LOYALTY CUSTOMER WINNING IS NEEDED EXPERIMENTATION WHY MARKETING OF MICRO-MOMENT BIG IMPACTTHE TOUCHPOINTS OF REVOLUTION THE PG. PG.

valtech.com PG.

24 12

06

Choice for Retailers for Choice Death

Innovation, a Life a or Innovation, DISRUPTION THE ERA OF THE ERA

PG.

20 Technology to Boost Business to Boost Technology TECH: THE RIGHT HAND RIGHT THE TECH: Industry Leaders are Using are Leaders Industry OF RETAIL OF COMMERCETOOLS FOUNDER, COMMERCETOOLS AN INTERVIEW WITH ANSWERS TO YOUR RETAIL YOUR RETAIL INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS

DIRK HÖRIG PG.

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VALTECH.COM For the past 20 years, the ability to buy It’s time to imagine, develop, goods online has fundamentally changed build and change based on what consumers enjoy. how we shop and interact with brands.

However, don’t get too accustomed to today’s methods; innovations are on the horizon. As you’ll see in this edition of Valtech Mag, the industry is on the brink of a transformation.

Together, Valtech and commercetools explore the brands, top innovators in retail now have to focus future of innovation with concepts that are nearing on unprecedented ways to disrupt the industry. existence. Valtech, through its remarkable design Commerce that makes purchases seamless at every and content, is utilizing new technologies like the interaction is no longer important, it is vital. commercetools platform to advance global brands into the new “post-web” era. This will be an era Gone are days when the top e-commerce where shopping is not relegated to a traditional professionals focused on building a better shopping website - beautiful content, experiences and cart. Forward-thinking brands have an incredible storytelling will be everywhere. To differentiate their opportunity to engage consumers in new ways. They can build bridges to traditional consumers and digital savvy buyers alike, being the first to offer new channels and unique experiences. It’s time to imagine, develop, build and change based on what Commerce that consumers enjoy. The amount of creativity and innovation surrounding retail is making for an exciting time in the industry. makes purchases The connection between the offline and online seamless at every worlds is like nothing we’ve ever seen. interaction is no longer important, it is vital.

Pascal Lagarde Digital Director of Commerce Valtech Netherlands

COMMERCETOOLS 3 01 ARTICLES

PG. 06–11 The Era of Disruption Innovation, a Life or Death Choice for Retailers PG. 12–15 The Revolution of Touchpoints Why Experimentation is Needed PG. 16–19 Cars Aren’t What They PG. 20–23 Used to Be Tech, the Right Hand of Retail Automotive Trends Disrupting the Industry Industry Leaders are Using Technology to Boost Business By Chetan Bangalore Vijayakumar Associate Vice President — Retail Valtech India PG. 24–29 The Big Impact of Micro-Moment Marketing Winning Customer Loyalty By Tobias Mauel / Digital Consultant Valtech Netherlands PG. 30–33 How Crucial is Augmented Reality in Retail? 02 INTERVIEWS The Answers are in the Who, Why & How of AR PG. 38–39 PG. 34–37 Insightful Answers to Your Retail Questions: Sitting Down with Dirk Hörig APIs Disrupting Commerce The commercetools Founder on New Customer Approaches Using Socical Media, Apps, PG. 40–41 Chatbots & Their Peers Commerce: From Basic to Bold Revolutionizing the Traditional Website

4 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 5 In the next decade, retailer success will be dependent on the effectiveness of Chief Digital Officers (CDO) adopting new business models and channels to consumers.

Our digital world is evolving. New technologies are disrupting traditional consumer relationships and provide new entry points for competitors. Thriving in this era requires intentional, high cadence experimentation and a set of technical tools that can keep up. Valtech perceives commercetools, as such a platform, architected to support rapid and real-world testing of innovative ideas.

6 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 7 to experiment with new business models quickly and obstacle for customers. Upgrades demand an The Innovation Imperative • Rapid scaling out of successful experiments inexpensively and be fully prepared to “fail forward.” extensive rework and testing effort across each to capture market share. facet. It’s a costly undertaking for retailers. The world is changing at an accelerating rate. Retailers need to anticipate how technology will • The anticipation of or preparation for an The Value of Micro-service All-in-one modern enterprise commerce platforms impact their relationship with their customers unexpected rise of new consumer channels. Architectures are expensive, even if deployed and purchased by judiciously experimenting with new models. based on a revenue-share (pay-as-you-grow) model. Otherwise, they risk being left behind. Anticipating and Reacting: Monolithic commerce systems can make new Decoupling just a few critical functions and features channel experimentation expensive and high risk. from the rest of such a platform’s components is The Retailer Lifeline This would not be in the best interest of the retailer. VOICE is everywhere, changing consumer nearly impossible when the full suite is not utilized When experiments are costly in time or money, behaviors and threatening retailers’ traditional Retailers today recognize the importance of changing to its potential. innovation is stifled. go-to-market strategies. how they interact with their consumers. What is less

DIGITAL ASSISTANTS are in various devices, from mobile phones to refrigerators, digital assistants are increasingly becoming intermediaries between retailers and consumers.

CONSUMERS are buying within video games. This is expanding beyond digital goods to include the purchase of real-world products for delivery.

VIRTUAL REALITY and augmented reality technologies have not reached mass adoption as quickly as the most ardent advocates had predicted, but there is little doubt they will be a significant part of the consumer landscape. And they hold the potential to change everything about the consumer buying experience.

CARMAKERS are actively rolling out the ability to shop through infotainment systems while on the road. This trend can only accelerate as autonomous cars reach the market.

