, and so American Eagle is leveraging Snap Map — the Snapchat map program — to promote its physical locations while also providing “Snapchatters” with a mobile shopping experience on its website. More than 800 American Eagle stores are now featured as Promoted Places on Snap Maps.

    Image courtesy Snapchat

    Snapchatters clicking on American Eagle Promoted Places can learn more about the location, check out Stories and Spotlight content from American Eagle, creators and other Snapchatters, and click to shop on ae.com for a seamless shopping experience. Additionally, American Eagle is launching the AE Jeans Try-on Haul Lens in the Snapchat Lens Carousel and in its Public Profile.

    “Snap Map is where millions of Snapchatters go to see what’s happening around them,” said Crystal Alexander, Senior Manager and Client Partner at Snap Inc. in a statement. “With over 40 billion opens last quarter alone, it’s become one of the most powerful platforms for real-time discovery. With Promoted Places, we’re thrilled to help brands like American Eagle show up in both everyday moments and major events like back to school shopping, and turn local discovery into real-world visits.”

    In May 2021 Poshmark launched a social shopping experience on Snapchat; the “Snap Mini” program allowed Snapchat users to connect with other Poshmark customers and explore a selection of curated, personalized products. Snapchat teamed up with L’Oréal Paris and Walmart in May 2024 for a phygital integration designed to bring the beauty brand’s hair colors to life in stores.

  • Martech Series’s Marketing Technology Highlights of the Week Featuring Stackadapt, Highspot, Unbounce and More in Martech!

    Martech Series’s Marketing Technology Highlights of the Week Featuring Stackadapt, Highspot, Unbounce and More in Martech!

    Uncover more on what’s trending in martech and B2B SaaS marketing in this week’s industry highlights by MarTechSeries:

    _________

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

    It’s easy to get caught up in content velocity, but quality and compliance matter more than ever. Marketers should ensure their AI tools can reason over approved assets, brand guidelines, and messaging frameworks.

    –Meena Ganesh, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Box AI

    Top MarTech News of The Week –  7thth June to 11th July, 2025

    Top MarTech Articles on CTV, AI in Marketing, Accessibility and more!

    MarTech Q&A of The Week

    Read More

    A big myth is that retail media is just about sponsored product listings or bottom-funnel tactics. While that was true early on, today retail media spans a wider funnel, from awareness to conversion, and through channels like video, display and even in-store digital. If you believe that exposure to your product and message compounds over time, then you have to believe that bottom-funnel tactics help brand, and brand-level tactics help sales. The trick is to build measurement and models that capture the influence we all know is happening.

    -Stephen Howard-Sarin, MD of Retail Media, Americas at Criteo

     

     

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

    Episode 229: The Future Of Digital Customer Journeys with Monica Ho, CMO at SOCi

    Episode 228: Gamification for Better Sales Orientation with SalesScreen CEO – Sindre Haaland

    Episode 227: Revenue Generation and RevTech Trends: with Latane Conant, CRO at 6sense

  • Guess Jeans Launches Tokyo Flagship with ‘Next 40 Years of Denim’ Exhibit

    Guess Jeans Launches Tokyo Flagship with ‘Next 40 Years of Denim’ Exhibit

    Guess Jeans is continuing its international expansion with the opening of its latest flagship store in Tokyo, joining the brand’s flagship locations in Amsterdam, Berlin and, later this year, Los Angeles. To create buzz around the launch, Guess has brought The Next 40 Years of Denim exhibition, which had previously been on display in Florence’s Pitti Uomo, to Tokyo.

    The Next 40 Years of Denim exhibition. Image courtesy Guess Jeans.

    The four-story flagship, located in the city’s lively Jingūmae neighborhood, has been designed to express harmony between Japanese and California craftsmanship and architecture. Under the creative direction of Guess’ Chief New Business Development Officer Nicolai Marciano, the project was conceptualized and designed by ASA Architecture. The store also will include an exclusively curated limited-edition “Gift Shop with Friends” from Verdy.

    Verdy Gift Shop with Friends at Guess Tokyo flagship. Image courtesy Guess Jeans.

    Tying Brand to the ‘Spirit of Tokyo’

    “The launch of Guess Jeans in Tokyo marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of our brand,” said Marciano in a statement. “Japan has always been a hub of cultural influence and creative energy that aligns with our vision for the future. We’re excited to build something meaningful here that reflects both the spirit of Tokyo and the future of Guess Jeans.”

    Guess hosted a store opening event on July 3 that was followed by a party, free and open to the public, at the Zerotokyo club, with special guests and performances from Loco, Coogie, Monyhorse, Larry June and others. The brand’s global expansion includes tapping South Korean rapper/producer/record label CEO Zico to front its latest campaign.

  • Uber Named Official ‘Mobility’ Partner for the LA28 Olympics

    Uber Named Official ‘Mobility’ Partner for the LA28 Olympics

    Uber will be the official rideshare and on-demand delivery partner of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as for Team USA, with the goal of helping both participants and fans “go anywhere and get anything.”

    With LA28 venues spread across the city and beyond, Uber will design, implement and optimize rideshare operations across Los Angeles to help attendees and athletes navigate the city effortlessly. This will include a strategic network of pickup and drop-off locations to support a “multi-modal mobility experience” across the greater LA region that will include cars, bikes, and scooters.

    Additionally, Uber Eats will power the Olympic and Paralympic Villages’ on-demand delivery program for athletes. LA28 also plans to feature Uber Eats mobile ordering within venues at select locations to enhance the spectator experience.

    “Mobility is at the heart of what makes the Olympic and Paralympic Games extraordinary, connecting athletes to venues, fans to experiences and our global community across LA,” said LA28 Chairperson and President Casey Wasserman in a statement. “Uber’s commitment to innovation and seamless service aligns with our vision to deliver an unparalleled Games experience that showcases the very best of what our city and these athletes represent.”

