The Space Bar Podcast by Space 48

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In this episode, we explore the complex world of payments in-depth, demystifying it and exploring how businesses can make informed decisions to enhance customer experience and boost revenue. Our host, Pete Robertshaw, is joined by Nicole Olbe, Managing Director at Adyen, and Alexander Speke, Commercial Partnerships Manager at Adyen—both renowned experts in the fields of payments and eCommerce solutions.

Throughout the discussion, Nicole and Alexander provide valuable insights on several key areas, including:

Leveraging financial and payment services to gain a deeper understanding of customer behaviours and preferences
Utilising real-time data and analytics to drive revenue growth and operational efficiency
Strategically navigating the ever-evolving landscape of payments and financial services to stay ahead of industry trends and regulatory changes

With their extensive experience and expertise in eCommerce and financial services, Nicole and Alexander share practical advice and innovative strategies that can help retailers and merchants optimise their payment processes, reduce friction, and improve overall business performance. They also discuss the latest technological advancements and how businesses can adapt to remain competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace.

This episode is packed with actionable insights and is a must-listen for retailers, merchants, and anyone involved in the payments industry who is looking to refine their payment strategies and enhance their business outcomes.

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Welcome back to the Space Bar podcast! In this episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we discuss B2B commerce, its complexities, niche buying journeys, and some of the trends we’re seeing with B2B businesses and their digital propositions. To help dive into this topic, our host, Pete Robertshaw, is joined by Alex Weston, the Sales Director at SparkLayer and an expert in all things B2B digital commerce and ecommerce.

Alex shares his insights and experience in B2B ecommerce, focusing on the current landscape and the changes we are seeing. We will also dissect how a digital transformation can impact merchants and the importance of knowing your customers. Along with how to create a successful B2B ecommerce platform, we will discuss the current trends, features, and customisations we are seeing in B2B ecommerce and their impact.

Pete and Alex have a wealth of experience in ecommerce and B2B landscape, making this episode a must listen for any merchants in the B2B sector.

Topics include:

Who is SparkLayer, and what does it do?
What are the limitations of ecommerce B2B functionality?
The rise of B2B digital transformation and its impacts on ecommerce.
What is the generational shift in B2B buying preferences?
Factors in investing in digital automation.
Is it essential to prioritise customer needs in digital transformation?
How to create a successful B2B ecommerce platform.
What are the trends, features, and customisations in the B2B ecommerce landscape?
What market is doing well in the world of B2B ecommerce?

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48. Guest: Alex Weston, Sales Director at SparkLayer.

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In this episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we venture behind the scenes of the digital storefront to uncover the critical yet often overlooked facets of operational eCommerce. Join us as Jon Woodall, CEO of Dark Matter Commerce and the founder of Space 48, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Pete Robertshaw, Head of Consultancy at Space 48.

Diving deep into the operational backbone of eCommerce, we unravel the complexities of fulfilment, inventory management, order processing, customer service, and streamlined payment solutions. With a keen emphasis on how these operational aspects are not just part of the machinery but are vital for sustaining customer loyalty and driving the engine of business growth, this episode is a must-listen for any eCom professional.

Our experts tackle the challenges businesses face in operational eCommerce. From navigating the intricacies of delivery costs to the seamless integration of order management and ERP systems, every topic is addressed with actionable advice and real-world examples. The conversation also covers organisations' critical roles and responsibilities for making technology decisions that significantly impact operations.

Obstacles such as scaling customer service, managing product data, and excelling in omnichannel retailing are brought to light. To wrap up, Pete stresses the monumental impact of identifying and addressing operational gaps in today's competitive eCommerce landscape. He also teases the highly anticipated Commerce Fusion event, which aims to address these challenges.

This episode promises valuable perspectives on enhancing operational efficacy and ensuring business success in the digital age.

Listen to the podcast now and attend Commerce Fusion for an even deeper dive into operational eCommerce excellence.

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In this episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we discuss the topic of Making Video Content Accessible to All Audiences. Understanding the importance of this can transform how businesses reach out to their global audience and ensure no one is left behind in the digital age. To help dig into this topic, our host, Molly Smith, is joined by Sophie Young, Localisation Services Director, who set up the localisation department at Bring Digital, and Jonny Taylor, Head of Marketing at Bring, brings a wealth of experience across content and SEO.

Sophie and Jonny share remarkable insights into how localisation bridges the gap between content and audiences worldwide by adapting video materials not just through language but also by considering cultural nuances, ensuring accessibility, and overcoming barriers for people with visual or hearing impairments. We're about to explore how localisation is not just a tool for global expansion but an essential component of inclusive marketing strategies that respect and acknowledge diverse audience needs.

In our discussion, we touch upon personal journeys, the evolution and strategic importance of localisation in content creation, and the innovative measures Bring Digital undertakes to make videos accessible to all. From subtitles to voice-overs and the significant role of human translators in the era of AI, this episode unpacks the layers of localisation work and its impact on global markets.

Prepare to deep-dive into how video content, when properly localised, can unlock untapped market potentials, foster inclusivity, and drive global growth, all while maintaining the core essence of the brand's message.

Topics include:

The strategic importance and benefits of making video content accessible and localised for global audiences.
The various forms of localisation, including subtitling and voice-over, enhance accessibility and market reach.
Incorporating both global and local approaches in marketing efforts to achieve effective localisation.
The critical role of maintaining brand consistency across different markets while respecting cultural nuances.
Global brands must adapt their messaging and products to resonate effectively with local markets.
Examples of cultural considerations and the importance of native-speaking translators in ensuring content is appropriate for each market.
The evolution of audience behaviours and expectations regarding engaging with online video content.
The significance of accessibility in business strategy and the advantages of prioritising subtitling and voice-over for individuals with disabilities.
Limitations of using AI for translation and the complexities AI faces with languages having different conventions and cultural nuances.

Hosted by ⁠Molly Smith⁠, Group Head of Marketing at ⁠Dark Matter Commerce⁠.

Guests: ⁠Sophie Young, Localisation Director, ⁠Bring Digital⁠ and ⁠Jonny Taylor⁠, Head of Marketing at ⁠Bring Digital

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Welcome to the latest insightful episode of the Space Bar Podcast, where we unpack the complexities of logistics and fulfilment that retailers are grappling with in a market full of rising costs and changing consumer expectations. Logistics maestro James Hayes from Whistl Group joins host Pete Robertshaw to dissect the state of delivery in the UK and explore innovative solutions.

Retailers are feeling the pinch as delivery costs spike and operational expenses skyrocket. But what's the underlying cause, and more importantly, what can be done? We're discussing whether it's better to pick up or drop off, the myth of carrier hierarchies, and the pressing question - to free deliver or not to free deliver?

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James lends his expertise to the gripes with packaging, locker services' real benefits, PUDO's rising popularity, and the ins and outs of providing an 'eco' delivery option. Can customers expect to pay less, and should retailers offer it as a necessity? Tune in to find out.

With a focus on eCommerce and technology, hear James divulge the details regarding game-changing fulfilment and shipping technologies and whether AI is making significant strides in logistics.

Listen now to understand how you can overcome these current logistics challenges.

Remember to subscribe to the Space Bar Podcast for more episodes like this, and if you found value in our discussion, give us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Stay tuned for more expert takes and deep dives into the world of eCommerce and logistics! 🚀

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Welcome back to the Space Bar podcast! In this episode, we discuss the importance of digital strategy and how to craft a winning one. In today's ever-shifting digital ecosystem, the marketing landscape has transformed dramatically, ushering in a new era of strategies, technologies, and consumer behaviours that continually redefine digital marketing.

We’re joined by Mel Walker, COO, who leads the strategy function at Bring Digital, and Ollie Lees, Strategy Director at Bring Digital. Some of our loyal listeners may know Ollie already, as he has been a long-standing employee at Space 48 and has recently moved over to Bring, Space 48’s sister performance marketing agency and part of the Dark Matter Commerce group.

