Retail transformation has become a far-reaching imperative given the seismic shifts driven by AI, data and next-generation commerce platforms.

The landscape is changing, and the onus is on technology advancements to keep pace with the evolving expectations of digital-native organizations. That imperative has spurred commercetools GmbH as it doubles down on the “headless commerce” ethos.

Commercetools’ Jen Jones discusses new company announcements with theCUBE.

“When you look at how generational shifts are happening with new buyers, Gen Z coming into their buying power just at the beginning of that, and they’re true digital natives,” said Jen Jones (pictured), chief marketing officer at commercetools. “They have different expectations for customer service and customer experience. You talk about wearables and AI, and that’s what they’ve grown up with and expect. The landscape is changing, the technology landscape’s changed, but the consumers and the buyers are changing too.”

Jones spoke with theCUBE Research’s John Furrier at theCUBE + NYSE Wired: NRF Media Week, AI Retail Leaders event, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the future of retail at the intersection of technology and consumer-centric innovation. 

AI and retail transformation

Commertools specializes in the concept of headless commerce. Here, there is a separation of the backend operations from the customer-facing interface, enabling brands to deliver customized, dynamic experiences without being constrained by monolithic platforms, according to Jones.

“It was almost the tail wagging the dog,” she said. “That front end was dictating what was possible on the backend. Now, it’s the customer driving what they need.”

Headless systems paired with AI unlock unparalleled opportunities for dynamic front-end customization, creating a retail environment where personalized recommendations are seamlessly integrated into online and in-store experiences, based on real-time customer data. This interplay is exemplified by commercetools In-Store. This solution bridges the gap between digital and physical retail, enabling consistent, personalized interactions — whether a customer shops via an app or visits a store, according to Jones.

“There’s always that disconnect between that brand that feels like it knows you on your app, versus that in-store experience,” she said. “Our commercetools InStore announcement today brings all of that core commerce capability into our physical store environment.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE Research’s coverage of theCUBE + NYSE Wired: NRF Media Week, AI Retail Leaders event:

Photo: SiliconANGLE