Shoptalk Barcelona 2025 was an incredible event and as sponsors for the event we had the opportunity to both chat with many visitors as well as attend many of the insightful sessions.
Shoptalk is catering to brands and retailers, and there was ample amounts of both among visitors and speakers, from the likes of Temu, Zalando, Levi’s on the retail side to the likes of Danone, Pepsi, Perry Ellis and Crocs on the brands side.
While brands and retailers typically have different priorities, the common theme in discussions and sessions of both was Efficiency. Most sizeable organizations visiting have ample data, and have a good client base, now the key questions was how to maximize assets for steady or faster scale.
Brands – 3 ways brands are looking to be more efficient
Competitive intelligence: Data is king, but only if its actionable. Brands are working to tear down walls to speed things up, preferring data that is cross teams (cross functional) as a way to be more efficient and to align the teams around the same KPIs.
Experimenting with AI: With the speed of AI progress, experimentation is key. Start small but start early as otherwise you may be left behind. But the key is to start, even if you start with one KPI in mind, and one category in one geography.
Personalization: If new client acquisition is challenging, lets maximize the value from the existing ones. With advancements in AI and technology there are more ways to understand customers and personalize offers or experiences for them.
Retailers – 3 ways retailers are looking to be more efficient
eCommerce to store cross pollination: By encouraging customers to sign in to get in store offers and promotions, retailers learn more about consumer behaviors and are able to offer more complete experiences from online to in store and vice versa.
Battling return rates: Product returns are a massive hit on profitability as processing fees are high and in some cases you can’t sell the product again. However some retailers report that with personalization and better matching customer needs, return rates decline and loyalty rates increase. So this becomes not just a cost reduction exercise but an revenue and loyalty growth initiative.
Loyalty programs and order value: Similar to Personalization in brands, when new client acquisition is challenging, the focus shifts to maximizing the purchases of existing clients. In addition, bundles and offers allow retailers to grow the order size of new clients as well.
In summary
Shoptalk Barcelona 2025 highlighted the dynamic nature of the eCommerce and retail industry in the AI era. Moving faster, moving more efficiently is key to gain competitive advantage in an industry that is highly competitive. Thanks everyone that visited our booth and shared their insights and advice. Looking forward to meeting you again soon!