Both bring a wealth of experience across strategy, data, and consultancy in this space. So, eCommerce professionals who are looking to build an effective strategy for your brand in 2024, this episode is worth seeing.

Topics include:

Introducing Mel Walker and Ollie Lees
The importance of strategy in eCommerce
Adopting new technologies without a clear strategy
Strategy misconceptions in business
Simplicity in strategy
Business Strategy and Cost Efficiencies
Strategy's Impact on Business Direction and Consistency
Attribution Modeling in Digital Marketing
Data Accuracy in Attribution Modelling and GA4
Measuring Marketing ROI and Data Accuracy
Taking a step back and auditing for growth
Strategic frameworks for eCommerce business success
The importance of OKRs in eCommerce
Strategic planning in eCommerce, focusing on "Why" questions
Balance scorecards
Top five tips for strategy

Hosted by Molly Smith, Group Head of Marketing at Dark Matter Commerce.

Guests: Mel Walker, COO, Bring Digital and Ollie Lees, Strategy Director at Bring Digital

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Welcome back to the Space Bar podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of interviewing Clare Kelly, an experienced eCommerce manager who has transitioned into being her own boss in consultancy.

Join us as we delve into Clare's fascinating 15-year journey in the digital space, where we discovered our shared expertise in all aspects of eCommerce, from marketing strategies to operational know-how. This interview will uncover Clare's valuable experiences and highlight her impactful roles at various companies. Get ready for an enlightening discussion as we tap into Clare's wealth of insights, providing our listeners with a treasure trove of eCommerce wisdom.

Topics include:

Introduction to Clare - from working at Amazon to Tate Modern.
Working for Microsoft and the early days of tech and search engines
Search Engine Marketing and Demographic Changes
Younger gens favors TikTok and Instagram over traditional search engines.
Bing's usage by older gens and potential marketing opportunities.
Amazon E-commerce and Merchandising Strategies
Amazon Seller Strategies and Fees
Work Culture at Tate Modern and Amazon
Digital Marketing for Cultural Institutions
Replatform project for the Tate Group
Salesforce Commerce Cloud Implementation Challenges
Importance of correct architecture for business complexity.
B2B and B2C E-commerce Experiences
Challenges in B2B and B2C Retail Marketing
Ecommerce Trends and Sustainability
Recommerce potential in the fashion industry.
Ecommerce Strategies and Trends
Ecommerce Platforms and Replatforming
Entrepreneurship, E-commerce, and Sustainability

Guest: Clare Kelly, Ecommerce & Digital | Consultant & Coach, Branch9 Digital

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

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Welcome to this week's episode of the Space Bar podcast!

In this episode, we're diving into the topic of globalisation made easy and how it can help you internationalise your digital retail business without any headaches. We have two amazing guests, Laetitia and Emily Peters, who are sales directors at Global-e, the world leaders in end-to-end cross-border ecommerce solutions.

During this episode, we'll explore the challenges many merchants face when growing their business globally. How Global-e simplifies the cross-border process makes it easier for the consumer and the merchant. No more dealing with issues like currencies, duties, shipping, and languages - Global-e is here to alleviate that stress!

Topics include:

Discovering global ecommerce solutions and leveraging data-driven insights
Simplifying cross-border processes for brands and merchants
Focusing on international expansion opportunities in markets like Poland and Turkey
The importance of researching local markets and consumer behaviours before expanding internationally
Utilising marketplaces like Amazon or eBay for market research
Localising websites and marketing efforts to drive traffic and win back business
Strategies for addressing language barriers, payment methods, and checkout processes in ecommerce
Pricing strategies, integration, and adjusting prices for different markets
Shopify partnership with Markets Pro for global expansion to 200 countries
Emphasising localised payment methods and their significance
Recommendations for ecommerce logistics, shipping, and fulfilment
Addressing customs issues and promoting transparency in cross-border selling
The importance of localised checkout and shipping processes for sustainable international sales
Emerging trends in ecommerce sustainability, including cash-on-delivery payments in the Middle East and net-zero emissions goals

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

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In this episode, we delve into a critical yet often overlooked aspect of ecommerce - data quality and its profound impact on the customer experience. We'll uncover how poor data quality can severely affect your customers' journey and how improving data quality can enhance that experience.

Joining our host, Pete Robertshaw, are two experts from a company that silently powers much of your online shopping experience, Henry Thomas and Mike OKeefe, both product managers at Loqate.

In this conversation, we'll explain why data quality and validation might sound boring but how it can transform an ecommerce manager into a superhero for their business.

This conversation will spotlight the importance of data accuracy and validation, laying the groundwork for understanding how this seemingly unglamorous subject can make a substantial difference in business success. Stay tuned as we unravel the hidden power behind data quality and how it can transform an ecommerce manager into a superhero for their business.

So, if you're an ecommerce professional, this is an episode you can't afford to miss.

Topics include:

Importance of data quality in ecommerce
The evolution of address validation technology
Global address data and geocoding challenges
Improving ecommerce fulfillment and international shipping accuracy
Impact of delivery failures on reputation
Significance of data validation in ecommerce
Email validation and impact on customer relationships
Phone number validation for SMS Marketing
Fraud prevention in the gaming industry via data validation
Multi-channel marketing and data quality optimisation
Obtaining and managing data from various channels like Amazon or in-store
Importance of error prevention in ERP or POS systems for accurate data
Leveraging AI for data validation and addressing human errors
AI's impact on improving business data accuracy
Correcting addresses, especially in regions with poor address data in emerging markets
Considerations around data ageing and privacy in the context of ecommerce
Potential challenges and changes in data ownership and privacy laws
Challenges in expanding ecommerce globally and the importance of accurate, up-to-date datasets
Addressing the need to meet customers in various markets with reliable data
Becoming an ecommerce superhero

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In this episode of The Space Bar podcast, we dive deep into delayed sign-offs when it comes to your ecommerce project, discussing the associated risks and impacts. Join us with our guests, Rob Peterkin, Senior Project Manager, and Sam Varnam, Senior Account Manager, as we unravel the challenges of prolonged approval processes. Tune in to understand the implications of these delays in the current economic landscape, where factors like inflation and interest rates affect businesses. We'll explore how this new reality impacts margins and extends the time required for sign-offs. Plus, we'll get insights from our guests on the most significant impacts of delayed sign-offs. Don't miss out on this engaging discussion!

Topics:

Delayed sign-offs in website projects and their impact on costs and effort.
Project risks, including knowledge loss and technology changes.
Get off Magento 1, please!
Project delays, resource management, and communication in website development.
Project delays and their impact on agency-merchant relationships.
Could there be adverse effects for your brand if you delay?
Website redesign phased approach and cost considerations.
Ecommerce project delays and the importance of honesty.

Hosted by Gareth James, Engineering Manager, Space 48

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In today's episode, our host Paul Casey, delves into the ever-evolving landscape of paid marketing for eCommerce. Joining us are two industry experts: Jonathan Fisher, the Director of Paid Media at Bring, and Divya Patel, a Digital Acquisition Strategist at Space 48, both pivotal players at Dark Matter Commerce.

This episode aims to cover three vital themes buzzing in paid advertising. First on the agenda is Performance Max, a red-hot topic with everyone talking. Our experts will shed light on various takes from both a practitioner and a client standpoint, discussing the market impact.

Next, we'll deep-dive into general market factors, unravelling the current trends and insights shaping the market in 2023.

And finally, we'll explore the fascinating world of AI automation. How is AI revolutionising performance in the market? What impacts does automation have on advertising strategies? Our experts will provide their unique perspectives on these crucial aspects.