    As part of the partnership, Uber also will support NBCUniversal’s multi-platform coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 and the LA28 Games, working together to bring the athlete stories and competitions from both events to life for fans everywhere.

    “With its leadership in tech and innovation, Uber embodies the spirit of the Olympics, making them the perfect partner for the upcoming Games,” said Mark Marshall, Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal in a statement. “As we prepare to showcase the incredible athletes competing in Milano Cortina and Los Angeles, we look forward to collaborating with Uber throughout our extensive coverage and highlighting the seamless mobility experience they’ll provide during the Games.”

    The LA28 Games will mark Los Angeles’s third time hosting the Olympic Games, first in 1932 and then in 1984, and the city’s first time hosting the Paralympic Games. Dick’s Sporting Goods also is hoping to get in on the Olympics magic in three year as the Official Sporting Goods Retail Provider of Team USA and LA28.

  • Ikea to Debut Brand-Agnostic Smart Home Tech in Early 2026

    Ikea to Debut Brand-Agnostic Smart Home Tech in Early 2026

    Ikea will introduce more than 20 new smart home products in January 2026, all built to work with the Matter the universal smart home standard. Matter is designed to enable devices from different brands to work together seamlessly in concert with a smart home hub such as Ikea’s Dirigera. The products will offer high-quality connected home solutions at prices that make smart technology more accessible, as well as working within any smart home system the consumer prefers.

    “Until now, smart home technology hasn’t been easy enough to use for most people — or affordable enough for many to consider,” said David Granath, Range Manager at Ikea of Sweden in a statement. “Bringing Matter to our products means we are taking a big step in the right direction, offering compatibility across brands and lowering the threshold for people to get started.”

    Making Speakers Part of the Décor

    Before the smart home products come on the market, Ikea will be moving further into home audio devices with the introduction of two new Bluetooth speakers. Launching this month with a design that mimics that of an old radio, Ikea’s new Nattbad Bluetooth speaker comes in yellow, pink and black, offering a low-price entry point into home sound.

    Ikea will follow this debut with Blomprakt in October, a practical table speaker in beige, black and blue that combines sound with atmospheric lighting. Both speakers are designed to work out of the box and include features such as easy multi-speaker setup and Spotify Tap, requiring no extensive tech knowledge to get started.

    In January 2026, Ikea also will launch a new design collaboration with Swedish designer Tekla Severin, commonly referred to as “Teklan,” known for her expressive use of color. The partnership will explore how electronics can feel more like part of the home by combining technology with personal style.

  • Beyond Design: How Smart UX Drives Retail Ecommerce Success

    Beyond Design: How Smart UX Drives Retail Ecommerce Success

    In today’s competitive retail ecommerce landscape, where consumer expectations are shaped by experiences from major retailers and marketplaces, brands must go beyond attractive design to deliver experiences that truly convert and retain customers. Success lies in designing digital journeys that do more than look good. They must guide users effortlessly from discovery to checkout, while fostering trust, loyalty and long-term engagement along the way.

    The merchants winning in this space are those that go beyond design and invest in systems that are smart, connected and constantly improving. AI-powered personalization, secure data architecture, end-to-end integrations and iterative optimization are reshaping what’s possible in ecommerce and redefining what a great digital journey looks like.

    Experience has Overtaken Product

    At its core, user experience (UX) is the infrastructure of digital commerce. And as consumer expectations evolve, intuitive UX is overtaking product as the key differentiator.

    Consumers today expect personalized, intuitive and responsive interactions at every touch point, from the moment they land on a homepage to the second they complete a transaction. If their digital journey doesn’t meet those expectations, competitors are only a few clicks away.

    What Makes a UX Experience Work

    The most effective retail digital experiences are designed with conversion in mind, but they don’t feel transactional. They anticipate shopper needs, remove friction and create a sense of intuitive flow. This is particularly critical in retail environments, where customer loyalty is hard-won and often hinges on ease of navigation, speed, and trust.

    On platforms like Adobe Commerce, leading retailers like Helly Hansen or Villeroy & Boch have leveraged flexibility and scalability to deliver highly tailored shopping journeys, yet those results are only possible when backed by a data-informed UX strategy.

    Optimized UX in retail combines strategic thinking with smart design. It’s less about color palettes and more about whether a shopper can find the right product in two clicks, whether personalized promotions show up at the right time and whether the checkout is as smooth on mobile as it is on desktop. Can users quickly locate in-store availability? Is BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) integrated cleanly? These touch points directly influence whether a customer completes a purchase or bounces to a competitor. Great UX doesn’t just attract customers, it keeps them coming back.

    Strategy-Driven Design Starts with Data

    Too often, retail brands rush into a redesign or replatforming without a holistic strategy. A sleek front end won’t solve underlying issues if the user experience hasn’t been carefully planned. Before any design or development begins, it’s critical to understand your audience, map their journey and identify points of friction that may prevent them from converting or returning. A thoughtful UX strategy is the foundation that supports every other part of your digital experience.

    This strategy must also be powered by data. Every click, scroll or cart abandonment provides valuable insight into how customers interact with your site. Using modern data tools like analytics dashboards, behavioral tracking and data pipelines, merchants can turn that activity into actionable feedback.

    Whether optimizing an existing ecommerce implementation or building a new platform from the ground up, success depends on scalable, flexible systems that support real-time decisions and create seamless, personalized experiences.

    Automation and Personalization

    Today’s retail customers expect more than just a functional website; they want a shopping journey that feels tailored to them. By using AI and automation, businesses can deliver personalized content, product suggestions and support based on a customer’s behavior, preferences and purchase history. For instance, a fashion retailer might use AI to surface complementary accessories, while a grocery chain might adjust promotions based on prior purchases or local inventory.

    AI tools also allow customers to ask questions and get business-specific answers instantly. When embedded into ecommerce platforms, this kind of contextual intelligence transforms digital storefronts from static sites into responsive, customer-centric experiences.