AUTO-REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS are just now reaching consumers—but have the potential to clear is how to adjust to these changes. Reminiscing Most of modern end-to-end commerce platforms Hence, why more retailers are embracing the change the meaning of consumer loyalty radically. on the .com bust and boom even with innovative evolved primarily through acquisitions of software so-called headless or micro-services based approach technologies, committing too early or overinvesting products and smaller platforms in areas where to commerce technology. A headless commerce Baseline Needs for Innovation can be risky. Dwelling on this unknown past requires a monolith buyer was at a disadvantage or where platform is essentially a robust, scalable, modern experimentation. Prudent retailers understand the it was missing respective functionalities. Time- set of commerce modules and services that deploy Innovation entails risk. Most experiments will fail. unpredictable nature of this industry. No one can to-market is essential. Over the past 10 years, we in the cloud. They can be called upon through a Retailers need an infrastructure that allows for: meaningfully predict how the intersection of AI home observed major platform consolidations in the custom-built user interface for a website, a mobile assistance, the sharing economy and the potential e-commerce technology space. An acquisition of app, a voice-controlled device or a home appliance. • Quick, low-cost deployment of new capabilities. of blockchain will change the retail landscape. In this this caliber typically results in a monolith platform In short, regardless of a user touchpoint or interface • Simple and reliable reuse of existing investments context, retailers have an absolute need to be able being marketed as an end-to-end, single vendor, type, a very standard set of back-end platform micro- in the exploration of new opportunities. functional solution. However, integrating such services is utilized through a comprehensive API layer features can take years. This could be a potential of the platform.

8 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 9 Some perks of using a micro-services based • They connect to the “old” world of offline stores to innovate towards the future and adjust to • Development teams can operate platform such as commercetools, include: and customer touchpoints like kiosks, POS unexpected developments. autonomously. The business overhead terminals, store displays, etc. and friction of coordinating distributed • Individually consumable and priced on-demand Valtech is enthusiastic about the headless teams disappear. type services (such as product price calls, • There are hundreds of releases per year to grow approach to e-commerce and, after reviewing promotion calls, order tax calculation calls, and improve such platforms, while the underlying available technologies, we feel very comfortable FAST AND SIMPLE PARTNERSHIPS and other). APIs are kept stable and backward-compatibility recommending commercetools to those is assured. pursuing a more agile approach to the market. 03 By design, commercetools is API-first. It is built • Such platforms are typically cloud-native, commercetools provides an innovative platform with the ease of integration as a core design designed from the ground-up utilizing best-of- Technical evangelists will praise the robustness that allows fast, lower-risk experimentation with principle. For a CDO, this means that lengthy breed, modern software architecture. and future proofing of a decoupled architecture. new channels for reaching the customer—or and difficult technical integrations will not enables entirely new business models. strangle smart business partnerships. • They are headless, built for omnichannel, social, However, the more prominent business benefits are IoT and numerous other user interfaces. in providing a path to agility. It buys CDOs the ability How Does the commercetools REDUCED PARTNER OR VENDOR Micro-services Architecture 04 LOCK-IN Support Innovation? commercetools grants CDOs the ability to rejuvenate their supply chain partnerships and commercetools supports CDOs innovation entertain new partners without the barrier of imperative by reducing the time and cost years of integration activities. This flexibility of trying new ideas. It does this in the translates to substantial negotiating power, following ways: as well as simplified paths to the exploration of new opportunities. FREEDOM FROM THE BACKEND 01 CDOs can roll out experiments with new Grasping the Future business models or consumer channels without touching backend logic, functionality According to one commentator, “the retail or capabilities. New experimental programs can and consumer goods industries will change be launched without delving into the complexity more in the next 10 years than they have over 1 of backend systems. It fundamentally frees the past 40.” In the face of this upheaval, CDOs from a central challenge with monolithic retail CDOs must experiment with new systems—the requirement that if you change business models and channels for consumers. anything, you have to change everything. There is no one clear path to success in the coming decade; instead, winning retailers will rely on fast, frequent testing of new FASTER TIME TO VALUE ideas to identify opportunities. To do this, 02 commercetools’ micro-services approach they need commerce infrastructure capable gets projects live more quickly because: of supporting fast, frequent explorations of new ideas. commercetools’ micro-services • It simplifies quality assurance processes. based architecture is ideally suited to this Only the written micro-service requires task. It allows CDOs to try new ideas, quickly, testing. inexpensively and at low risk—all of which lays • Teams can develop in whichever the groundwork for success. programming language best meets the demands of the project—all codebases can coexist. 1 https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insight-painting-digital- future-retail-cpg

10 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 11 Why Experimentation is Needed

Rarely, does a day go by without the appearance of another innovation for futuristic shopping. This ranges from personal voice assistants such as Amazon Echo and Google Home Assistant to chatbots, AR/VR applications and social networks.

Lifestyle Necessities vs. Luxury clothing and jewelry. The criteria must align with the individual’s lifestyle and taste; such purchases Consumers purchase two types of products: are less impulsive. The same goes for expensive discretionary and non-discretionary. luxury goods. Products with hefty price tags usually endure a series of decisions to anticipate long-term the Non-discretionary items are everyday necessities, value and experience. purchased without investing much cognitive effort. There may be exceptions, but generally, these are products that must be available in sufficient More Touchpoints, More Reach, quantity and acceptable quality at appropriate More Sales revolution locations. The purchase of non-discretionary goods must be quick and preferably automatic. Depending on the type of goods being sold, companies use new touchpoints for different In contrast, discretionary products are items reasons. Enterprises increase the number of selling that buyers invest more time to select. Generally, points to boost visibility at precisely the point in of touch- these are products with emotional ties, such as time where the purchase desire arises. points Discretionary Purchases Non-Discretionary Purchases

Special individual selection Interchangeable Seldom purchased Frequently purchased Generally high-priced Usually low-priced High brand loyalty and affinity Little or no loyalty / price driven Attractive marketing Fact-based presentation Personal advice Algorithms and automatic mechanisms Shopping experience as a pleasure Speed and efficiency

COMMERCETOOLS 13 networks, for example. Behind it all, companies Technology empowers are investing significantly in personal contacts, merchandisers to anticipate rather than relying only on algorithms. items duration with multiple The Coolness Factor: Driving tracking touchpoints. Innovations as a Provider Consumers can forget Brands that primarily target younger demographics what they need until must diversify their touchpoints to compete with they’re reminded. this cutting-edge environment. Furniture giant IKEA is substantially increasing their approach to online shopping by utilizing their augmented reality app, Places.