Topics include:

Paid Marketing Trends in E-commerce
The challenges of migrating from Smart Shopping to Performance Max
Paid Advertising Insights and Reporting Challenges
Market Trends and Performance Max Strategies
E-commerce Trends and Challenges in 2023.
Advertising Opportunities Despite Declining Revenue
Digital Marketing Strategies and AI Impact
AI's Impact on PPC Roles and Google's Future Projects

Visit: www.space48.com

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In a perfect world, everything runs smoothly on an ecommerce site, but we all know there are times when things go wrong. As a developer, it's easy to panic, but with a clear action plan, you can deal with the disaster in front of you. This episode will cover steps to help you Keep Calm and Carry on in the face of a disaster.

Our guests, Gareth James, Engineering Manager and Sam Varnam, Account Manager, alongside host Rob Peterkin, Project Delivery Manager at Space 48, share anecdotes from their own experiences, highlighting the significance of staying calm and composed in the face of unexpected issues.

Topics include:

The significance of preparedness
The disastrous consequences of panic.
Staying calm under pressure
Navigating communication during crises
The ARGGRH Approach
The value of hindsight and preventing future website problems
Technical whack-a-mole
Tailoring responses for response strategies
Learning from past experiences to prevent future website issues.

This podcast episode provides valuable insights into handling website issues, emphasising the significance of staying calm, communicating effectively, and learning from past experiences to prevent future problems.

www.space48.com

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In this week's episode, we will explore the digital commerce landscape in a traditionally well-known technology hub territory, with many tech firms choosing to set up shop out there. We're going to be looking at the Nordics region and discussing the opportunities that are out there for UK merchants, as well as some of the challenges merchants in that region face when looking to transact internationally.

Our guest is Theis Vedel, the Channel Account Manager for Nordics at BigCommerce and is based in Copenhagen, so he has great insight and first-hand experience he can share with us.

Topics Include:

Nordics and the digital commerce space
How the Nordic market compares to the UK in terms of digital commerce
Nordic merchants need to innovate to survive.
Brands succeeding in the Nordics
Minimal technology challenges and composable commerce
How Amazon has changed the competitive dynamics in the market.
Nordic tech ecosystem
The speed of Amazon in the Nordic market
Nordic ecommerce platforms
What can BigCommerce offer local merchants
Need for Nordic merchants to get online.
Challenges of selling online in the UK
The age of the agency
What's the opportunity in the Nordic market?
Payment and delivery options are a huge part of the future.
Looking at the future of the industry.

Our host is Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

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Welcome to the Space Bar Podcast with your host, Pete Robertshaw. In this week's episode, we dive into the fascinating world of customer loyalty and explore the power of personalisation in supercharging loyalty programs. At a time when economic challenges are prevalent, retaining customer loyalty has never been more crucial for brands. Join us as we unpack the key aspects of customer loyalty and its impact on your business.

Thank you to our guests: Zsuza Kecsmar, the co-founder and chief strategy officer at Antavo, and Simon Mills, the Senior Channel Manager for the Nordics and Benelux at Bloomreach!

Topics include:

Evolution of loyalty programs
Significance of customer loyalty
Making your loyalty program stand out
The transformative power of AI in loyalty
Achieving seamless omnichannel loyalty
Building an effective loyalty program
Successful loyalty program and innovative ideas
Identifying common challenges and Pitfalls in loyalty program
Strategies for loyalty in one-off purchase industries
Mitigating churn and maintaining customer loyalty.

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#50: Introducing Dark Matter Commerce

Welcome to the Space Bar. This episode is very exciting as it's our 50th episode of the Space Bar podcast. To celebrate, we're running a social media competition to win a £50 Amazon voucher. To be in with a chance of winning, we want you to share your top piece of advice from your favourite Space Bar episode. Keep an eye out on our social media channels on how to enter.

This is another exciting episode to record as we're thrilled to announce a significant milestone in our company's journey, Dark Matter Commerce. Today, we embark on an exciting new chapter as we unveil a brand-new collective that will revolutionise the digital commerce landscape globally.

In this episode, we'll explain what Dark Matter Commerce is, the agencies within the group, how it was established, our mission and proposition and the ideas behind the branding.

Our guests:

Martin Boddy, Chairman, Dark Matter Commerce
Hannah Eames, Finance Director, Dark Matter Commerce
David Wood, Brand and Creative at Pavement

Our host:

Jon Woodall, CEO of Dark Matter Commerce

Topics Include:

What is Dark Matter Commerce?
The importance of a collective over a group
Opportunity and ambition
The Identity of Dark Matter Commerce
The importance of the identity of the agencies
The power of branding
What is the future of Dark Matter Commerce?
Being a magnet for talent

Dark Matter Commerce was created by Jon Woodall as a digital commerce collective in 2020. With the backing of Foresight, we’re acquiring technology businesses and agencies that share our unique focus on eComm and other forms of digital commerce.

Our mission is to build an era-defining collective of expert innovators and agencies to transform digital commerce at global scale.

Visit: www.darkmattercommerce.com

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Welcome to the latest episode of the Space Bar podcast, where we discuss the importance of the product experience in the customer journey; we'll specifically discuss PIM software's role in a digital commerce business. We're excited to be joined by Joe Richardson, the Director of Channel for the UK & Ireland at Akeneo.

Topics Include:

What is PIM

Who is Akeneo

Why should a business invest in PIM?

When did PIM become a thing in the UK?

Who is PIM relevant to?

Core benefits of PIM

How to put together a business case for PIM

demonstrate the ROI that PIM

Importance of investing in the product experience vs the customer experience

What does a PIM project typically look like?

What can't it solve?

How can PIM help drive culture change within a business?

The future of PIM

AI and product descriptions

Hosted by Space 48's PIM expert and Head of Commerce Consulting, Pete Robertshaw.

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Welcome to the latest episode of the Space Bar podcast, where we delve into the rise of open banking in digital commerce with our guests, Adyen and Tink. Open banking is a relatively new concept quickly changing the entire financial landscape, levelling the playing field and making finance fairer for all. With its benefits to merchants and consumers alike, it's no wonder that companies like Tink and Adyen are big on innovation and supporting Pay By Bank. Personalisation, risk mitigation, and cost benefits are just a few reasons merchants adopt this technology to maximise conversions. We'll explore the launch of Pay By Bank and how it's streamlining payments for merchants and consumers alike, from desktop shopping to mobile banking through QR. The future of open banking is looking bright. Listen in as Angus from Adyen and Tom from Tink discuss the exciting future of open banking and their partnership.

Topics Include:

The huge scale of Adyen
Tink - Building the connectivity between merchants and consumers
What is open banking?
Making finance fairer
The benefits to merchants for adopting this technology
The launch of Pay By Bank
Personalisation and risk mitigation
Offering the relevant payment methods to maximise conversion.
Big on innovation and supporting the right payment methods
Why Adyen has entered into a partnership with Tink
Cost benefits to merchants using pay by bank
The efficiency of pay by bank
Desktop shopping to Mobile banking through QR
Success stories
The fatigue of payment brands
Chargebacks, costs and user experience benefits
Will open banking merge into offline payments?
What's the future of open banking?

Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting at Space 48, hosts this episode.

Guests:

Angus Blest - Head of UK Commercial, Adyen
Tom Pope - SVP Payments & Platforms, Tink

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Welcome to the Space Bar Podcast! On this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Eamonn Galvin, founder of the rapidly growing startup, KnowCarbon. With experience at eBay and as CEO of Daft.ie, Eamonn is applying advanced analytics to one of the most pressing issues of our time – reducing carbon emissions. After its first full year of operation, KnowCarbon has paying customers and is gaining global traction. Eamonn is here to discuss all things carbon and explain how KnowCarbon is revolutionising the world by reducing carbon emissions. One not to be missed.