    Imagine a customer asking a question on a website and getting an accurate, brand-specific answer instantly — powered not by a chatbot script but by AI deeply connected to the business’s unique data through a holistic RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) system.

    Integration Powers Seamless Journeys

    Digital experience is no longer confined to the storefront. Customers expect a unified experience across every channel, and that requires seamless integration between systems. From inventory management to email automation, your backend must be as intuitive and responsive as your front end.

    System integration ensures your tech stack works in harmony. It streamlines operations, enhances data accuracy and reduces the risk of inconsistent user experiences caused by system silos. It’s also key to delivering personalized content, dynamic pricing and real-time product availability — all factors that directly influence conversion.

    Best Practices for High-Performing Digital Retail Experiences

    To build digital experiences that convert and retain, businesses should follow these best practices:

    • Start with strategy: Before redesigning or replatforming, map your user journeys, identify pain points and align your digital goals with customer expectations.
    • Leverage AI to personalize at scale: Start small with accessible AI tools to automate simple tasks, then scale to implement dynamic personalization, intelligent chat and predictive recommendations.
    • Integrate for seamless operations: Align your ecommerce platform with internal systems — like ERP, CRM and marketing tools — for connected workflows and real-time data visibility.
    • Use data to drive decisions: Collect, transform and structure your data to power business intelligence tools. Let insights inform UX optimizations.
    • Prioritize UX optimization: Continuously analyze customer behavior and performance metrics to refine design elements, navigation and content placement.
    • Security is key: Implement robust security protocols at every level of your platform — from payment gateways to customer accounts to backend systems.
    • Invest in ongoing support: Keep systems up to date with proactive support and maintenance. Partner with experts to manage integrations, resolve issues and stay ahead of platform changes.

    The Future of Digital Experience

    The best user experiences are never finished — they keep getting better over time. By collecting data and learning from how customers use a site, businesses can make smart changes that improve results. Adding AI into this process makes it even more powerful, helping companies respond quickly to new trends and customer needs. As these tools prove their value, businesses can automate more tasks, like personalizing content or managing routine operations, which frees up teams to focus on strategy and innovation.

    In a retail environment increasingly shaped by digital touch points and customer expectations for frictionless, personalized experiences, UX isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ — it’s a strategic advantage. Retailers that prioritize UX as a holistic system, integrating technology, data and design, will lead the way in both customer satisfaction and business performance.

    As the Director of Marketing, Greg Tull is responsible for shaping and executing Classy Llama’s marketing strategies. With a strong background in digital marketing and storytelling, he has helped the company increase its reach and position itself as a leader in ecommerce solutions.

  • The Behavioral Economics Of Martech: Nudging Consumer Actions Through Subtle Digital Design

    The Behavioral Economics Of Martech: Nudging Consumer Actions Through Subtle Digital Design

    Capturing user attention is merely the beginning in today’s hyper-competitive digital economy, not the endgame for the marketer. What counts more is what consumers do following the click—the choices they make, the paths they pursue, and finally the acts they do. Increasingly, the science of behavioural economics—a discipline that investigates the psychology behind human decision-making—is shaping these results rather than intuition or conjecture. And at the core of this change is Martech, which shapes not only the delivery but also the architectural choices of communications.

    Behavioural economics questions the idea of people making reasonable decisions. Rather, it reveals that many times while making decisions, consumers rely on mental shortcuts—heuristics. Little design changes—such as how a product is packaged, the urgency generated by scarcity, or the impact of social proof—can gently prod these heuristics in predictable ways. Though they direct behaviour, frequently without the user realising it, these subtle signals do not shout for attention.

    Integration of behavioural economics into Martech systems has evolved from novelty to a necessity as digital consumer journeys are becoming more complicated and personalised. From tailored emails and push alerts to dynamic pricing and AI-driven recommendations, today’s Martech stack actively shapes consumer behaviour rather than only enabling companies to interact. That produced a new phase of marketing where data science, psychology, and technology interact to shape decisions on a mass basis.

    Martech’s contribution has changed beyond analytics and automation. Designed to be behaviourally intelligent, modern platforms incorporate behavioural economics ideas into every level of the user interface. Not accidental—they’re intentional nudges—email subject lines that appeal to loss aversion, landing sites using anchoring effects, and e-commerce systems highlighting scarcity through limited stock messages. These architectural features not only raise conversion rates but also gently direct consumers towards high-value activities in line with more general corporate objectives.

    There are both opportunities and challenges at this point in time where behavioural research and marketing technology intersect. Marketing technology enables marketers to provide more relevant, emotionally powerful experiences, on one hand. However, on the other hand, it raises many ethical questions regarding manipulation, transparency, and the fine line between persuasion and exploitation.  Understanding the science—and its consequences—becomes crucial as behavioural nudges become ingrained in the core of how digital products and campaigns are put together.

    We will discuss how behavioural economics is progressively influencing Martech’s environment. We will start by analysing important behavioural ideas such as scarcity, social proof, framing, and anchoring, and show how these ideas influence your decision-making. We will then look at how Martech systems operationalise these insights in tools including email marketing systems, customer data platforms (CDPs), landing page builders, and journey orchestration engines. Real-world case studies and examples will help you to understand how behavioural design is being applied to nudge the users in subtle as well as scalable ways.

    We will also look at the ethical issues that designers must consider when they are designing the nudges. Are we merely engineering behaviour for business benefit or are we assisting consumers towards good decisions? How can Martech teams guarantee that behavioural design encourages long-term trust rather than only transient gains?

    Lastly, we will discuss the future: how newly developing technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning are stretching the bounds of behavioural marketing. The next generation of Martech tools might become even more behaviourally sophisticated as artificial intelligence can analyse context, forecast intent, and personalise experiences in real time. This creates enormous opportunities but also calls for more responsibility, empathy, and foresight from marketing leaders.