We all dread that moment when you go to reach A fresh generation of touchpoints are equipped for for a necessity that is out of stock in your home. experiments. Developing a new Alexa skill, (teaching Technology empowers merchandisers to anticipate the Amazon voice assistant a new capability), requires items duration with multiple tracking touchpoints. neither large IT teams nor prolonged projects. Small Consumers can forget what they need until teams typically test and improve such programs they’re reminded. within a few weeks. If the test fails, it doesn’t constitute a problem, because of the low investment, The trick for merchandisers is to optimally support and the main business – usually the customer’s own, the different contexts, ensuring more repeat orders conventional web store – is not in any way affected. and loyal customers. With these new touchpoints, companies provide their customers with virtual Retailers often act too conservatively. A new butlers, who work quietly and unobtrusively in touchpoint equals an updated business model. the background to satisfy the customers’ wishes. When a new touchpoint is created, they do not The time to experiment is now. rethink their business model. Instead, they attempt Customer Loyalty Thanks to an to implement that which already exists, to the extent Improved Shopping Experience possible, exactly in terms of the new touchpoint. New touchpoints are also used on emotion-based The Bottom Line products. Additionally, it is no longer enough to only have a traditional website; they must also have There are many reasons for retailers and a social presence. In this ideal case, visitors scroll manufacturers to experiment with new end-user through their Facebook timeline, find a product they devices and touchpoints. like and order it with a click, touch or swipe as an The market is still in an experimental phase. Not impulse buy without a complicated checkout and all technologies will be as widely accepted by ordering process. Influencers on Instagram and the mainstream as, for instance, the smartphone. YouTube introduce new collections, which fashion However, this is precisely why there are a plethora aficionados can easily order at the touch of a button. of opportunities for companies to gain comparative Encouragement of individuality is the primary factor advantage over their competitors. Innovations for this second product group. The points of contact that offer more convenient shopping can be easily have become more modern. The conventional implemented via new touchpoints. The time to webshop based on generic recommendations is experiment is now. The commercetools platform becoming obsolete and being replaced by more could be that cloud-based solution for retailers interactive forms of individual advice on social and manufacturers.

14 VALTECH MAG “The purpose of all of this: to learn.” cars Tom Ward / VP of E-Commerce Operations, Walmart aren’t what they used to be: automotive trends disrupting the industry

16 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 17 the last 18 years, Valtech has supplied connected vehicle services for Audi, Bentley, BMW, Daimler, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, PSA, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen. We work in all strategic digitalization fields of the OEMs like connected vehicles, mobility, electrification or digital sales. We deliver end-to- Cars are gearing up as the next new end solutions from design and UX concept to consumer touchpoint for merchandisers in-car services. We developed the backend and real-time analytics and service providers. for the first Vehicle-to-Infrastructure technology in the U.S. Car2X, safety software for vehicles to communicate with each other and with their Connected cars, autonomous driving, the sharing economy and electrically driven vehicles are opening up new environment. The car provides the next best opportunities for commerce. If a vehicle is “always on” and possibly does not require human interference, in the alternatives after alerting the user of driving future, drivers or passengers will have more leisure time to do things like shopping. Automakers are in overdrive. inconveniences such as road closures and The latest trends and advances in technology require car manufacturers to work tirelessly on their connectivity traffic flow. The digital development of connected cars is evident from strategies. They are adapting their offers to customer demands of constant connectivity, both with and in their the fact that at least three of the four GAFAs are openly vehicles, as an integral part of their lifestyle. Last year, Valtech Mobility announced a lucrative pushing their way into cars. partnership with Audi.2 The venture optimizes the technology in automobiles, software architecture and digital experience design. We are working to Google is linking the vehicle electric system to the driver's smartphone via the Android Auto extend Audi’s leadership in automotive innovation system. The company has also been working Digital Interfaces can safely embark on their daily commutes, run by developing big data, e-mobility autonomous on an autonomous car since 2009. The project errands and shop while they ride. driving and connectivity for new products, services has now been subsumed into the affiliated company, Waymo, which seeks to supply software Samsung and Harman demonstrated their Digital and business models. for various manufacturers. Cockpit at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2019. As if being a passenger couldn’t get any easier, This vehicle offers features like personalization for in Walmart partnered with Waymo to transport VP of Automotive, Lucas Léonardi, elaborates, customers to their stores. Shoppers order their stating, “We are connecting all Audi cars worldwide… Apple CarPlay is a solution similar to Android Auto, the car and at home. Similarly to other AIs before it, but is only available to iPhone users and is controlled we’ve been working with them for ten years now. Bixby is the copilot to this Digital Cockpit. With the groceries online, and a Waymo vehicle picks them by Siri. At the same time, Apple would like to supply sound of your voice, passengers can make in-car up to retrieve their items. Customers can get their And [Audi] is so happy with the relationship that its software for autonomous vehicles, but has terminated its car project called iCar. commands, connected with third-party apps and groceries without setting a foot out the car. Walmart they decided to create a top venture in 2018 with Galaxy Home users can even check the status employees load the groceries in the car, completely [Valtech] to enhance the platform and plug several of their residence. catering to the shopper. The experience is entirely types of services that evolves from infotainment to autonomous driving.” Amazon is integrating its Alexa voice assistant seamless. on a large scale into cars from a variety of At Valtech we view ourselves as a long-term manufacturers. The first alliance with Ford was partner in the digital development of connected “The purpose of all of this: to learn,” said, Tom Ward, We love the challenge of fully designing and announced at the CES 2017; from mid-2018 BMW cars. We recognize that as technology continues to VP of E-Commerce Operations at Walmart. “While integrating telematics solutions from ideation to will equip all of its models with Alexa. evolve automakers can adapt to the needs of their giving customers a unique experience with amazing production. Consumers are expecting more from technology, we’re learning how we can make Walmart their vehicles. In a world where mobility is continually customers and exceed their expectations. Valtech Facebook is lagging. COO Sheryl Sandberg joked at 1 evolving, Valtech Mobility is defined as a key partner knows the value of connected cars. online grocery pickup even more convenient.” the IAA 2017 in Frankfurt that Facebook is “the only in the digital development of connected cars. company in Silicon Valley that does not want to build a car.” There is still no sign of any onboard software Self-driving Cars Pit stop at Valtech Mobility of their own. Nonetheless, Facebook does want to cooperate with the automotive industry in artificial Waymo is working to reduce the number of drivers Valtech Mobility specializes in the design, intelligence and digital tools. 1 Growing Waymo’s Partnerships in Metro Phoenix on the roads by piloting a program with rideshare development and business integrations of Internet https://medium.com/waymo/growing-waymos-partnerships-in-met- ro-phoenix-965941451902 characteristics. With a self-driving car, passengers of Things (IoT) platforms for connected vehicles. In Manufacturers are working on solutions to not 2 Audi and Valtech form joint venture to develop digital solutions leave in-car access to customers solely to the for connected cars GAFA economy. https://valtech-mobility.com/press-release/