How Eamonn started measuring carbon?
KnowCarbon's Mission
The scale of the carbon emissions challenge
Which sectors are impacted the most?
Carbon and the sustainability challenge
The impact of a product's carbon footprint and ecommerce
The opportunity for merchants to help consumers make better choices
Brands pushing the boundaries
Getting your data ready and lifecycle analysis
ChatGPT vs Eamonn on a product's carbon footprint
The Carbon Cost of Returns
Changing the Consciousness of the Consumer
Opportunities for Reducing Carbon Emissions
What's Next for KnowCarbon?

Guest:
Eamonn Galvin - KnowCarbon

Hosted by:
Stephen Kenealy - Strategy Director, Space 48

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Welcome to the Space Bar, the ecommerce podcast for online retailers, brought to you by Space 48.

On International Women's Day, we are thrilled to be joined by Tiffany Salmon, Creative Director at Amelia Knight Ltd and Founder of Scientia Beauty, Soak Sunday and Glow Hub!, She is an inspiring entrepreneur with several successful businesses in beauty and ecommerce! Tune into this podcast to learn more about her incredible journey from starting in the beauty industry to growing three successful brands. You'll gain valuable insight and her perspective on our latest research about Beauty & Cosmetics Online Shopping trends on topics such as TikTok marketing, Instagram influencers, sustainability & ecommerce tech trends - plus get career advice straight from the source! Don't miss this inspiring conversation.

Topics include:

From the family business, Amelia Knight, to founding three brands!
Finding Glow Hub and Soak Sunday during lockdown
Launching in lockdown - Evened the playing field with influencer marketing
Talking to different target audiences
Replicating the in-store experience with educational conversion
Beauty, grooming & cosmetics online shopping consumer insights
Partnership with Amelia Olivia
TikTok - partnership, community and authenticity
Social media impacts the whole marketing journey
Going viral - Is it luck or strategy?
The phenomenon of TikTok shopping
Investing in tech as a new form of sampling
Sustainability - pick your pledge
Advice from Tiffany for someone who wants to start a business in ecommerce
Be brave and be kind

Guest:

Tiffany Salmon, Creative Director at Amelia Knight Ltd and Founder of Scientia Beauty, Soak Sunday and Glow Hub!

Hosted by:

Rebecca Sambrook, Project Manager at Space 48.

Molly Smith, Head of Marketing at Space 48

Download the Beauty, Grooming & Cosmetics Online Shopping Consumer Survey findings 2023

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Digital marketing has become increasingly competitive and challenging for online retailers. The increased competition in the ad space is one of the main challenges digital marketers face this year. Alongside an economic downturn in 2023, retailers focus more on revenue versus profit and customer retention. On this podcast, we will be discussing some of these challenges as well as aspects such as customer retention and migration to GA4. Our data and insight expert will advise navigating this ever-changing digital environment, enabling businesses to move forward profitably and successfully.

Topics include:

Increased competition in the ad space
Brands tapping into marketplaces
Cannibalising your brand strategy
SEO is the long game
Google ads to drive brand awareness
Tapping into micro-moments
Rising acquisition costs
Customers are very disloyal
Reviewing your retention strategy
Creating an efficient funnel
GA4 and GTM
Mastering your channels

Guests:

Lee Smorthit, Digital Acquisition Strategist, Space 48

Hosted by:

Paul Casey, Head of Account Management at Space 48.

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Mage Titans is returning to Manchester after a 4.5-year hiatus and promises to be the must-attend event for Magento developers in the UK and beyond. On this special episode of the Space Bar podcast, we talk with Jon Woodall, the creator of Mage Titans, and Rob Peterkin and Gareth James - the people who are behind the return! Tune in as we reveal two very exciting guest speakers!

In this episode, we cover:

What is Mage Titans
The history of Mage Titans
What to expect at the event
Why should you attend?
Why sponsor?
Talks and a call for speaker submissions
Bonus - we reveal a very exciting speaker announcement

Hosted by Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director at Space 48.

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Welcome back to the Space Bar Podcast, season 3!

In this episode, we're discussing the powerful potential of user-generated content for businesses within the health and beauty sector. Our guest Matt Brindley, Partner Growth Manager at Yotpo, will be helping us unpack this topic and giving us his insight into how businesses in this sector can use UGC. For those who may not be familiar with it, user-generated content is any content created by people external to a brand—such as text, videos, images, or reviews—which has excellent potential for growth in the online health and beauty market. Let's hear what Matt says about UGC and how businesses can make it work for them.

Topics include:

What is UGC?
What is Yotpo?
How can beauty brands cut through the noise?
Authenticity in the form of reviews and customer imagery
Getting started with user-generated content
Encouraging customers to submit user-generated content
Measuring the ROI of customer content
How does UGC help with retention and brand loyalty
Beauty brands leading the way in UGC
Yotpo success stories
Best practices for integrating UGC into your commerce site

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The rise of SaaS is inescapable, whatever business you’re in. Those who choose to ignore it will get left behind.

In this episode, we reminisce about times gone by in the technology world and look beyond these immediate benefits to understand how SaaS is changing the IT world.

Two industry veterans join our host, Tom Robertshaw, Innovation Director at Space 48, to unpack what this future might look like.

We have Aaron Sheehan, Director of Competitive Strategy at BigCommerce, and Pete Robertshaw, Head of Ecommerce consultancy at Space 48.

Topics include:

The rise of SaaS
The reduction in single-use, custom-built software
The evolution of the solutions specialist

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In this episode, we're debating whether Headless is still just a buzzword or whether there is substance to it. We'll revisit where it is today and close the debate on what it is. Headless has been around in the ecommerce space for a long time. For a while, it was just a word that no one really knew what it meant. In this episode, we look at how headless has evolved and things to consider when evaluating Headless.

Topics

What does headless mean to you?
Headless is a delivery mechanism.
The difference between Headless CMS and full Headless
Microservices, Composable Commerce and PWA
What sites have done Headless well?
When is Headless right for your business?
Does Headless help you improve your site performance?
What can you expect from a project implementation point of view?
Does Headless mean you have to have an internal Dev team?
The key risks and challenges of Headless

Today's guest is Tom Robertshaw, Innovation Director, Space 48

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

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Planning for an ecommerce re-platform project with Vervaunt

In this episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we're discussing planning for an ecommerce re-platform project with Paul Rogers, Co-Founder of Vervaunt and Sham Miah, Operations Director at Vervaunt. The two have so much knowledge and experience when it comes to large and complex re-platform projects on an international level. So, we were super excited to get them in the studio to discuss what you need to consider when planning for a re-platform.

Topics include:

The motivations for re-platforming
The critical part of getting a project right is the right people and partners
Derisking a project
You couldn't get a better time to cleanse your data
Making the most of the re-platforming opportunity
The importance of the product data
The training and development to get comfortable with your new platform
The future of re-platforming
What about headless?
The emergence of new technologies and platforms

Guests:

Paul Rodgers, Co-Founder, Vervaunt
Sham Miah, Operations Director, Vervaunt

Hosted by:

Jon Woodall, Managing Director, Vervaunt

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In this episode, we discussed the BigCommerce Partner Summit for EMEA in London a couple of weeks ago. This year's summit was bigger than ever, with around 300 partners attending to listen to a day filled with exhilarating talks, energetic dancing and an all-welcoming atmosphere, proving BigCommerce is bringing the partner ecosystem together for success.

If you didn't attend or missed some of the talks, here are our takeaways:

The size and scale that BigCommerce has grown in EMEA.
BigCommerce doubles down on its "open commerce" strategy.
The event is an excellent physical representation of the success of the business.
The way BigCommerce do partnerships and the extent of the partner network.
The ecommerce platform architecture and supporting third-party technologies is changing.
BigCommerce's move into the enterprise space with Bundle B2B and B2B Ninja.
Brent Bellm, CEO, BigCommerce's Keynote talk.
A frankly impressive ability to deliver against an ambitious roadmap.
Headless & composable commerce is here to stay but choose wisely.
How to grow your BigCommerce practice with our very own Tom Robertshaw
Troy Cox's Product Roadmap talk.
The team at BigCommerce: a fantasy football team of the ecommerce world.
Stand with Ukraine.

