Kelly Goetsch, chief strategy officer at Commercetools, a cloud-based headless commerce platform, says that while many e-commerce companies can prioritize the “fundamentals” of UX, “they don't necessarily improve the customer experience. “Incorporates a wide range of AI tools and capabilities.”
We caught up with Goetsch to ask him about multichannel retail, his dream customer, further e-commerce complications, and what the online retail industry will look like in 2030.
Here’s what he had to say…
EcoConsultant: Outside of your own work, what e-commerce experiences do you enjoy and why?
Kelly Goetsch: It has to be eBay! I'm a big bargain hunter and use it as my go-to platform for finding great deals on hard-to-find clothing. I've been a power user of his platform since the late 1990s and have witnessed its evolution over the years. One thing they consistently get right is how easy it is to buy and sell products without any experience using the platform. This is their competitive advantage.
E: Which brand would be your dream customer (not including your current customers)?
KG: General Motors! When I purchased a new car a few months ago, I was impressed with the entire purchasing process. However, there were a few things that I thought could be improved and I would appreciate the opportunity to improve the customer experience.
Traditional automakers are not digital-first and outsource parts of their business to suppliers when they need to integrate their own digital solutions. In a highly competitive market, brands like them have a real opportunity to gain a real competitive advantage.
E: What is your personal pain point in e-commerce UX?
KG: There are some areas where brands are often lacking or not yet fully developed. One such example is when a website is unable to remember your login information even after you check the “Remember me” box. This forces you to manually enter your details every time you log in, which can be frustrating.
Another pet peeve of mine is missing or inaccurate product information. As a result, people often don't know exactly what they are paying for and end up abandoning the purchase.
Additionally, many companies are incorporating AI tools and features that do not necessarily improve the customer experience. These tools are often motivated by marketing strategies and take precedence over fundamental aspects such as simplifying the checkout process, real-time inventory updates, integrating customer reviews, and other important features. . By implementing these fundamental elements, e-commerce brands can significantly improve the overall customer experience.
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E: How do you think e-commerce will evolve in the context of multichannel retail?
KG: Omnichannel is difficult to get right. Look at how many of today's brands are still focused on mastering strategy. This year is all about multichannel, leveraging all digital formats, but most importantly mobile.
Another area we are making significant changes to is POS. This is a critical cog for brands, especially as they look to expand their website functionality and in-store technology to attract a wider audience. The main takeaway here is to blend digital and in-store to create a frictionless environment that opens up more opportunities to improve the customer experience.
E: Looking ahead to 2030, for example, what will e-commerce look like?
KG: A big trend we're seeing is that consumers want to spend their time on multi-functional apps rather than switching between multiple single-purpose apps. With increasing demand for convenience and a seamless user experience, bringing multiple services together in one place is critical to keeping people interested in using your app.
So six years from now, there will likely be fewer mobile apps in Latin America and more super apps like those seen in Asia, such as WeChat and Rappi. Additionally, more payment wallets are coming.
Most payments are now made digitally, increasingly by mobile phone as a convenient and secure way to purchase. Whether in-store or online, it has become a habit. However, for most people, it can become cumbersome as it requires entering contact details, address, banking information, etc. Some brands are great at this, especially the one-click feature of PayPal and Apple Pay. However, this has created new expectations around payments functionality and integration, and revealed opportunities for businesses to take advantage of them.
When it comes to generative AI, it can help create a more informed and effective means of productive discovery. Generative AI will become an essential tool in the e-commerce space, whether it's for customer research, identifying patterns in data, or generating ideas.
E: What retail category are you most excited about working in right now?
KG: Although healthcare is not a traditional retail category, there is a lot of change and innovation happening in this space, and many healthcare providers are moving into retail.
Just like in traditional retail, people expect quality, simplicity and convenience when deciding where to spend their money, and healthcare providers are no different. Retail healthcare is becoming an important model for serving new and existing patients. This transition may seem strange, but it's so much fun to be a part of it.
E: What has inspired you outside of work lately?
KG: Lately, I've been focusing on improving my fitness, working out six times a week and running 20 miles. It's a real cliché, but I think getting outside for a run, especially in a new or unfamiliar area, can be a great source of inspiration because you never know what's going to happen along the way.