18 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 19 Industry Leaders are Using Technology to Boost

By Chetan Bangalore Vijayakumar / Associate Vice-President Business of Retail, Valtech India

The threat of e-commerce to brick-and-mortar retailers peaked during the .com boom of the early 2000s.

Traditional retailers faced an immediate need to innovate to survive in a world where consumer behavior was shifting to online. Fortunately, the same technologies that underpin pure play e-commerce vendors can provide a springboard for re-invention by brick-and-mortar retailers.

The Micro-services App-based Approaches Springboard to Reinventing Retail

The digital arena enables traditional retailers Customers can now virtually engage with to engage customers better, increase stores through the use of an app (whether customer loyalty and be relevant to the installed on their own mobile phone, a store- technological native generations. However, provided tablet or another in-store utility). not all technology is created equal. Deploying These apps can help improve user experience the app-based tactics described below and increase sales by: requires an underpinning infrastructure that supports fast deployment, simple content INTUITIVE REGISTRATION: Managing the reuse and low-cost experimentation. globalization of the brand – efficiently Traditional monolithic e-commerce platforms is a challenge to most organizations. struggle to meet these needs. In contrast, Technology can help them break the a micro-services based infrastructure, such language and culture barriers, allowing as commercetools, empowers retailers to sales associate (SA) inside the store to innovate in this changing market rapidly. focus on sales rather than peripheral activities surrounding user registration

20 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 21 and other mundane tasks. A customer’s information about customer behavior to registration app in a language of his or her choice accurately cross-sell and upsell items that along with translated alerts and error messages associates can propose to the customer at the will ensure that the registration process is intuitive counter. Recognizing what customers appeal and can be performed by the customer. to most helps managers determine which items to discount. The app can also assist with store count, THE DIGITAL ARENA determine the amount of foot traffic and track ENDLESS AISLE AND STORE CATALOG: It is not returning customers. This app (if installed on the always possible to have all the brand products ENABLES TRADITIONAL customer’s phone/tablet) can send customized for display within a store. However, an application notifications to customers on discounts, special which can scan a bar code or QR code of an item RETAILERS TO ENGAGE offers and new arrivals. can help the customer view the available variants, CUSTOMERS BETTER, UPSELL AND CROSS-SELL: The point of sales colors and sizes. SAs also benefit as they can application can provide the SA with critical quickly identify how much quantity is in stock INCREASE CUSTOMER along with a description of the product. LOYALTY AND BE RELEVANT TO THE “TECHNOLOGICAL The same technologies that underpin pure play e-commerce NATIVE GENERATIONS vendors can provide a springboard for re-invention by brick-and-mortar retailers.

SMART-CART: Consider a hypermarket. • Customized offers – Display special offers Customers will normally walk into to the for privileged customers. department store that is more familiar to him/her. • Client Advisor lookup – CA to reach customer based on customer location in the store. Now, Consider a smart app attached to a voice- enabled cart. Customers can interact with • Purchase History – Customer can view the this app/cart and get a personalized shopping history of their previous cart. experience. The app acts as a personal shopping assistant to the customer to: Most commentaries on technology and brick- and-mortar stores focus on the threat posed by • Locate a product – Which aisle? Which row? e-commerce. These same digital technologies offer a new path forward for traditional retailers. • Offers – Inform on alternate products Micro-service architecture is the key to unlocking and deals. this value. • Wishlist – List the items that the customer may want to buy, based on his purchase history.

22 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 23 Winning Customer Loyalty People typically interact with their smartphones By Tobias Mauel / Digital Consultant, Valtech Netherlands Technology is an ally to various industries including consumerism.

