Chapter One:
eTail Connect Spring: The Road to Twickenham
The 10th Anniversary Special of eTail Spring Connect
In late February, Twickenham Stadium was abuzz with excitement as Six Nations fans gathered to witness the thrilling match between two titans, England and Scotland. Just days later, from February 25 to 26, the venue hosted eTail Connect Spring, bringing together the brightest minds in European retail to kick off our events 10th anniversary with a bang.
Our event featured the highest-quality speakers who share cutting-edge strategies and industry trends. These insights are crucial for retailers looking to stay ahead in a competitive market. The discussions were impactful and the advice actionable with attendees leaving excited to apply the insights to transform their business
One of the key strengths of eTail Connect Spring was its tailored experience. Participants customised their schedules to focus on their specific strategic benchmarking and vendor evaluation needs. This ensured that every attendee gained the most relevant information and connections for their business goals. As attendees said: “eTail Connect is about people. It’s the industry event with a difference and it comes back to connections.”
This was evident in the agenda which covered a wide range of critical subjects for eCommerce leaders, including strategies for hyper-personalisation, AI-driven content optimisation, and omnichannel experience improvement. Discussions also delved into the monetisation of retail media and first-party data, navigating cross-border expansion challenges, leveraging social commerce, and enhancing post-purchase experiences. These topics were essential for retailers seeking to adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Overall, eTail Connect Spring 2025 delivered on its promises and was the cornerstone of British eCommerce innovation, bringing together the brightest minds in the industry to shape the future of retail. This chapter will delve deeper into the stand out sessions live from eTail Connect, a few spotlights from the world of eCommerce, the topics on display and key advice from the expert themselves.
Audience poll: What is the primary reason for a customer loyalty program?
Rewards, discounts or Cashback
Personalised Offers
Free Shipping/Returns
Exclusive, members only products
The Post-Purchase Payoff: The AllSaints Guide for Turning Customer into Lifelong Fans
At eTail Connect Spring 2025, SJ Grabiec, Global Head of Customer Experience (CX) & Payments at AllSaints, presented a key case study on transforming the post-purchase experience into a value-added service that fosters loyalty and expands revenue.
The audience were instantly captivated by a powerful video that took everyone on a journey through the brand's transformation. The video showcased AllSaints as a company successfully harnessing the power of AI and innovative technologies to revolutionise their customer experience.
A key component of AllSaints' strategy was the launch of a new app in partnership with NewStore, designed to build deeper connections with their most loyal customers. The app offers features such as wish lists accessible in-store, enabling a true omnichannel shopping experience. It serves as a filtering mechanism to identify engaged customers and accelerating its digital transformation journey.
Grabiec emphasised the importance of proactive support and personalisation in expanding post-purchase experiences beyond traditional helplines and refunds. By focusing on creating memorable customer interactions and prioritising customer satisfaction, AllSaints aims to build trust and foster long-term relationships. The presentation was a huge success with eTail Connect attendees and everyone left feeling excited to make these ideas a reality within their own brands.
"As ecommerce evolves, we are also seeing a shift in consumer behavior as well as in fraudulent activities. The rise of AI agents acting as purchasers and the recent integration of ChatGPT and Shopify opens up a world of opportunity but introduces significant complexity. We observe that AI is being used to generate increasingly sophisticated fraud and also simplifies how fraudsters can scale automation, break down language and time barriers, and make fraud more accessible.
Retailers must adapt their strategies to recognize non-human buying behavior or AI-induced fraud patterns without adding friction to legitimate transactions. It’s no longer just about access to data but more about applying it intelligently in real-time. Success will depend on AI-powered decision-making that balances trust, speed, and the realities of machine-led commerce."
Eyal Elazar, Sr. Director of Product Marketing and Market Intelligence, Riskified