Guests:

Jon Woodall, Managing Director, Space 48

Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director, Space 48

Hosted by:

Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting at Space 48

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This week's episode follows the last Shopify Unite episode we released. In this one, we'll delve deeper into Shopify's product roadmap with Stephen Kenealy, Space 48's Strategy Director and Jon Woodall, Space 48's Managing Director.

Topics include:

Doubling down on enabling direct-to-consumer brands and retailers to trade internationally.
Investment in a single platform solution
Playing more into the enterprise space
The ability to serve wholesale and b2b
Taking the platform forward with CMS functionality
Building the developer community

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

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In this episode, we talk about our experience at Shopify Unite with Laura Black, General Manager at Brave the Skies. Listen to Jon and Laura cover the talks they saw, the event as a whole, the Shopify community and the ecosystem as a whole.

Topics:

Fostering the developer community
A rundown on the talk 'How We Made React Developers Love to Code on Liquid Projects'
A rundown on the talk 'Out of Step: From Bootstrapped to Venture Backed.'
Taking inspiration from Ask Phill on their approach to headless
Learnings to take forward
Headless, hydrogen and Oxygen

Hosted by Jon Woodall, Managing Director at Space 48.

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This episode provides an insight into the world of Josh Wood Colour. Josh Wood is a celebrity colour expert with a highly sought-after salon in West London. His experience spans over three decades of working with some of the biggest names in the business. Josh Wood Colour translates this exclusive in-salon experience to online with at-home hair colour products that are more widely available across the UK.

We sit down with Linda Benjamin, Director of Product and Kieran Chapman, Director of Growth at Josh Wood Colour, to understand their ecommerce journey and how they approach user experience.

Topics:

Career highlights and how Linda and Kieran came to Josh Wood Colour
An insight into Josh Wood and the brand Josh Wood Colour
Replicating the experience that a customer has in the salon online with Headless and Shopify
Subscription is a lightbulb moment with Recharge
Where Josh Wood Colour are placing their bets on customer acquisition
Launching their first TV ad, #DyeHappy
The pros and cons of going Headless

Our host is Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director at Space 48

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After a brief hiatus, we're back with season 2 of the Space Bar Podcast and on this episode we're talking about common mistakes we encounter on new website builds and how to avoid them. If you're about to embark on new web project, there's some great tips from Rob Peterkin, Project Manager at Space 48, on what to look out for and what are some of the most frequent issues we see when working with our customers.

We discuss the problems of data migration, design, working with 3rd party technology and how important honesty is in the customer / agency partnership.

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consultancy at Space 48.

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On this week's episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we have an exclusive first interview with the team that were involved in the acquisition of the Shopify Plus agency, Brave the Skies into the Space 48 family. We speak to Laura Black and Lucy Roberts, GM and MD of Brave the Skies to get some background on the agency and about their experience of the acquisition and what the future holds for the business. We're also joined by CEO and founder of Space 48, Jon Woodall and also Stephen Kenealy, strategy director at Space 48 to get their take on why the acquisition was important for both Space 48 and Brave the Skies.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Head Of Commerce Consultancy at Space 48

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In this week's episode we talk to one of our customers, Sarah Raven about their recent re-platform over to BigCommerce.

We discuss how the platform and partner selection process ran, why they ended up working with BigCommerce and some of the other supporting technologies they selected for their tech stack. We also hear about the design process as well as what they learned from the project and what their advice would be for other retailers who are looking to embark on a similar project.

We're joined by Ashley Pallett - Digital Marketing Manager at Sarah Raven, Jim Herbert - Vice President and GM for EMEA at Bigcommerce, Claudia Ditri - Head of Partnerships for Klevu EMEA and Holli Barrett - Head of CX Design at Space 48.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw - Head of Commerce Consultancy at Space 48

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In this episode, we discuss the home and garden sector. The last two years have seen exponential change for online retailers due to the pandemic. With this new 'norm' comes challenges; we cover what this looks like going forward and discuss some potential solutions for brands. If you're a home and garden retailer looking for some tips on what you should include in your ecommerce strategy, this episode is for you.

Topics:

J.Parkers: the shift from offline to online
How the pandemic changed J.Parkers' business
Turning marketing and sales off to protect the customer experience
Changing the tech infrastructure to get to the next level of growth
Challenges retailers have faced in fulfilling consumer demand
The need for a digital roadmap
The need for talent and increased costs
Keeping a competitive edge and focusing on customer experience
Investing in your customer data
Retention is more important than ever
Buy now, pay later payment options
Investing in Product Management (PIM)
Merchandising solutions
Experimentation, engagement, and experience
Whatever you do, has to benefit your customer
Understanding the 'considered commerce' customer journey

Guests:

Jonathan Bracewell, Head of Digital at J.Parkers
Holli Barrett, Head of Customer Experience, Space 48
Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting, Space 48

Hosted by:

Paul Casey, Head of Account Management

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Martin Boddy is Space 48's Non-Executive Chairman and chairs several other businesses. Having founded the listed data, creative and performance marketing agency Jaywing plc, Martin has an impressive track record and experience when it comes to accelerating growth. He has extensive commercial acumen while also being a data-digital innovator.

This episode with Martin is a special one. Space 48's Managing Director, Jon Woodall, sits down with Martin to get an insight into his successful career. He talks about his journey from co-founding Jaywing in Sheffield with three people to becoming AIM-listed with offices internationally and over 300 people.

You can expect a look into Martin's entrepreneurial mind, golden nuggets of advice and a plethora of sports analogies for business. Thank you to Martin for sitting down and sharing his journey with us. We hope you find this episode as enjoyable as we did to record!

Topics:

How Martin became a Middlesborough fan
How his career began
How he came to co-found Jaywing
From start-up to 120 people in two countries
Taking some time out
Angel investing
Batman and Robin are back together at Jaywing
The pressure of a CEO of an AIM-listed business
Transitioning to the world of Non-Exec Chairman

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In this episode, we're going to cover global ecommerce and the challenges you may face as a retailer when growing internationally and, through our experience, how we can help solve those challenges.

Cross border shopping has grown exponentially. With the lack of physical retail stores being open in the last two years, consumers have gone online and found new brands, and the likelihood is these brands are from overseas.

This online drive provides businesses more power to reach and sell to consumers globally.

This new era of global commerce requires brands who maybe haven't always dealt with international ecommerce to step up and create excellent customer experiences in their home market and overseas. How can brands replicate this model and hedge on technology to provide the experiences, scalability and data needed to keep pace with the rapid changes?

Our guests are:

Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting at Space 48

Ollie Lees, Head of Data and Insight at Space 48

Paul Casey, Head of Account Management at Space 48

Hosted by Molly Smith, Head of Marketing at Space 48.

For more information, download our global ecommerce guide at https://www.space48.com/downloads/global-ecommerce-guide/

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What are you doing if you're a merchant and don't have Klarna? With the Klarna app having over 40 million downloads, what it can offer for brands and consumers is game-changing.