For the digital community, brands have seconds to engage a potential client. Micro-moment marketing helps enterprises make the most times a day of those seconds.

according to a Google Study

24 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 25 75% of people say their smartphones make them more productive The type of moment is determined by the purpose, The three principles of a successful Faced with endless combinations of scenarios, the according to a Google study context and urgency behind it. Creating successful marketing strategy are, therefore: four micro-moment phases identified by Google can dialogues with your target group rests on help you avoid drowning in possibility overload: understanding each moment and knowing how to behave accordingly. The essential conduit is mobile. A Generation of “Google It” According to Google, people typically interact with Be available. their smartphone approximately 150 times a day. Man’s New Best Friend 01 “I want to know” Posting a photo on Instagram, sending an email Anticipate micro-moments among your target group In this phase, someone is exploring or researching, or chatting with a friend are all examples of short, Smartphones play a central role in our decision- and commit to being helpful when they happen. but not yet ready to buy. They want relevant, useful purpose-oriented “micro-moments.” The last thing making. They’re the go-to devices consumers reach information – and maybe even inspiration – to lead users want, mid-micro-moment, is unnecessary for to make informed decisions on where to go and them through the customer journey. They do not want interruptions from an attention-seeking brand. what to buy. Be helpful. a hard sell. Google found that 75% of people say that their 02 In other cases, users are open to external influences, smartphones make them more productive.2 From this, Connect people to the answers they are seeking, Depending on the type of goods being sold, like when they are seeking information for decision- you could conclude that users are finding what they and concentrate on being relevant. companies use new touchpoints for different reasons. making. Brands must know how to recognize these are looking for, but this is not the case. Enterprises increase the number of selling points to moments to better influence consumers. boost visibility at exactly the point in time where the purchase desire arises. Four micro-moments require a deep understanding On a Need to Know Basis Be fast. 03 The trick for merchandisers is to optimally support of your customers’ motivations. A technical To succeed in a world of micro-moments, it is vital to Mobile users are fickle and demand speedy and the different contexts, ensuring more repeat orders platform that can effectively support omnichannel win your customer’s consideration and subsequent easy experiences. and loyal customers. With these new touchpoints, interactions is an additional necessity. Traditional action. This is not achieved by promoting a generic companies provide their customers with virtual monolithic e-commerce systems can struggle to brand message via a display ad. Customers are butlers, who work quietly and unobtrusively in support micro-moment marketing initiatives. A more loyal to their needs than they are to a brand. What Else is Needed? headless infrastructure, such as commercetools, the background to satisfy the customer’s wishes. allows retailers to experiment with micro-moment When asked, 65% of smartphone users say they Having the right mindset, however, is not enough on They can collect orders and deliver goods weekly, interactions quickly. search for the most relevant information, regardless its own to get you across the purchase line. To be precisely when they are at home. of the brand source. 51% say they have bought from there at the right time and place, and in the right way, The Four Micro-moments another company than the one they originally had in you need to understand your customer’s purpose Staying Local mind, based on who provided the best information. and context. Research by Google suggests there are four kinds Typically, brand preference is significantly less “I want to go” of marketing micro-moments:1 important. It is an unfortunate experience when consumers search for a necessity that is out of stock in their This is all about local relevance. Someone is looking I want I want Now, this doesn’t mean your brand should only be home. Technology empowers merchandisers to for local shops or considering buying at a nearby to know to go popping up at a conversion moment. Consumers anticipate expiring items with multiple tracking location. Your physical business, therefore, needs to 01 02 are quick to see through such tactics. 69% say the touchpoints. With various products to juggle, be in their consideration set at that moment. Further I want I want quality, timing and relevance of a message influences consumers forget what they need until they underlining this is the fact that “near me” searches to buy to do their perception of a brand. Instead, it is essential for need it. have doubled in the last year. The same rules apply 03 04 your brand to dip in and out at multiple points on the to restaurants and events. consumer journey, offering as much help as possible along the way.

26 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 27 Cash or Card 69% “I want to buy” OF CONSUMERS The moment of truth: someone is ready to make a purchase and needs help deciding on the what, SAY THE QUALITY, where or how to buy. 82% of smartphone users use their phone in the shop, and 88% of consumers who TIMING AND search for local shops take action within a day.2 But you have to be there with the right information to seal RELEVANCE the deal. OF A MESSAGE DIY (Do it Yourself) INFLUENCE THEIR “I want to do”

“How to”-related YouTube searches are growing at PERCEPTION OF 70% a year. Consumers are looking for help, whether before or after a purchase, so offer them the right A BRAND kind of content. according to a Google Study Do Your Research

With so many new insights to wrestle with, it can be hard to know where to start. Putting yourself in your customer’s shoes will go a long way. Do a walk- through of the customer journey and observe what you see. The following questions can help you:

WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT SEARCHES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR BRAND OR INDUSTRY? Try these searches yourself. Are you found? Are you happy with what you discover?

HOW OFTEN DO YOU FIGURE IN THE DIFFERENT NEEDS WITHIN YOUR CUSTOMER JOURNEY? And how often do you provide the right information? Do you take account of the context and purpose of the search?

And don’t forget to dig into your available data. HOW DO VISITORS COME TO YOU? HOW DO THEY 1 Micro-moments: Your Guide to Winning the Shift to Mobile - https://think.storage.googleapis.com/images/ BEHAVE? WHY? micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile- download.pdf Strive to understand the purpose and context of your 2 Smartphones Are Reshaping Customer Journeys; Marketing customer and their journey. Extensive context delivers Must Now Align With CX To Improve Experiences - https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolis/2018/05/16/ value to your micro-services approach. 3 smartphones-are-reshaping-customer-journeys- marketing-must-now-align-with-cx-to-improve-experienes/ #f04f0c4b30ae 3 Win your consumers’ attention with micro-moment marketing https://www.valtech.com/zh/insights/win-your-consumers- attention-with-micro-moment-marketing/

28 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 29 HOW CRUCIAL

Augmented reality (AR) has long been IS AUGMENTED tomorrow’s retail technology. Tomorrow has arrived.