    Behavioural economics has permanently transformed our understanding of consumer experience and decision-making. And the engine pushing that change is Martech. Marketers have to get into the field of behavioural design—intelligently, responsibly, and with a great awareness of the human psyche—as the business develops past content delivery.

    To start with, marketers are behavioural engineers rather than merely storytellers today. If that sounds dramatic, then excellent. Given that it is. We are no longer in the business of only messaging since Martech has emerged. Our business is in gently directing decisions, adjusting perspective, and—let us call it what it is—manipulating behaviour. This is driven by the engine. Behavioural economics and the nudge, her preferred tool.

    What Is a Nudge, Really?

    Coined by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein, a nudge is any aspect of the environment that alters people’s behavior predictably, without forbidding options or significantly changing economic incentives. It’s not about pushing—it’s about gently steering.  Sounds harmless enough, right?

    But here’s where it gets sticky. In the hands of sophisticated Martech systems—personalization engines, journey builders, email platforms—these nudges become invisible wires pulling at consumer behavior. You’re not choosing a product; you’re choosing what someone has subtly primed you to pick.

    Now, let’s dissect the psychological triggers Martech uses to make that happen.

    a) Scarcity: The Manufactured Panic Button

    Ever seen “Only 2 left in stock!” or “Sale ends in 1 hour!”? That’s scarcity talking—and it’s not accidental.

    Scarcity is one of the oldest tricks in the marketing book. But in the age of Martech, it’s been refined into an algorithmic art form. Countdown timers, low inventory indicators, flash sales—all orchestrated not to inform, but to provoke.

    When consumers feel like time or availability is limited, they rush decisions. They don’t compare. They don’t pause. And Martech platforms know exactly when to deploy this psychological button based on real-time browsing behavior.

    This isn’t persuasion. It’s pressure dressed in a friendly UX.

    b) Social Proof: The Digital Peer Pressure

    We like to think we’re independent thinkers. In reality, we’re herd animals in denial.

    Social proof—the idea that people mimic the actions of others in uncertain situations—is a behavioral economics cornerstone. And Martech leverages it shamelessly: “4,000 people viewed this today,” “Trending now,” “Most popular”—these aren’t fun facts. They’re manipulative cues.

    When a recommendation engine shows you what’s “hot,” it’s often hot because the system wants it to be. It’s not always organic—it’s engineered.

    We’re not just being shown data. We’re being told how to feel about it.

    c) Framing: The Illusion of Choice

    Want to change what people choose? Don’t change the product. Change how it’s presented. Framing is about altering perception by changing the context around a decision. A product listed as “90% fat-free” sounds healthier than “10% fat,” though they’re identical. A monthly subscription framed as “less than $1 a day” feels more palatable than “$30/month.”

    Martech platforms use A/B testing, customer segmentation, and behavioral data to determine which framing works best for each user. You think you’re making a rational choice. You’re just choosing the more palatable illusion.

    Here’s the controversial bit: the line between guiding and deceiving is paper-thin, and we crossed it long ago.

    d) Anchoring: Setting the Hook

    Anchoring is the cognitive bias where people rely too heavily on the first piece of information they see. In e-commerce, this plays out with “was $499, now $249” messages. You’re anchored to the original price, making the new one look like a steal, even if the product was never worth $499.

    With Martech, anchoring isn’t static. Platforms use real-time algorithms to dynamically anchor based on your past behavior. If you usually shop mid-range, you’ll see inflated base prices to make the “discount” feel deeper.

    It’s not a deal. It’s a designed delusion.

    e) Loss Aversion: The Emotional Trap

    Humans hate losing more than they love winning. That’s the root of loss aversion, and it’s a goldmine for Martech-fueled retention strategies.

    “Still thinking it over? Your cart is about to expire.”
    “Don’t miss out on your reward points.”
    “You’re about to lose your exclusive access.”

    These aren’t reminders. They’re strategic emotional triggers designed to generate urgency, regret, and decision fatigue. Martech platforms are tracking every idle second, every abandoned cart, every half-read email—and turning them into psychological tripwires.

    You’re not buying out of desire. You’re buying to avoid loss.

    Nudging Is Psychological…but with Good Intentions

    Let’s be honest: nudging walks a moral tightrope. It’s not inherently evil—nudges can help people save money, make healthier choices, or reduce friction in their lives. But in Martech, the line between help and harm can be dangerously blurry.

    Marketers wield power, and Martech gives them the tools to use it at scale, in real time, and often invisibly.

    And here’s the kicker: most consumers have no idea they’re being nudged. They think they’re in control. But their behavior is being molded by unseen algorithms trained on behavioral science.

    So, are we still marketing—or are we programming? The integration of behavioral economics into Martech isn’t just a trend—it’s a revolution in how we influence decisions. The platforms we use are no longer passive—they’re active participants in shaping human behavior.

    So here’s the question marketers need to ask themselves:  Are we guiding customers, or gaming them?

    Because Martech doesn’t just deliver messages anymore. It engineers outcomes. And if we’re not mindful of how we use that power, we risk crossing ethical lines not with a bang, but with a “Buy Now” button.

    How Martech Bakes in Behavioral Science: The Invisible Influence Engine

    Modern marketing isn’t just about catchy slogans or perfectly timed promotions anymore. Today, it’s a sophisticated dance between psychology and technology—a marriage of human behavior and machine precision. Martech, short for Marketing Technology, has quietly become the vehicle through which behavioral science principles are not only applied but deeply embedded into every customer interaction. From subject lines to product recommendations, Martech tools are designed to subtly guide, persuade, and nudge users down conversion paths they don’t even realize they’re on.

    Let’s peel back the interface and explore how different Martech tools operationalize behavioral science in practical, powerful ways.

    1. Email Marketing Platforms: The Psychology in Your Inbox

    Ever felt compelled to open an email because the subject line screamed “Only 3 Hours Left!”? That’s not an accident—it’s behavioral economics at work. Email marketing platforms are ground zero for principles like scarcity, loss aversion, and timing bias. By leveraging A/B testing capabilities, marketers test subject lines that trigger urgency or exclusivity, like “Your last chance to save 40%” or “Only 10 seats remaining!”

