I got to attend the eTail East conference in Boston last week. As the name suggests, it’s a show that attempts to straddle ecommerce and retail. And, as such, attendees and speakers were across the board, from small pure-play ecomm companies to giant brands like Albertsons.
I picked up on 3 themes from the event that I hope are useful to you …
AI was everywhere, that doesn’t mean people have it figured out.
01
Talk of AI was everywhere—speaker’s talks, in nonsensical vendor booths, in hallway conversations. And, there were real brands really leveraging AI for things like SEO content and to create product photography backgrounds. One speaker’s study summed it up well: 90% of people think their peers are further ahead on AI than they are. His advice: wait for your favorite tool to build in AI features.
Key Takeaway: Don’t panic. Be patient, but curious… experiment and play.
Retail can be leveraged for more than sales.
02
A recent D2C Index report showed many brands growing in 2024 were driving their growth through retail. The most thoughtful speakers I saw speak on retail emphasized how they saw retail not as just another sales channel, but as a community and learning treasure trove. Brompton Bicycles uses their flagship stores as the starting point for community meetups. And lawn care company Sunday sends their digital team to Target stores to pitch Sunday products live to customers.
Key Takeaway: If your product is on retail shelves, figure out how it can drive insights, not just sales.
Your omnichannel strategy should be your company strategy.
03
When you read omni, read the whole thing—as in, your whole strategy. Do not stack channels and expect to easily add sales. D2C perfume company Dossier has a completely different list of best sellers in Walmart than they do online. Oral care ecomm company Quip knew Amazon would cannibalize their website sales, so they’ve re-focused their website on creating a differentiated, brand-forward experience. As the CRO of Quip put it, “Ask not what the channel can do for you, but what you can do for the channel.”
Key Takeaway: Omnichannel is tempting. Plan carefully, talk to people who’ve launched in the channel you’re considering, and don’t expect another channel to equal easy sales.
Thanks for reading, and see you in 2 weeks.
-Paul