REALITY IN RETAIL? Big retailers are offering new augmented experiences to customers. AR is the easiest first step for retailers to take as they face a radical shift in customer interfaces – taking that step now means retailers are better prepared for the rise of home assistants, voice-only interfaces and true Virtual Reality. A Microservice The Answers are in the Who, infrastructure, such as commercetools, allows retailers to experiment with AR quickly and cost-effectively. Why and How of AR AR, Real in Retail an engaging experience in store, but don’t let them down once they get home! AR can instantly provide users with an immersive and engaging experience. As we enter the age of the For all types of products from technology and experience economy, many retailers are searching for electronics, to clothing and consumer goods, ways to reinvent the physical store, using lights, video customers are looking for more information. They screens and audio. They’re constantly challenged to want backstage access. find ways to deliver on personalized service. AR has CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) is ripe for taking the potential to become a trusted sales associate. advantage. Take the example of a grocery store. With As a valued asset, it is equipped to handle basic AR information on products in-store and in-shelf, questions consumers have on products, allowing customers are more likely to say, “okay, let me grab hired associates to focus on upselling and closing one of those”, even if they’ve never eaten it before. the deal. Using their phones, customers can point at any Given that approximately 87% of shoppers do product and get this type of augmented information, comparative shopping on-site with their mobile making them more knowledgeable consumers. device, it’s all about leveraging the tools they already It’s not always possible to have all the brand products have in-hand. With AR, you can keep customers in for display within a store. Technology can work in your ecosystem both in-store and at home. Give them tandem to extend aisles. An application which can

30 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 31 scan a bar code/QR code of an item can assist bins in the aisles, they use their AR glasses, and the Any brand that offers an augmented experience is Release at 70-80% and iterate following the learnings the customer with viewing the available variants, technology ensures the package goes to the correct going to be preferred by customers. Think about you gather from user feedback. AR not only provides colors, sizes. location. The reduction of human error is astounding. the interior decoration market. IKEA is an excellent information to your customer, but it also provides example of that. Their AR app, developed with the retailer information about consumer behavior It can help the sales associate to identify how much AR can also be used as a training tool on the Apple ARKit, already has hundreds of thousands regardless of business size. quantity is in stock along with the description of the back end. New associates need to learn about of downloads – yet they only have about 500 out product, info on the availability of an item online the products in the store. AR and VR eliminate of hundreds of thousands of products available in AR vs. VR or in other stores in case it is unavailable in the the knowledge gap for new employees. These the app but still, consumers love it. It’s just current store. technologies could standardize training and the beginning, and what’s to say about Amazon AR experiences have a huge advantage over VR. eliminate subjectivity to better digest such jumping in the AR commerce trend? They are less expensive to develop and deploy. For the Customer and Beyond new information. Additionally, you have the advantage of using your What’s the takeaway from the IKEA experience? customer’s hardware. From logistics companies to mid-level retailers, Who’s Benefiting the Most? They started small, and they’re going to iterate. customers are not the only ones impacted with the The key to getting started cost-effectively is to reuse advantages of AR. Take, for example, DHL, one of With AR, the real winners are the customers. They’re Waiting for the Big Retailers? existing, digitized content. A microservices based the largest shipping companies in the world. They’re gaining access to a more engaging experience by infrastructure, like commercetools, simplifies this implementing AR in their logistics chain. In a pilot getting answers to fundamental questions about There is a learning curve to AR success – and reuse dramatically. Indeed, the ability to represent study, they demonstrated a minimal 15% increase products while perusing the shelves and aisles of iteration is the key to conquering that curve. Don’t content in new interfaces – whether AR, VR or some in productivity with a decrease in errors with AR. their favorite store. wait for the killer app! Create an experience that’s in yet to be developed system is a key advantage of Technology guides their work. Instead of scanning sync with your business purposes and objectives. microservices based e-commerce systems.

87% of shoppers do comparative shopping on-site with their mobile device. AR leverages the technology they already have in hand.

32 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 33 CONVENTIONAL have the resources to build up and WEBSHOP SOFTWARE maintain this number of products. By providing APIs they externalize the innovations, and every third- IS TREADING CLOSE TO party developer becomes a multiplier. Companies like Uber or MyTaxi use the EXTINCTION WITH ITS Google Maps API to put drivers in contact with passengers – a more cost-effective NICHE FOCUS ON PCS solution versus remapping entire cities. Partner Model

