Platforms for growth

08/08/22 • 33 min

Brands are spoilt for choice when it comes to business tools; POS systems, CRM databases, even social media. These technologies are just a sampling of the plethora of services available to help retailers function and evolve. But one class of tool really making a difference is platforms. Platforms for E-commerce, platforms for managing business - no matter where they’re rolled out, what they really are are platforms for growth.

Platforms are allowing brands to scale faster, collect deeper insights and integrate new functionality more easily than ever before. But with more bespoke options appearing every day, and incumbent platforms continually upping their service, it's tricky to know which services to grab with both hands and which to let pass by.

In this season finale of Beyond Retail, we explore the platforms that are helping brands to stay on top in light of increasing competition and decreasing disposable incomes. Join us as we speak with leading experts in the platform economy: Chief Product Officer at Epos Now, Nathan Gill; Author of 'Embedded Finance: When Payments Become An Experience', Co-founder and Chief Commercial & Growth Officer at Fiat Republic, Sophie Guibaud; and Sunday Times Columnist, Chair of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, and Founder of Lily Blanche Jewellery, Gillian Crawford.

We discover which platforms are helping business owners manage their day-to-day operations and which integrations are bringing brands and consumers the financial tools they need, when they need them. And we'll find out how platforms such as EBay and Etsy are helping small businesses compete with household names and complementing big-brand brick and mortar.

If you want to find out more about the technology and behavioural trends influencing retail, visit https://www.adyen.com/landing/online/uk/2022/retail-report to download Adyen’s latest research report.

Previous Episode

Data engineers are the new fashion designers

Not that long ago, you’d only expect a personalised customer experience if you were a regular repeat customer on your local high street - or if you happened to be a VIP shopping at Gucci. But that’s no longer the case. Today, a few data points can potentially give businesses a wealth of insight into their customers. And the information is already out there - all retailers need is a good data strategy to utilise it.

Of course it isn’t always that simple, but businesses are getting better at capturing and using data. Adyen’s latest retail report revealed that 28% of businesses are using it to improve their services , and a further 27% are using it to build a better picture of their customers.. On top of that, many consumers today are happy to share data; 47% say they’re willing to supply information to brands in order to save time and personalise the shopping experience.

In this episode of Beyond Retail we explore the importance of data and how brands are using it to gain a competitive edge. From uncovering trends, to creating unique shopper journeys, we uncover a multitude of benefits of a strong data strategy. Join us as we hear from special guests, including: team lead of Unified Commerce at Adyen UK, Joe Dupre; global DTC channel director at Brompton bicycle, Chris Matthews; and data advisor, futurist and author of the award winning book, Business Trends In Practice, Bernard Marr. Together, they explain how data can strengthen a brand’s performance and enhance consumer interactions..

We discover how the pandemic affected not just footfall in-store and online sales, but how it disrupted shopper habits, creating a data black hole. Chris Matthews walks us through Brompton Bicycle’s approach to data as it shifts its business model to direct-to consumer. And Bernard Marr reveals some of the latest trends that are helping brands to gather better insights while he shares his thoughts on how GDPR is a force for good (business).

Next Episode

Bite-sized reflections

The food and beverage space isn’t what it once was – it’s much, much better.

Even before the pandemic, restaurants, bars and cafes were on a steady march towards modernisation. Takeaway apps were making it possible for restaurants of all shapes and sizes to deliver to customers, and new technologies like QR codes were slowly making their mark on the user journey.

But then the pandemic hit, and businesses went into overdrive. To stay open, they had to think fast to meet customer needs as expectations and regulations rapidly shifted. Ordering ahead, digital wallet payments, self-service kiosks – new technologies had burst onto the scene, permanently changing the face of the industry.

In this season of Beyond Retail we explore the world of food and beverage to understand how this sector has evolved, and discover the challenges and opportunities that continue to shape its future.

In this episode, we look from past to present at the immense change F&B has undertaken. We speak with Adyen’s Head of Unified Commerce, Brian Dammeir about the parallels between food and beverage and retail, and we hear from Marketing Director for Just Eat for Business, Shane Mansfield to look back at the evolution of delivery over the years. Plus, we get a restauranteur’s perspective on all this change with the help of chef, broadcaster, and award-winning food writer, Gizzi Erskine.

If you want to find out more about the technology and behavioural trends influencing food and beverage retail, visit adyen.com/en_GB for more.