    Send-time optimization is another core behavioral feature. Martech platforms analyze historical engagement data to predict when an individual is most likely to open an email, subtly aligning brand outreach with personal rhythms, nudging behavior with timing alone.

    2. Web Personalization Engines: Nudges in Real-Time

    Behavioral science thrives in the realm of web personalization engines, which tailor on-site content and experiences in real time. These engines use browsing history, device data, and behavioral patterns to deploy nudges such as “5 people are viewing this item now,” or “Trending in your area.”

    By using social proof and herd behavior, personalization engines validate the user’s decision-making. These tools also use default bias—presenting the most “popular” choice as pre-selected—to reduce friction and subtly steer action. It’s the equivalent of a behavioral whisper: “Others like you are doing this too.”

    3. Product Recommendation Engines: Data Meets Desire

    Recommendation engines are the hidden puppeteers behind your “You might also like” and “Customers who bought this also bought” suggestions. These systems pull behavioral data from your past activity and overlay it with crowd behavior to leverage anchoring and authority bias.

    For instance, when you’re shown a premium product next to a standard option, the juxtaposition is designed to anchor your perception of value and nudge you toward the middle or higher-tier choice. This isn’t just helpful—it’s behavioral science baked into code.

    Moreover, the scarcity effect is often integrated, such as “Only 2 left in stock”—to drive urgency. Recommendation engines understand not only what users want, but also how to present options in a way that drives decisions.

    4. Customer Journey Builders & CDPs: Orchestrating Nudges at Scale

    Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) and journey builders represent the orchestration layer of behavioral nudging. These tools don’t just store data—they act on it, triggering personalized messages across email, SMS, web, and social channels.

    The sequencing of messages—another key psychological tactic—is tightly managed. For example, a user who abandons a cart might first receive a reminder email (loss aversion), followed by a time-limited discount (scarcity), and then a message highlighting positive reviews (social proof). Each touchpoint is a behavioral nudge aligned with the customer’s stage in the decision journey.

    Martech stacks now make it easy to embed choice architecture, guiding users with structured paths, minimal options, and timely incentives that reduce decision fatigue. These systems turn passive behavioral insights into active, personalized strategies at scale.

    5. Landing Page Builders: Designing for the Subconscious

    Landing pages are no longer static digital flyers. Today’s landing page builders are equipped with behavioral design tools that allow marketers to optimize everything from CTA button placement to visual hierarchy, all rooted in psychology.

    Framing plays a big role here. For instance, presenting a pricing plan as “Most Popular” or highlighting savings in a contrasting color taps into visual psychology and perception bias. Loss aversion is triggered when the language shifts from “Get 20% off” to “Don’t miss your 20% savings.”

    Martech-powered heatmaps and A/B testing tools enable teams to test different layouts, headlines, and CTA colors—all in service of understanding what nudges users best toward conversion. Behavioral science isn’t an afterthought; it’s a design blueprint.

    Behavioral Science Is the New Martech OS

    We often think of Martech as just a set of tools. But what’s under the hood is a sophisticated application of cognitive psychology and behavioral economics—designed not just to inform, but to influence.

    Every nudge, every pop-up, every recommended product is rooted in behavioral science, operationalized by Martech systems with clinical precision. It’s no longer about shouting louder—it’s about whispering smarter, using the science of human behavior to craft intuitive, frictionless, and highly persuasive customer experiences.

    And as Martech evolves, the line between behavioral insight and marketing execution will only get blurrier—because the real power of Martech isn’t in the tech itself, but in its ability to engineer decisions.

    Marketing Technology News: Martech Interview with Meena Ganesh, Senior Product Marketing Manager @ Box AI

    Nudging in Action: Case Studies in Behavioral Science-Driven Marketing

    In today’s data-driven marketing environment, success isn’t just about reaching the right audience—it’s about influencing behavior. Behavioral economics and psychology provide a rich toolkit for marketers to design subtle cues, or nudges, that guide people toward desired actions. When paired with modern Martech platforms, these principles transform digital campaigns into responsive, high-performing engines.

    This section highlights how real brands have embedded nudging strategies, such as scarcity, framing, social proof, and real-time AI-driven adaptations, into their marketing efforts. These case studies offer proof that behavioral science isn’t theory; a conversion strategy in action.

    a) Case Study 1: D2C Brand Boosts Conversions Using Scarcity and Framing

    A fast-growing direct-to-consumer (D2C) skincare brand faced stagnant conversions despite increased traffic from influencer campaigns and paid ads. Their product pages were informative but lacked urgency or strong persuasive cues.

    The Nudge Strategy:

    The brand turned to behavioral science, integrating scarcity and framing principles into their landing and product pages. They ran A/B tests using:

    • Inventory counters: “Only 6 left in stock” added beneath the product image.
    • Time-sensitive promotions: “Offer ends in 2 hours” countdown timers.
    • Framing of value: Instead of listing products as “$49,” they changed it to “Just $1.63/day for glowing skin,” emphasizing long-term benefits over cost.

    Technology Used:

    The implementation leveraged a combination of a Shopify plugin for countdown timers and a conversion optimization platform for framing A/B testing.

    Results:

    • Conversion rate improved by 34% over baseline.
    • Cart abandonment dropped by 18%.
    • The version with both scarcity and framed value outperformed all other variants.

    Key Takeaway:

    Nudges using time-bound scarcity and daily-cost framing triggered emotional and practical motivations, reducing hesitation and increasing purchase intent. Simple tweaks based on behavioral science translated into a significant revenue impact.

    b) Case Study 2: B2B SaaS Company Applies Social Proof for Lead Generation

    A mid-market SaaS provider offering workflow automation tools for finance teams struggled with low demo request conversion on its homepage, despite a compelling feature set and competitive pricing.