This is when networking pays off. The partner-only model thrives off of a company’s touchpoints. And these handcrafted relationships with business touchpoints can and should look different partners. With this model, data exchange on a mobile phone than on the sofa at and monitoring is more controlled, making home in the evening – even if the offerings it easier to provide a tailored experience. are coming from the same merchandiser.” Existing partners also benefit from this strategy as it grants them access to more An open interface allows developers enriched data. to quickly implement digital commerce solutions with a plethora of Internet- The API economy means that companies compatible devices. This is crucial in fast- are no longer dependent on a single moving times where a shared experience solution provider. Many companies in the with technology was considered science API sector rely on a “network of different fiction five to ten years ago. partners each having highly specialized skills that may be needed in the short Public Model term for specific transactions. These partners can be integrated automatically An API’s multifaceted nature can both and in principle without a time delay and create new business models and be without transaction costs into one’s own a powerful innovation driver for GAFA added value,” according to the Gabler economy (Google, Amazon, Facebook Dictionary of Economics. and Apple). Each of these four influential commodities relies on public APIs to evolve into trillion-dollar enterprises, APIs Investigate as marketing professor Scott Galloway The Application Programming Interface (API) has Dirk Hörig, CEO of commercetools, believes, “no Today, it is easier than ever to extract the shows in his book “The Four: The Hidden the power to be the steam engine of the digital matter whether they use chatbots, social networks, data of your customers. When people DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and revolution. Conventional webshop software is wearables, IoT or voice devices – companies that interact with an application, algorithms Google.” They give developers all the treading close to extinction with its niche focus want to be a step ahead of their competition should store personal information about the user tools they need to create customized on PCs. This approach is becoming outdated at a offer their customers personalized inspiration and their behavior. This type of data is applications and mashups. Currently, time when merchandisers are addressing shoppers and purchase opportunities everywhere in the a goldmine for improving services and there are over 2 million apps in the Apple via diverse routes such as apps, social media, appropriate context. This can be done most products. Improving existing business App Store and in Google’s Play Store. chatbots, wearables and voice assistants. successfully by using APIs and focusing on saves money in the long-term. No other company in the world would

34 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 35 Recognizing the value of such insights, some businesses are becoming data gluts. Businesses with API FIRST compromised data can have detrimental effects on society. In 2018, Facebook was criticized for its massive data breach that impacted over 50 million accounts. COMPANIES THAT It is therefore also no surprise that regulations such Cloud-native, API first platforms have as GDPR (Europe) and the Chinese Cybersecurity clear advantages. At Valtech we would Law limit the ways companies can obtain, store and advise our clients to move to such an architecture in cases where: WANT TO BE A STEP AHEAD use consumer data. APIs Can be Used to Forecast Users’ There is a need for a platform that truly OF THEIR COMPETITION supports omnichannel touchpoints (think Consumption Patterns website, app, connected car, wearable, POS-system etc.). SHOULD OFFER THEIR Acquiring data has many purposes, but the main reason companies are flocking to this source is the competitive Clients need flexibility to adjust to upcoming edge of consumer tastes and interests. This big data developments (new markets, changing business models, user requirements etc.). CUSTOMERS PERSONALIZED has strategic value for actionable information. Airbnb uses predictive algorithms to advertise their most attractive listings. What the user views is based Performance and scalability will be important to support rapid growth and/or peak loads. INSPIRATION AND on previous browsing behavior and image quality from the owners. Listings with the best images have priority over standard apartments. Users are often There are many and/or complex PURCHASE OPPORTUNITIES more attracted to better picture quality and amenities integrations needed for other systems, both in the back-office (PIM, ERP etc.) provided by the host. and with client-facing touchpoints.

EVERYWHERE IN THE Taking Advantage of New Business APPROPRIATE CONTEXT. Opportunities Thanks to the APIs Taking all these aspects of APIs into account, they can have the ability to develop new business opportunities. Businesses now have enough insight to venture out into more ambitious avenues. With such data and testing, expansion is achievable.

Dirk Hörig Service orientation from a seller side will remain high. Founder of commercetools This, of course, means that every company needs to get rid of commerce silos and establish a ubiquitous experience for their customers – on a platform that allows fast and frequent deliveries for all channels.

COMMERCETOOLS 37 V: Agility is considered the new mantra for changing corporate processes. What is your understanding of this “As a merchandiser you have in specific terms? to experiment, because DH: Agility means that I can try out things. If they don’t work, otherwise you cannot achieve I discard them and go on to the next thing. But that’s only a competitive advantage.” possible if the associated risk is QA manageable. And this is where Dirk Hörig / Founder of commercetools An Interview with technology is a tool to facilitate developing quickly and agilely commercetools without having to delve deeply into programming languages. of the commercetools platform point is not that I personalize Founder, Dirk Hörig are, which ultimately are available everything everywhere, but V: The commercetools blog says via APIs? rather that I find out the target that APIs are the steam engine groups and segments for which of the digital revolution. Why are DH: First of all, there is the whole that pays off and how I can find APIs so important? issue of a product catalog in a suitable solutions in this specific “Merchandisers have to experiment, because otherwise they modern commerce environment. environment. Some of them may DH: Without an API, a voice cannot create a competitive advantage,” says Dirk Hörig. This includes designing an not work. Merchandisers have to assistant cannot interact with intelligent price structure, using my products and my prices. experiment, because otherwise it for pricing and making the they will not achieve a competitive In 2006, together with former colleagues, he founded commercetools, which provides flexible Without an API, no car can order process dynamic. And secondly, cloud-based solutions for commerce and divorces itself from the traditional focus on webshops. Valtech any product anywhere. Without advantage. There is still room we focused on the topics of for improvement. spoke with Dirk Hörig about the post-web era and his vision of commerce. an API, I cannot construct an shopping carts and order augmented shopping scenario in management and being able a HoloLens, building a product V: What should merchandisers to expand them with complete focus on especially for 2019? virtually. It is the DNA with which flexibility. these things operate. That is DH: Inspiration and user Valtech: Dirk, commercetools would like to become DH: At this point, mobile is the major subject because why we refer to the API as the V: You said in an interview with experience. From my own the leading provider for the post-web era. What it is the most relevant channel, but other touchpoints steam engine, because it is the Fashion United that the goal of shopping experience, that is exactly do you mean by this? are continually growing: Voice is very much on fundamental technology for every merchandiser should be to something I miss more and the way up, meaning Alexa and Google Home. enabling new digital commerce reach customers everywhere in a more. There’s a lot that can be Dirk Hörig: Commerce is in an environment in According to a survey in the United States, 20% of models in new channels – and personalized way and in the right done in this regard and we must which two thirds of the customers already access consumers indicate that they have already placed an doing so with high speed and context so as to offer them the learn more from companies like merchandisers via mobile channels. This is no longer order using Alexa or other voice services. Another scalability. All this doesn’t work right product. How far away are Instagram, Pinterest, etc. There a niche segment! But on average, only one-third of 30% – this puts us at 50% – would like to do so in without APIs. Actually, an API merchandisers in Germany from is an enormous potential here sales in Germany are actually achieved in this way the next few months. This does not mean that every should be a commodity, thus a being able to do that? that has so far been ignored by today. There is clearly a need for action in this regard. order will come via voice in the future, but with this consumer product. This is how commerce. And someone who The point is no longer to build a mobile-optimized development, we have already moved well past the we see it and this is why we built DH: I believe they are only at takes an interest in the topic webshop, but rather to develop a mobile concept and conventional webshop. So people need to consider a platform in which everything is the very beginning. In general, will have a good competitive already link in other channels. what the digital strategy for their own enterprise is in available as an API. commerce focuses heavily on advantage. online commerce. And the technology is a segment of other challenges and not so V: Does that mean you advise retailers to skip the this that we serve with our commercetools platform. V: Can you briefly summarize what much on the topic of a “different V: Thank you very much for the mobile webshop? the most important functionalities approach to customers.” The exciting interview!

