E-commerce is undergoing a transformation driven by new technologies that impact how customers shop and businesses sell. While generative AI (gen AI) has garnered significant attention, a broader wave of technology-driven innovation is reshaping e-commerce across various aspects, such as logistics, marketing and sales. For business owners and marketers, understanding these developments is critical for staying competitive.

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1. Invest Like an Attacker

The most successful businesses in e-commerce act like disruptors, investing heavily in emerging technologies like gen AI. In contrast to laggards that prioritise cost-cutting, leading companies invest in technological advancements, which are crucial to improving customer experiences and driving sales. Gen AI is a key focus, with 20% of leading companies making it their top priority. These businesses are allocating significant portions of their budgets to AI-driven initiatives, such as sales preparation, product recommendations and customer service enhancements.

Notably, the shift to digital channels is integral for driving profitability. Leaders are increasing investment in omnichannel strategies, online marketplaces, direct-to-consumer sites and social commerce. This expansion helps deepen customer relationships, with many leaders reporting higher profitability from digital channels compared to offline ones. Events like Black Friday are also becoming essential to growth, with well-prepared businesses leveraging them for significant revenue spikes. Business owners should focus on events like these, ensuring adequate preparation in terms of partnerships, inventory and targeted marketing strategies.

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2. Technology as a Strategic Advantage

For modern businesses, technology is not just an operational tool but a strategic asset.

Amazon is a notable pioneer of this approach and companies that adopt similar strategies—by continuously updating around 10% of their tech platforms each year—are better positioned to innovate and deliver superior customer experiences. Business owners should treat technology as an enabler of growth, ensuring that their tech infrastructure is scalable, adaptable and regularly updated.

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3. Understanding Customers Through AI

In today’s market, knowing your customer requires knowing AI. With shopping channels and customer preferences constantly evolving, leading businesses are using AI to better understand and serve their customers. AI tools help companies manage the increasing complexity of shopping journeys, analysing vast amounts of unstructured data like reviews, social media and voice calls. This is especially important as traditional marketing tools like third-party cookies phase out, requiring new methods of customer insight.

For business owners, the ability to harness AI to personalise customer interactions, recommend products and enhance the overall shopping experience is critical. AI-driven insights provide a competitive edge by helping businesses anticipate and meet customer demands across both digital and physical channels.

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4. Centralised Operations with Empowered Teams

Successful e-commerce organisations are finding ways to balance centralised control with empowered, decentralised teams. This hybrid model allows businesses to leverage centralised capabilities—like advanced AI analytics and cloud-based systems—while allowing local teams to tailor their approaches to specific markets. This has been key to success for many companies, helping them increase agility and meet local customer needs more effectively.

A proven example of this approach is the B2B platform of a global consumer goods company, which supports different markets with shared infrastructure but allows customisation based on regional needs. This model has contributed to significant growth for the platform, with some markets experiencing more than 50% growth year over year.

For marketers, this underscores the importance of building scalable platforms that can adapt to local needs while benefiting from centralised technology and data-driven insights. Empowering teams to make localised decisions while staying connected to the broader business strategy is crucial for long-term success.

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In concusion

In conclusion, next-gen e-commerce requires a strong focus on technology, talent and strategic investments. Business owners and marketers who embrace these changes and adapt their models accordingly are well-positioned to thrive in the evolving digital marketplace.

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