    The Nudge Strategy:

    The company applied social proof as its primary behavioral lever. Modifications included:

    • Adding logos of high-profile clients (“Trusted by companies like Stripe, Zoom, and Atlassian”).
    • Featuring real-time data: “17 companies booked demos this week.”
    • Including testimonial videos from industry peers on the lead-gen landing page.

    Technology Used:

    Using tools like Proof and Hotjar, they integrated social proof widgets and tested multiple message variants. CRM integration ensured customer logos matched the target persona segment to maximize relevance.

    Results:

    • Demo request conversion increased by 48% within six weeks.
    • Average time on page increased by 31%, showing greater engagement.
    • Prospects mentioned specific logos and testimonials in sales calls, validating emotional resonance.

    Key Takeaway:

    In B2B, where trust and perceived risk are key decision factors, social proof can dramatically accelerate lead generation. Presenting peer behavior validated the brand’s value and softened friction in the early funnel.

    c) Case Study 3: AI-Powered Dynamic Nudging Based on Real-Time User Behavior

    An online learning platform serving global users faced high drop-off rates after initial course browsing. Traditional static nudges weren’t enough, especially given the diversity in user motivation across regions and demographics.

    The Nudge Strategy:

    The platform adopted an AI-driven behavioral analytics solution that delivered dynamic nudges based on real-time signals such as:

    • Scroll depth and dwell time on course descriptions
    • Hover over pricing tiers
    • Time of day and previous interaction context

    Based on these signals, users received tailored messages like:

    • “You’ve already explored 3 AI courses—this one is trending among similar learners.”
    • “Join 4500+ learners who enrolled this week and boosted their careers.”
    • “Enroll now to access limited bonus content—ending soon.”

    The messaging changed dynamically depending on behavioral cues, optimizing for emotional, practical, or social drivers.

    Technology Used:

    The platform used a combination of Segment (CDP), Braze (real-time engagement), and a custom AI layer trained on past behavior to determine optimal nudge types and timing.

    Results:

    • Enrollment conversion rose by 62% for returning users.
    • Bounce rate on course detail pages reduced by 25%.
    • Personalized nudges led to a 22% lift in completion of onboarding flows.

    Key Takeaway:

    Real-time behavioral personalization amplifies nudge power by matching messages with the user’s emotional state and decision-making context. AI bridges the gap between intent and action with precision.

    Validating the Nudge Effect: Metrics That Matter

    Each case study above provides clear, measurable proof of nudging’s effectiveness when powered by Martech. Here are the consistent metrics observed across industries:

    • Conversion Rate Lift: Nudges based on scarcity, social proof, or framing often yielded 30–60% increases.
    • Engagement Time: Behavioral nudges that aligned with user intent extended session durations by 20–40%.
    • Reduced Abandonment: Cart or form abandonment typically fell by 15–25%, especially with urgency or real-time AI-triggered nudges.
    • Increased ROI: More efficient funnel movement and higher conversion rates resulted in lower cost-per-acquisition (CPA).

    As these case studies show, nudging is not just a clever tactic—it’s a scalable strategy. When baked into Martech systems, behavioral cues become repeatable levers for performance improvement. Scarcity, social proof, framing, and AI-powered responsiveness can all drive behavior without overwhelming users or requiring major UX overhauls.

    The future of marketing lies in understanding—and gently guiding—human decisions. And when paired with the right Martech infrastructure, behavioral nudging offers a proven blueprint to do just that.

    Ethical Considerations: Where’s the Line?

    As behavioral science continues to shape modern marketing, especially through Martech platforms, one important question looms large: When does nudging cross the line into manipulation? Nudging is designed to gently guide users toward a beneficial decision, ideally in the interest of both brand and consumer. But when misused, it can erode trust, exploit vulnerabilities, and backfire in both reputation and revenue.

    When Nudging Becomes Manipulation

    Nudging walks a fine ethical line. At its best, it’s a respectful assist: reminding users of an abandoned cart, offering a well-timed incentive, or streamlining choices to reduce decision fatigue. But when nudges are deployed in ways that obscure, deceive, or coerce users into actions they might not have taken knowingly, the practice enters the realm of manipulation.

    Manipulative nudging often relies on dark patterns—design choices that exploit cognitive biases to push users toward decisions that benefit the company more than the individual. Examples include adding pre-ticked boxes for subscriptions, false scarcity (“Only 1 left—10 people viewing!” when that’s untrue), or guilt-driven messaging (“Are you sure you want to miss out on this amazing deal?”).

    These tactics may deliver short-term gains but come at the cost of long-term brand equity. Users feel tricked, not persuaded.

    The Role of Transparency, Consent, and Trust

    Trust is the currency of digital engagement. As Martech platforms gain the power to personalize, predict, and influence at scale, transparency and user consent are non-negotiables. Ethical nudging starts with honest intent and visible clarity. Users should know when they are being guided—and why. For example:

    • Countdown timers should reflect real inventory deadlines, not fabricated urgency.
    • Personalized recommendations should disclose how the data was used.
    • Consent mechanisms (e.g., cookie banners, opt-ins) must be clear and not buried in fine print.

    Moreover, trust builds loyalty. Brands that respect user agency and decision-making boundaries are more likely to see repeat engagement, higher satisfaction, and positive word of mouth.

    Responsible Martech Design: Empathy Over Exploitation

    The true test of ethical Martech lies in design decisions: Are we helping or hijacking the user journey?

    Empathy-driven Martech design means:

    • Prioritizing user benefit in every nudge strategy.
    • Giving users clear choices, not manipulative defaults.
    • Making it easy to opt out, unsubscribe, or say no.
    • Testing nudge effectiveness not just for conversion, but for user satisfaction and perceived fairness.

    For example, a landing page that uses loss aversion to promote a limited-time offer can be powerful. But if the user later finds the same offer after the timer resets the next day, the brand loses credibility. In contrast, a genuinely expiring offer with upfront clarity builds urgency without misleading.