38 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 39 COMMERCE FROM BASIC TO BOLD consumers to feel like participants in a public beta test. Revolutionizing the Traditional Consumers are adopting new channels at a historically fast rate. They are encountering an Website explosion of choice: 25 YEARS AGO, the consumer could shop in-store Over the past two decades, thanks to the explosion or, in some cases by mail order. of digital, shopping has moved out of the store and 20 YEARS AGO, a host of .com retailers introduced beyond traditional websites. consumers to online purchasing and while few survived, those that did became dominant players in their niche.

15 YEARS AGO, mobile browsers became another purchasing option for consumers.

10 YEARS AGO, the iPhone revolutionized mobile shopping with the introduction of custom “apps” that dramatically simplified the shopping experience. Sewing in the Seams

5 YEARS AGO, Instagram transformed the Even if many innovative approaches for new generational perception of potential purchases. touchpoints are still in the experimental stage today, the worst thing merchandisers can do is API’s Global Influence to remain on the sidelines. It is unlikely that there will be a one-size-fits-all solution that is worth the Developers of these technologies realize the wait. What is needed is creativity! As the number of importance of an ecosystem of solutions for customer interfaces increases, the world becomes Retailers need to plan for these various streams Putting the Customer First their new platforms and devices to ensure ever more complex. Not every consumer will use while continuing to build experiences and offering widespread adoption. each available interface. checkout via voice assistants, chatbots, in car Enterprises can quickly grasp technology trends and beyond. That’s the challenge of the post-web with a customer-centric mindset. Exploiting such With commercetools, the next generation of digital One segment of customers prefers physical stores, era. Digital commerce once consisted of only an insights can promote innovative strategies to reach commerce platforms will deliver a library of APIs another wants to buy via an app, and the other online website for the PC. The number of different their customers at every relevant touchpoint. and tools. Abiding by the slogan “think big – start prefers to use a voice assistant for purchases. touchpoints and relevant platforms has multiplied small,” this allows offerings for various touchpoints Conversely, consumers can soon become This was apparent ten years ago with the in recent years. Merchandisers now face the to be launched within a few weeks and extended disappointed if they find that their favorite brand emergence of smartphones and apps. Today it is challenge of operating all these different customer as needed. By design, commercetools is an “API- does not yet have an app or a chatbot. Consumer evident with recent technology; consumers are interfaces – and doing so both agilely and first” platform built with ease of integration as a preference plays a role. Whichever touchpoint they swift to take new devices for granted. Introducing cost-effectively. core design principle. Innovative enterprises across prefer, your customers expect their experience new technology in their infancy often leads industries are widely adopting this approach. to be seamless.

40 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS 41 Argentina Canada France India Sweden United Kingdom

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Pascal Lagarde Maria Brunckhorst Schmidt Digital Director of Commerce Global Online Brand Manager The articles in this magazine support the idea that Valtech Netherlands Valtech Group brands are recalling their one-size-fits-all approach. Paul Lewis Auke van Urk Together, in this evolving landscape, our partnership Chief Marketing Officer Group Chief Technology Officer with commercetools provides a platform where the Valtech Group Valtech Group consumer has a seamless journey powered by an adaptive and powerful UI. Over 400 e-commerce Rebekah Lundberg Chetan Bangalore Vijayakumar experts nurture this strategic partnership; here are Marketing Director Associate Vice-President – Retail some key insights into our collaboration: Valtech North America Valtech India

COMMERCETOOLS CLOUD-NATIVE PLATFORM our partnership with commercetools Mattias Malmer Randy Woods EQUIPS VALTECH with an API-based architecture provides a platform where the consumer European Marketing Director SVP Marketing & Service Strategy that provides agile solutions reducing the cost and has a seamless journey powered by an Valtech Europe Valtech North America time to launch. adaptive and powerful UI. Tobias Mauel Diane Zeise VALTECH AND COMMERCETOOLS OPERATE IN Digital Consultant Global Graphic Designer TANDEM. We merge our expertise to deliver Valtech Netherlands Valtech Group renowned digital experiences, to better our clients and their customers. Yovadee Nagapa-Chetty Dr. Roman Zenner Global Marketing Director Industry Analyst We hope that you have unlocked inspiration from Valtech Group commercetools each story. This magazine is only a snapshot of our experience in the commerce industry. As this industry evolves so will the demand for future innovations. Auke van Urk Group Chief Technology Officer Valtech Group

44 VALTECH MAG COMMERCETOOLS where experiences are engineered valtech.com