Beginning as a payments provider that has disrupted the retail banking industry, today, Klarna is a very diverse business in terms of its products. In this episode, we find out what has made Klarna the renowned brand for frictionless shopping for consumers and retailers. We cover the following topics:

The history of Klarna
The rebrand of Klarna
Innovation, acquisitions and product releases
Tackling financial wellness and consumer protection

Our guests are Rob Beattie, Commercial Manager for UK partnerships at Klarna, and Anisha, Mohammed, Head of UK Partnerships at Klarna.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw

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This episode discusses our journey of going remote overnight and not looking back. Space 48 closed its offices in March 2020 and permanently embraced a remote work culture. As ecommerce boomed in the last two years, we've seen rapid growth as a business and with our people. Keeping a solid company culture is at the heart of this success. As we transition into the world opening up again, we reflect on what we've learned and how we'll adapt. This episode covers:

Adapting and changing to a remote-first work culture
How do you drive culture remote?
Growing, developing and supporting a remote team
Keeping the human connection while remote

Our guests are:

Jon Woodall, Managing Director, Space 48
Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director, Space 48
Jake Smith, Operations Director, Space 48
Hannah Eames, Finance Director, Space 48
Erica Mackay, Head of People and Culture, Space 48

Hosted by Molly Smith, Head of Marketing, Space 48

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We sit down with The Very Group's Digital Customer Experience (DCX) Director, Paul Hornby. Get a look at the 2.3 billion pound company behind the scenes with this high-performing digital leader.

Paul combines the ecommerce growth journey and strategy at The Very Group with his lessons learned over the years and advice for fellow ecommerce professionals.

This conversation is not to be missed with lots of insightful knowledge around building outstanding customer journeys and being ahead of the curve. There are plenty of valuable lessons for you to take away.

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In this episode of the Space Bar Podcast we compare the two heavy hitters in the SaaS eCommerce Platform space where we put Shopify Plus head to head against BigCommerce. We look at how flexible and extendable each platform is, what their tech architecture looks like, how they perform out of the box, as well as a host of other topics including SEO, B2B and pricing.

Discussing the differences and similarities are 2 of the Space 48 team. We have Peter Hicks, a Technical Lead on the SaaS side of the business who knows everything there is to know about Shopify Plus, and also Sam Brown, a Systems Architect who has worked on numerous BigCommerce projects over the past few years.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting at Space 48.

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The Web Almanac report is an annual review of the state of eCommerce which was authored this year by our very own Tom Robertshaw. We discuss how eCommerce websites are built, their performance, and other technologies that are commonly used by eCommerce sites.

Topics we cover from the report:

An introduction to Web Almanac and the methodology from the report
Top eCommerce platforms and what are the changes in the market
The impact of COVID-19 for the eCommerce industry
Lighthouse scores for platforms and what can we learn from the data
Site speed Performance & Core Web Vitals for eCommerce platforms
A summary of the state of the web for eCommerce

You can read the Web Almanac report today, it is completely free and it has lots of interesting data, graphs and commentary to help you understand the state of e-commerce at the end of 2021.

Guests - Rockey Nebhwani - eCommerce Consultant and Tom Robertshaw - Innovation Director at Space 48.

Host - Paul Casey, Head of Account Management at Space 48.

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Do you have a BigCommerce store but you don't know which apps are the best...? Don't worry, we have got you covered.

We have used our experience as BigCommerce Agency Partner of the year to shortlist the best apps in the BC App Marketplace based on the following categories:

CMS
Shipping Experience & Back office Workflows
Back in stock notifications
ESP
Subscriptions
Search & Merchandising
Back ups
Reviews
Analytics & Data
Retention

3rd party tech is a huge party of the SaaS eCommerce model and it allows you to add functionality to your website quickly and easily without building a custom feature or integration. There are nearly 1,000 apps in the market place and it can sometimes be difficult to navigate so we have enlisted the help of Paul, Tom and Kieran to help you get some expert advice.

We hope you enjoy the podcast and please feel free to reach out to us for more information.

Presented By Paul Casey, Head of Account Management at Space 48.

Guests include Tom Robertshaw - Innovation Director and Kieran Cole - Front End Developer at Space 48.

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The B2B customer is evolving, they’re no longer a user of fax machines or even a mobile device to make calls. They’re shoppers like you and I so how should B2B businesses be changing their approach to digital commerce to accommodate for this new generation of B2B customers. How does the commerce experience differ and where does it start to cross over into B2C? Should eCommerce technology companies be focussing their products in this ever evolving B2B market or should their products already cater for the B2B customer anyway?

To answer these questions, on this week's episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we're joined by the IT and Operations DIrector at the B2B Health & Beauty wholesaler Ellisons, Lee Farmer and the Sales Director for the UK & Ireland at Factfinder, Stuart Patterson.

Presented By Pete Robertshaw, Head of Commerce Consulting at Space 48

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What is generally considered as the busiest week of the year for most retailers, the Black Friday / Cyber Monday period can see many retailers doing over 50% of their annual sales in just 7 days. With opportunity comes risk so what can retailers be putting in place to make sure their peak period doesn't end in disaster?

On this week's episode of the Space Bar Podcast we talk to two technology companies who sit behind the scenes in your tech stack, but two that are equally as important for maximising opportunity and reducing risk. We're joined by Daniel Sim - General Manager at Rewind, a SaaS backup solution, and Ti Osnat, a sales engineer at Signifyd who are fraud prevention company using AI and machine learning to help businesses reduce fraud and increase acceptance rates.

Make sure you listen ahead of your BFCM week and take on board their tips and advice for how to make sure you fully capitalise on one of the biggest weeks of the year.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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In this week's episode we discuss a topic which has been the source of much debate within the digital commerce industry over the past couple of years and that is Headless. We breakdown what headless actually means at a non-technical level and why it's important for the future of digital commerce. We discuss why merchants should consider a headless approach, including the benefits it brings them and more importantly, their end customers.

To discuss this, we're joined by Franz Riedl, COO of the front end experience platform Styla, and Thom Armstrong - VP of Go to Market Solutions and Strategy at Fast, the one click checkout solution. We discuss with them how headless has enabled their businesses to move forward and how it's enabling them to deliver great commerce experiences to their customers.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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With the high street still recovering from a traumatic period where for many weeks and months, many retail stores were unable to open, we discuss what physical retail can and must learn from digital commerce. Now that many consumers have found a new and more convenient way to shop online, what must the high street do to lure consumers back into their stores? We discuss our personal frustrations from shopping back on the high street again and what technology could help join up that online / offline journey to give consumers a more seamless experience with the brands they love.

To discuss this topic, we're joined on the Space Bar this week by Laura Harnett, Founder of Seep, a direct to consumer challenger brand in the sustainable household essentials space. As well as founding Seep, Laura has worked in the retail industry for a number of years for businesses such as Selfridges and the Kingfisher Group. Joining Laura is Imran Choudhary, VP of Strategic Growth at Attraqt who work with some well known high street brands such as Superdry and JD Sports.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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This week's episode of the Space Bar is addressing payments in digital and physical retail and asking the question, when did payments become so complicated? There's a wealth of different payment service providers (PSPs) in the market now, all offering a multitude of different options for consumers to choose from. But why have we seen this steady rise in the number of providers out there and how should merchants choose one supplier over another? What options should they offer their consumers at checkout - how many different payment options is too many?

To discuss this, we're joined by Moshe Winegarten who is the Senior Vice President of Commercial at Checkout.com and Rob Beattie, Partner Manager at Klarna.

Hosted by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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Globalisation is providing new opportunities for online retailers. As the world becomes more connected and selling across borders becomes more efficient and easier to handle, online brands and retailers are embracing the opportunity to expand their market presence and to make their offers available to a broader consumer base. However, the rise of internationalisation has also forced online retailers to adapt. They have had to extend their online presence to cater for a more diverse audience and to ensure that their offering, content, and experience match the precise needs of their consumers in each market that they now do business in. This episode aims to provide an overview of how to deliver the very best ‘Product Discovery’ experiences on a global basis. Product Discovery is the process of effortlessly guiding shoppers to find exactly what they’re looking for quicker. It sits at the core of a successful ecommerce visit, wherever you are in the world. We're joined by our partner Attraqt, discussing how consumers shop differently around the world and how that turns into the need for localised search to help improve experience and conversion.

