In this episode, we discuss BigCommerce's latest product release with Jordan Sim, VP of Product Management, and Joe Comins, director of strategy at leading SI Codal.

The conversation covers topics such as the current direction of BigCommerce's product strategy, the integration of Makeswift into the Catalyst framework, the flexibility and control provided by the visual editor, the workflow management tools, and the advancements in B2B functionality.

Jordan and Joe highlight the importance of providing an unopinionated and flexible platform for businesses to customise their storefronts and manage content.

BigCommerce is focused on B2B strategy, offering unique use cases for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. They are working on creating a marketplace for B2B and B2C experiences. BigCommerce is also developing AI technology to speed up the B2B quoting process.

They are expanding their multi-storefront functionality to support localised blogs, shipping methods, and variant product data. The ability to have subdirectories in domains is supported through Headless and will be available on Stencil in the future.

Tune in to hear directly from the people shaping BigCommerce's product strategy and implementing solutions for ecommerce businesses.

Key takeaways:

• BigCommerce's product strategy is focused on helping customers sell more and equipping them with tools to navigate the challenging retail landscape.
• The integration of Makeswift into the Catalyst framework provides a visual editing experience for composable storefronts, making headless builds more accessible to marketers.
• BigCommerce offers flexibility and control in managing content across the store, allowing developers and marketing teams to customise the visual editor based on their needs.
• The platform provides workflow management tools and publishing controls, enabling collaboration and efficient content creation.
• The advancements in B2B functionality, such as advanced account hierarchy, custom roles, and open-source fire port, cater to the needs of larger B2B enterprises and provide flexibility in mimicking their business structures and workflows.
• AI technology is being used to speed up the B2B quoting process.
• BigCommerce is expanding their multi-storefront functionality to support localised blogs, shipping methods, and variant product data.
• Checkout extensions allow for customisation without the need for a custom checkout.
• BigCommerce is also investing in feed dynamics, including a connector to the Shein marketplace and instant commerce for same-day delivery and in-store pickup.

Ecommerce is a fast-paced industry, with constant change, new market entrants and incumbents updating their products with new features and fixes.

James & Paul spend a lot of time looking at ecommerce strategy and technology, talking to agencies and technology vendors, so this series is a digest of what they’ve found interesting, what ecommerce teams should be thinking about, as well as highlighting interesting stories and cool tools they come across in their day-to-day work.

In this episode we cover the general, more positive market mood in the ecommerce industry. Inevitably we reference the dominance of Shopify in replatforming projects, the positive outlook for agencies, and the growth of other platforms like BigCommerce and Centra.

We also discuss interesting technology developments, including the launch of Blueprints by Patchworks and the ecommerce design subscription by Grebban. We then cover Amazon Prime Day, drone delivery, and collaborations between non-competitive businesses.

Key takeaways:

1. Shopify continues to dominate the replatforming market, but other platforms like BigCommerce and Centra are also seeing growth.
2. The market mood for agencies is more positive, with an increase in inbound leads and a surge in new projects.
3. Interesting tech developments include the launch of Blueprints by Patchworks and the ecommerce design subscription by Grebban.
4. Amazon Prime Day saw significant growth in mobile sales and a surge in high-ticket item purchases.
5. Drone delivery is gaining traction, with Amazon receiving FAA approval for longer flights and beyond visual line of sight.
6. Collaborations between non-competitive businesses, like Card Factory and Just Eat, are opening up new distribution channels.
7. Shein is suing Temu for selling counterfeit products, which affects brand reputation and drives up costs for brands.
8. Vervaunt's Pulse event in New York is expanding, offering a platform for ecommerce professionals to connect and learn.

Stay updated on the latest ecommerce news by following Inside Commerce on LinkedIn and subscribing to their newsletter.

Roshni Patel, Head of Ecommerce at Wild Nutrition, joins the podcast to discuss her background and the evolution of ecommerce at Wild Nutrition.

She shares insights on the company's strategy shift after raising private equity, the importance of building the right teams and expertise in-house, and the challenges and benefits of using third-party apps in their tech stack.

Roshni also talks about the role of consultations in driving customer acquisition and retention, the tactics used to turn first-time customers into subscribers, and the focus on personalisation and CDPs in their future roadmap.

Your takeaways

• Building the right teams and expertise in-house is crucial for the success of an e-commerce business.
• Regularly reviewing the tech stack and evaluating the value delivered by third-party apps is important for growth and efficiency.
• Consultations play a significant role in driving customer acquisition and retention, especially in the supplements industry where customers may need guidance.
• Tactics like quizzes and personalised experiences can be effective in upselling and increasing the subscription basket.
• Reporting on metrics like churn, LTV, repeat purchase rate, and AOV is essential for tracking the success of a subscription-based business.
• Expanding into international markets requires careful consideration of regulatory and compliance factors, as well as market demand and product localisation.
• Future plans include exploring CDPs and personalisation, optimising the quiz experience, and maximising the value of first-party data.