    Ethical Martech doesn’t mean avoiding behavioral science—it means applying it with integrity. Brands can nudge toward actions that help users—whether that’s completing a subscription, choosing the right plan, or returning to finish an educational course—without relying on psychological tricks.

    Examples of Ethical Fails: Where It Went Wrong

    Several brands have faced backlash for nudges gone wrong:

    • Misleading Scarcity:

    Travel booking sites have been criticized for flashing warnings like “Only 1 room left!” or “Booked 42 times today!”—creating panic that wasn’t rooted in reality. Regulatory bodies in the UK and EU have cracked down on such messaging, labeling them as deceptive.

    • Forced Continuity:

    Many streaming services or subscription products have used pre-checked renewal boxes or intentionally vague cancellation processes—tactics now flagged as “dark patterns.” Consumers have grown wary, and platforms like Apple and Google are tightening standards on subscription transparency.

    • Guilt Framing in Email CTAs:

    Nonprofits and e-commerce brands alike have tested guilt-inducing copy such as “No thanks, I don’t care about saving money” or “I’ll pass on helping children today.” While these may lift short-term conversion, they often lead to long-term user resentment and unsubscribes.

    These examples underscore the need for ethical oversight in Martech strategy. What works doesn’t always mean what’s right.

    Drawing the Line with Integrity

    As Martech continues to evolve, the industry faces a critical responsibility: to build systems that influence with care, not control. Nudging is a powerful tool, but power demands accountability.

    The ethical path forward is clear: transparency over trickery, empathy over exploitation, trust over tricks. Martech platforms must be designed with user respect at their core, not just for compliance, but for building lasting relationships. In the end, ethical nudging isn’t a limitation. It’s a brand’s opportunity to earn trust, deliver value, and drive meaningful engagement—without crossing the line.

    Building a Behavioral Lens Into Your Martech Stack

    As marketing technology continues to evolve, the next frontier isn’t just automation or AI — it’s behavioral intelligence. Brands that understand and apply principles from behavioral science can build Martech stacks that go beyond basic personalization to actively influence decision-making in ethical, effective ways. But integrating this behavioral lens requires a deliberate strategy. Here’s how marketers and technologists can begin.

    1. Map Key Behavioral Triggers to Each Stage of the Customer Journey

    To effectively embed behavioral science into your Martech stack, start by aligning behavioral triggers with the distinct phases of your customer journey.

    For example:

    • Awareness Stage: Use curiosity and novelty triggers to spark interest through eye-catching subject lines, thought-provoking ad copy, or interactive content.
    • Consideration Stage: Leverage social proof (e.g., testimonials, reviews, case studies) and authority cues (e.g., expert endorsements) to build trust.
    • Conversion Stage: Apply scarcity, urgency, or loss aversion (e.g., “limited-time offer”) to nudge action, but ensure the tactics are authentic and transparent.
    • Retention Stage: Reinforce emotional loyalty with recognition, exclusivity, or commitment/consistency nudges (e.g., milestone-based rewards, personalized messages).

    Each Martech tool—be it a CRM, email platform, or web personalization engine—should be configured to recognize and respond to these behavioral signals. For instance, Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) can track interactions and automate responses based on user behavior, delivering the right nudge at the right time.

    2. Use A/B Testing to Measure Nudge Effectiveness

    Behavioral nudges are only as effective as their results. To refine and optimize your strategy, A/B testing is essential. Test not only surface-level elements like subject lines or CTA color, but also behavioral elements like:

    • Framing (e.g., “save $50” vs. “don’t lose $50”)
    • Social proof density (e.g., “500 users joined” vs. “Top-rated by marketers like you”)
    • Scarcity cues (e.g., countdown timers vs. limited inventory badges)

    Track downstream metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, cart abandonment, and customer satisfaction. It’s also important to monitor for unintended consequences, like increased bounce rates or unsubscribes — a sign that your nudge may feel manipulative rather than motivating.

    Use insights to develop a behavioral playbook tailored to your audience segments and customer journey stages, then scale what works using your Martech automation layers.

    3. Collaborate with Behavioral Scientists or Psychologists

    Most marketers are familiar with concepts like urgency or FOMO, but true behavioral science runs deeper. Partnering with behavioral experts—whether through hiring, consultation, or collaboration—can elevate your Martech strategy from intuitive guesswork to structured psychological design.

    These experts can help:

    • Identify relevant behavioral models (e.g., BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model, Kahneman’s System 1 vs. System 2 thinking)
    • Develop experiments that isolate behavioral effects
    • Guide the ethical implementation of nudges, ensuring cognitive triggers are used responsibly

    They can also help analyze user behavior data through a psychological lens, uncovering motivations behind clicks, hovers, and hesitations that traditional analytics might miss. The synergy between behavioral science and Martech enables the creation of environments where users feel understood, supported, and respected, not manipulated.

    4. Ensure Alignment with Brand Values and Customer Respect

    Embedding behavioral science into Martech is powerful, but it must be grounded in ethics and aligned with your brand’s identity. Every nudge, message, or dynamic content adjustment must reflect the values your brand stands for.

    Ask yourself:

    • Does this nudge help the customer make a better decision, or just a faster one?
    • Would I be comfortable explaining this tactic to a customer?
    • Are we respecting user autonomy, or are we crossing into dark pattern territory?

    Tools like consent management platforms, preference centers, and transparent opt-in flows can help ensure that behavioral nudges are delivered with respect and trust. Martech stacks should enable, not override, user choice. Additionally, educate internal teams on responsible behavioral design. Everyone from UX designers to data engineers should understand that effective nudging isn’t about manipulation—it’s about meeting users where they are and guiding them toward beneficial outcomes.

    Building a behavioral lens into your Martech stack isn’t about bolting on a few psychological tricks. It’s about rethinking how technology and human insight intersect to improve user experience, increase marketing effectiveness, and build lasting customer relationships.