Our guests are:

-Imran Choudrey, VP of Strategic Growth at Attraqt

Deepak Anand - Commercial Director for Partnerships at BigCommerce

Our host is Nick Jones, Technical Director at Space 48

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On this week's episode we talk to 2 retailers in the sports vertical to get their take on how they have been using Shopify Plus to grown their online businesses. We discuss their journeys to selecting Shopify Plus as their eCommerce platform, what it's like to work with day to day, including their go to apps to help improve their customer experience. We also discuss what the future holds for their respective businesses and their partnership with Shopify.

We are joined by Ben Slaven, co-founder of online golf apparel retailer Function18 and Conor Forde, Head of eCommerce at Kinetica Sports, a sports nutrition brand who are part of the Boyne Valley Group.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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On this episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we're discussing the much anticipated announcements from the recent Shopify Unite partner and developer conference. Every year Shopify hold an event to discuss what they've been working on for the past 12 months and very often announce some major bombshells! This year was no exception so we're joined by Peter Hicks, Tech Lead at Space 48 and Kieran Cole, a Front End Developer also at Space 48, to discuss the announcements and what they mean for merchants and developers.

This is an episode you don't want to miss!

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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Welcome back to the Go Global With Your Ecommerce mini-series on the Space Bar Podcast in partnership with BigCommerce. In episode 4, we're focusing on product information and product experience management with our partner Akeneo, discussing the differences between PIM and PXM and how to avoid common mistakes in setting up your product data in international commerce. We're joined by James Barlow, Country Manager for the UK at Akeneo, our eCom Platform partner and co-host of the series, Jim Herbert, GM for EMEA at BigCommerce, Pete Robertshaw, DIgital Commerce Consultant at Space 48 and our host, Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director at Space 48.

Thank you for listening to the Space Bar Podcast, please remember to subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast with your network. For more information about our Going Global Ecommerce series, please visit www.space48.com/internationalecommerce or find us on social media for the latest e-commerce content.

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Welcome back to the Go Global With Your Ecommerce mini-series on the Space Bar Podcast in partnership with BigCommerce. In episode 3, we're focusing on shipping and fulfilment in international ecommerce with our partner ShipperHQ and discussing how to deliver an Amazon style checkout experience to your international customers. We're joined by Quentin Montalto, COO, ShipperHQ, our eCom Platform partner and co-host of the series, Nicole Walker, Senior Partner Manager, BigCommerce, and our host, Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant, Space 48. The insightful conversation covers the following:

What's driving international growth for retailers
Important considerations for retailers when looking to start shipping internationally
Success stories of businesses that are smashing international fulfilment
Top tips for merchants to think about with their global delivery operations

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In this episode we discuss the changing landscape of Magento following the Adobe Summit with official updates on the future and we also discuss the future from the Magento Community. We breakdown the announcements, how the platform will change under the stewardship of Adobe and what this means to merchants, developers and agencies.

We also discuss Hyvä Themes and how it is shaking up the world of front end development in the Magento community, although the technology is new we discuss the back story with it's inventor, the reasons why it's so good to work with and the future roadmap for re-imagining the Magento front end theme.

We have a special guest Willem Wigman who is a Magento developer and the Inventor at Hyvä Themes as well as Space 48's very own Technical Director Nick Jones and Magento Practice Lead Tomas Gerulaitis.

Thanks you for listening to the podcast, please make sure you subscribe and give us some feedback in the reviews.

Presented by Paul Casey, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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Welcome back to the Go Global With Your Ecommerce mini-series on the Space Bar Podcast in partnership with BigCommerce. In episode 2, we're focusing on payment gateways in international ecommerce with our partner Adyen and discussing the need for local payment methods in each region, how these can affect conversion and some examples of retailers who are doing this really well. We're joined by Brian Mapley, Head of Mid-Market Sales, at Adyen, our eCom Platform partner and co-host of the series, Jim Herbert - General Manager, EMEA, at BigCommerce, and our host, Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant, Space 48. The insightful conversation covers the following:

Local payment options
Alternative payment options and conversion rates
Success stories where businesses are nailing internationalisation
Advice for retailers looking to expand internationally

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In this episode we discuss the wonderful world of BigCommerce Apps with our Innovation Director Tom Robertshaw.

We discuss the BigCommerce platform and how the app ecosystem works within the Open-SaaS approach to e-commerce plus all the learning along the way. We compare and contrast the process of building apps and extensions on other platforms Vs BC as well as share more about our future plans.

Tom is documenting the whole journey which is available on the Space 48 blog and he posts regular updates on his LinkedIn and Twitter.

Episode content

Why BigCommerce Apps?
Mission: Being your second favourite app developer
How we have approached the app development process
Space 48 Hack day for BC apps
Our Automated categories App is live on the BC app market
Key learning and take aways
Future roadmap for Space 48 Apps

Thanks you for listening to the podcast, please make sure you subscribe and give us some feedback in the reviews.

Presented by Paul Casey, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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Welcome to the Go Global With Your Ecommerce mini-series on the Space Bar Podcast in partnership with BigCommerce. In this episode, we are starting the series with taxes and customs in international ecommerce with our partner Avalara. We cover tax obligations, customs rules and regulations to consider when trading in new markets with:Mark Carpenter, Senior Manager, Strategic Alliances, at Avalara

Jim Herbert - General Manager, EMEA, at BigCommerce & co-host

Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director, Space 48 & our hostThe insightful conversation covers the following:

Businesses in lack of preparation for Brexit
Common mistakes with the new regulations
Success stories where businesses have pivoted their model
Expanding into new markets post-Brexit

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In this episode, we discuss our Top 5 actionable tactics of how you can grow your e-commerce business if there is more of a considered customer journey involved.

For Vertices such as home furniture, white goods, electrical equipment or gadgets i.e. drones you need to adapt your approach and you will get advice on how you can improve from our team of consultants.

Top 5 Tips for Considered Commerce journeys:

Customer - Running regular customer research
Acquisition - Focus on each stage of the funnel
Operations - Selecting the right carriers
Conversion - Conversion tips for considered commerce
Technical - Missing 3rd parties to tech stack

Merchants often find it difficult to create an amazing Commerce Experience at every level so we wanted to share some client challenges and solutions we have found over time.

Presented by Paul Casey and our two guests were Holli Barrett and Pete Robertshaw.

Subscribe, leave a review and share with your network.

All the Space Bar Podcast episodes are available at space48.com/space-bar-podcast

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In this episode we discuss the Home & Garden online retail vertical which in 2020 was estimated to have grown by over 20%. What makes Home & Garden different from other retail verticals and how do strategies for acquisition, conversion and retention of new customers differ from that of fashion or other verticals?

We are joined by Mike Murray, MD and Founder of bed and mattress retailer, Land of Beds, to get his take on the strategies they employ to keep their customers engaged and how retention for them is focussed more around referrals. We are also joined by Claudia Ditri, Senior Partner Manager at Klevu who are an AI driven product discoverability company, providing enhanced site search and merchandising to retailers. We get Claudia's on how important site search plays in helping customers at every stage of their buying journey. Finally we are also joined by Oliver Lees, Head of Data & Insight at Space 48 to get his thoughts on how Home & Garden differs from other verticals and how retailers need to use alternative approaches to acquire new customers.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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This episode is part 2 of our exclusive interview with Brent Bellm, the CEO of the eCommerce platform, BigCommerce.

In this part, our MD Jon Woodall gets more into Brent's role at BigCommerce, why BigCommerce is different to the other eCommerce platforms out there and what his vision is for the business.

We talk future expansion plans, the ecosystem that surrounds BigCommerce and how BigCommerce has pivoted during the Covid Pandemic.

Brent also gives some great advice on what it takes to become a successful business leader and more generally, a success in your career.

It really is an interesting insight into the future of BigCommerce and Brent's aspirations for the business and an episode not to be missed!

Presented by Jon Woodall, MD of Space 48

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In this special 2 part episode, Space 48's Managing Director has a one on one intimate chat with the CEO of BigCommerce, Brent Bellm.

We get to find out about Brent's childhood and his family history, what he got up to at school, college and university and what set him up on his path to being the CEO of one of the biggest eCommerce platforms in the world.

We discuss who inspired Brent in his earlier years and what some of his earliest leadership roles were, which ultimately gave him the foundations to become the leader he is today.

There was so much to discuss, we decided to split the interview over 2 parts so make sure you subscribe and watch out for the second episode dropping. This is an interview you do not want to miss.

Presented By Jon Woodall, MD of Space 48.

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In a special bonus episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we have an exclusive interview with former Magento Evangelist, Ben Marks on the day he officially announced he had joined German based eCommerce platform Shopware.

We get the inside scoop on his decision to join Shopware and what led to him moving on from Magento after nearly 7 years. We discuss his new role at Shopware and how he hopes to continue on his mission to promote Open Source eCommerce.

We also discuss the importance of eCommerce communities in driving innovation within the digital industry and what the future of eCommerce communities will look like in a SaaS era. Is there still a place for communities to thrive and if so, where do we see these working well?

If you're not sure if SaaS or open source is the way forward, we have an open discussion on where each technology fits in the market.

Also giving their take on these topics are Tom Robertshaw, Innovation Director at Space 48 and Jon Woodall, Managing Director at Space 48.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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On this special edition episode in honour of International Women’s Day, we’re discussing the subject of pushing for a gender balance in tech.

It’s no secret that there is a gender imbalance in the industry. We want to know what’s behind this gender imbalance and how can we encourage more women into the industry and the less represented roles?

Our host, Erica is joined by three amazing women in the industry who all have their own experience to discuss what’s behind this gender imbalance and how we see things progressing.

Our guests:

Aggie Grabowska, Partner Manager at Shopify Plus
Sam Sargison, Head of Digital & Corporate at Bettys
Alex Devanna, Senior Project Manager at Space 48

Hosted By: Erica Mackay - Head of people and culture at Space 48

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In this week's episode we interview Cat Evans, Marketing Director at Tech 21 to get a behind the scenes look at what makes the business so successful and a personal insight into how Cat ended up in a marketing career, despite her interests being in a completely different area! We discuss her previous role at Amazon, and how if you didn't know and own your numbers, you wouldn't make a success of yourself. We also discuss the transformation that Tech 21 has gone through in the past 12 months with a re-platform from Magento 2 over to Shopify Plus and get to understand the reasons that led to the move. We also get a valuable insight into what metrics Tech 21 look at on a regular basis to manage the business effectively. It's a great insight into a very successful business and more interestingly, how Cat's career has progressed and why she loves her job so much and her advice for anyone looking at getting into marketing.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48

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On this week's episode we're unpicking the top eCommerce stories of the past few weeks and discussing what is happening on the high street and what it will look like when we get out of the current lockdown.

We specifically cover:

Primark 'refusing' to go online despite suffering a rumoured £1bn loss during the pandemic
The Boohoo acquisition of Debenhams

3, ASOS acquiring the Arcadia group brands such as TopShop, TopMan and Miss Selfridge.

To help us dissect these stories, we're joined by industry experts Richard Marshall, the VP of Buying at Sweaty Betty, Gordon Newman, the Go To Market Director at Life Style Sports and also by Paul Casey, Digital Commerce Consultant and Co-Presenter of the Space Bar Podcast.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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In this week's episode we have an open discussion around the impact we've seen so far of Brexit on both retailers and customers in the UK and in the EU. There's been so many stories coming out in the news over the past few weeks with consumers being hit with large duty and import tax charges, we wanted to get to the bottom of what's going on and how the trade deal is affecting merchants shipping into and out of the UK.

We're joined by our guests Marc O'Donnell who is the eCommerce Manager at luxury country boot manufacturer and retailer, Dubarry of Ireland along with James Hayes, Director of Business Development at Parcelhub, who are a shipment aggregator helping merchants get the lowest rates on their parcel shipments, and Stephen Kenealy, Strategy Director at Space 48 to give his take on the Brexit trade deal and what the world is making of it all.

You'll hear all about how Dubarry have been coping with the changes, the problems they've faced, what they're doing for their customers and how their business strategy is changing to cope with the new rules. You'll also hear some great insight into how the parcel carriers have had to adapt and the issues they're seeing which is leading to huge numbers of returned freight returned back to their source, as well as some great advice for retailers going forward.

Make sure to leave us a review if you like what you hear and make sure you subscribe.

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, a Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48.

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In this week's episode of the Space Bar Podcast, we're joined by Tom Robertshaw, Director of Innovation at Space 48 and Oliver Lees, Head of Data Insight. We review some of the eCommerce news stories from 2020 which you might've missed and we also discuss how 2020 will shape retailer's strategies for 2021. We also make some predictions for what 2021 will bring for retailers and technology developments we're hoping to see, including an insight into Oliver's innovative idea for online clothing returns - it's an episode you do not want to miss!

As ever, if you like what you hear, please make sure you subscribe!

Presented by Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48

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In this episode we are going to talk about how front end development has changed with Dan Davies who is a Commerce Interaction Designer from our CX Team and Peter Hicks who is a Technical Lead in one of our development squads.

We cover a range of topics including:

Changes to front end development over time
Skills required (CSS, HTML, Javascript, React, Vue, Devops )
Tools and techniques (Task runners like Gulp, Grunt, Bootstrap )
Keeping up to speed (JS frameworks, CSS frameworks )
The importance of site speed (fine balance over what is easily fixed to stuff out of control like 3rd party solutions )
Expectations of clients and consumers ( Good UX, Fast site, look good, mobile friendly)
How can we approach projects in different ways? (pattern libraries, wireframing, breaking down into components, working together early on rather than a big reveal after weeks of secrecy, developers in from the start, promotes ownership but also ensures what is being designed, requested can be done )
PWA and headless trends
What is headless?
What is a PWA?
What are the benefits?
What are the challenges?
What is the difference between UX design and interaction design?
What is the difference between design front end and engineering front end?
What emerging technologies are important to learn as a developer? (react, )
What advice would you give an aspiring developer?

We hope you enjoy the episode and please remember to subscribe and leave a review of the podcast.

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In this week's episode, we're discussing the importance of offering a human element to the commerce experience and what that actually means for customers and retailers.

We also discuss common pain points for customers during the commerce journey as well as discussing some great retailers who are really getting this right for their customers.

If you enjoy this episode, make sure you subscribe and please leave us a review!

Host: Pete Robertshaw, Digital Commerce Consultant at Space 48

Guests: Holli Barrett, Head of CX at Space 48 and Katy Collins, Head of Partnerships at Threekit.

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In this episode we discuss the rollercoaster year that has been 2020 with Jon, Stephen, Erica and Paul. Like most companies, Space 48 have had to adapt to a lot of change this year and we focus in on the key challenges and opportunities that we have been able to capitalise on.

We hope you enjoy the episode and please make sure you subscribe and leave a review with your feedback.

Host - Paul Casey - Digital Commerce Consultant Jon Woodall - MD & Founder Stephen Kenealy - Strategy Director Erica Mackay - Head of People & Culture

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Welcome to the Space Bar. This is the podcast by Space 48 made for the e-commerce community.

The main topics we are going to discuss in this episode are:

Black Friday 2020
Tech Partner Investment Updates
The TikTok & Shopify Deal
BigCommerce’s Open Source Checkout
Space bar podcast launch

This is a new podcast so please support us by leaving a review and share the podcast with your network.

Host: Paul Casey

Guests: Tom Robertshaw and Pete Robertshaw

The Space Bar Podcast by Space 48: Recent Episodes

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