    By mapping behavioral triggers, rigorously testing your nudges, collaborating with experts, and prioritizing ethics, you can harness behavioral science in a way that’s both powerful and principled. In today’s cluttered, choice-rich digital environment, that’s not just a competitive edge — it’s a brand imperative.

    The Future: AI Meets Behavioral Economics

    The intersection of artificial intelligence and behavioral economics is rapidly transforming how marketers engage consumers. While behavioral economics helps us understand why people make decisions—driven by heuristics, biases, and emotional triggers—AI enables marketers to apply those insights at scale, in real time, and with unprecedented precision. The result? Predictive nudges and hyper-personalized experiences that evolve continuously based on user behavior.

    a) AI-Powered Behavioral Design: From Insight to Action

    Traditionally, behavioral economics required manual testing, segmentation, and qualitative analysis to uncover what motivates action. Now, AI does the heavy lifting—scanning vast datasets for patterns, learning which behavioral cues work for which audience segments, and optimizing messages dynamically. Instead of one-size-fits-all nudges, brands can use AI to craft interventions that feel personal, timely, and relevant to each user.

    For example, AI can determine that a segment of users responds best to loss aversion, while another is more influenced by social proof. Machine learning models can then trigger the appropriate behavioral nudge, such as a limited-time offer or a “5,000 customers love this” badge, based on real-time behavior and past preferences.

    This is where the power of AI truly shines: it doesn’t just react; it predicts. With enough data, AI can anticipate what a user is likely to do next and gently steer them toward the desired action—whether it’s completing a purchase, renewing a subscription, or clicking a CTA.

    b) Toward Adaptive, Learning-Driven Experiences

    The future lies in adaptive experiences—systems that not only personalize content but also tailor behavioral nudges in response to individual user journeys. These adaptive systems learn over time, adjusting tone, timing, and persuasion techniques as they gather feedback from each interaction.

    Imagine a web experience where the layout, messaging, and offers evolve in real time based on a user’s decision-making profile. If a user tends to hesitate at checkout, the system might delay presenting urgency cues until the second visit. If another user responds to authority, testimonials from experts could be prioritized.

    This type of self-learning nudge architecture is becoming possible as AI and customer data platforms converge. Martech stacks equipped with emotional AI, deep learning, and journey orchestration tools will soon offer marketers a behavioral flywheel—constantly learning, adapting, and improving outcomes while reducing manual intervention.

    c) What to Watch: The Rise of AI-Driven Persuasion Engines

    As these capabilities mature, we’re entering the era of “AI-driven persuasion engines”—Martech systems explicitly designed to influence behavior based on behavioral science and predictive modeling. These engines will move beyond simple personalization to a form of real-time behavioral choreography.

    What’s emerging is both exciting and complex. On the one hand, marketers will have powerful new tools to cut through noise and deliver meaningful, relevant experiences. On the other hand, these systems raise ethical questions about transparency, manipulation, and autonomy.

    In this new landscape, responsible design will be critical. As AI takes the reins in decision-shaping, brands must ensure their nudges align with user interests, respect boundaries, and build long-term trust. That’s the difference between smart marketing and psychological exploitation.

    Ultimately, AI’s fusion with behavioral economics represents a new chapter in Martech evolution—one where empathy, science, and technology combine to shape smarter, more human-centric marketing. The brands that master this balance will lead the next wave of meaningful customer connection.

    Final Thoughts & Call to Action: Designing the Next Generation of Martech with Empathy and Insight

    Looking forward, one thing becomes more apparent: The next frontier of martech isn’t about sending more messages. The goal is to design more intelligent, psychologically-informed experiences that touch people more deeply. After focussing on speed and size for the past decade, the industry must now shift its focus to significance if it wants to take the next leap ahead.

    You can’t get anyone’s undivided attention in this noisy environment. The most memorable advertisements aren’t the ones that shout the loudest; rather, they are the ones that comprehend their target demographics and know how to motivate and inspire people with the perfect message at the perfect time. This is made possible by behavioural science in conjunction with Martech powered by AI. Yet, a heftier burden of duty accompanies tremendous authority.

    Behavioural data is now available to marketers, allowing them to impact decisions in real time through prediction and persuasion. However, this is more than simply a conversion toolbox; it’s a chance to establish credibility, value independence, and design user experiences that are useful and intuitive rather than manipulative. Rising engagement metrics alone will not be enough to overcome the impending issue. In a thoughtful, moral, and compassionate way, include behavioural thinking into your plan.

    The first step is to create a behavioural lens customer journey map. Find the critical decision points where nudges can make a difference, whether it’s via lowering resistance, boosting self-assurance, or making an emotional connection. Think of the Martech stack’s tools as precision-guided solutions informed by psychological knowledge, rather than blunt implements. Comparatively test various nudges. Bring in behavioural specialists. Create systems that allow for user input. Pay attention to the individual, not merely their profile.

    Make sure your brand values and your behavioural approaches are in sync. Sincerity is key when using the persuasive tools of scarcity, urgency, and social proof. False timers, hidden opt-outs, and overstated claims are examples of manipulative design that can increase conversions in the short term but harm trust in the long run. Avoiding legal trouble isn’t the only risk of an ethical lapse; it also drives away the customers you were hoping to attract.

    The message to marketers and engineers is loud and clear: Create journeys that build trust, not just ones that focus on conversions. Find a way to design that benefits both companies and customers. Guide with compassion. Give your customers the freedom to choose what’s best for them, not simply what will fit into your sales funnel.

    Data dashboards won’t be enough to characterise the Martech of the future. How carefully we incorporate behavioural knowledge into our products, services, and connections will determine its design. Therein lies the strength and potential of behavioural Martech. Embrace its wisdom.

    Marketing Technology News: From MarTech Stack to MarTech Fabric: Weaving Brand, Content, and Conversion Into One Thread