CommerceNext Insights

Decoding Gen Z: Shopping Habits, Brand Loyalty and Workplace Values

Jenna Shaps July 8, 2025

At the 2025 CommerceNext Growth Show, two standout sessions put Gen Z students and professionals in the spotlight, as they shared how this generation shops, what influences their decisions and what earns their long-term loyalty. WHAT WE LEARNED: How Gen Z Discovers and Researches Products Gen Z’s Shopping Preferences & Brand Loyalty Gen Z’s Non-Negotiables Gen Z in the Workforce Their Advice to Brands and Employers How Gen Z Discovers and Researches Products For Gen Z, social media isn’t just entertainment; it’s where product discovery happens. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are their go-to sources for finding what’s new and next. Influencers

CommerceNext Steps: Top Takeaways from the 2025 Growth Show

Corey Peters July 2, 2025

CommerceNext Steps: Top Takeaways from the 2025 Growth Show At the 2025 CommerceNext Growth Show, we asked our industry-leading speakers to leave the audience with clear, actionable takeaways: CommerceNext Steps. These insights are designed to guide your next moves, helping turn big ideas into real-world impact. Sorted by each day’s theme, you’ll find strategies designed to help you lead through retail’s most pressing challenges. Day 1: The Future of Customer Experiences Adapting with Purpose: How Sam’s Club Embraces Consumer Trends and Challenges Adapt with purpose. Evolve with a clear vision, not just reactive urgency. Align teams, strategy and innovation around a shared goal.

CommerceNext Announces 2025 Winners of the Annual CommerceNexty Awards

Maya Chalil June 30, 2025

Coach, Patagonia, Bliss, Bath & Body Works, Paula’s Choice, M&M’s and Shutterfly honored for marketing and ecommerce innovation New York, NY – June 26, 2026 – CommerceNext announced the winners of its 2025 CommerceNexty Awards on June 25 at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York City. The annual awards program honors and celebrates the year’s best and most innovative marketing and ecommerce programs. Recipients are selected through a combination of votes from a panel of industry leaders and an equally weighted popular vote from the community. “The caliber of submissions this year was extraordinary”, said Veronika Sonsev, Co-Founder of CommerceNext. “What struck

How E.L.F. Cosmetics Captured the Gen Z Target Market

Corey Peters May 30, 2025

Breaking Down the E.L.F. Cosmetics Target Market In response to Gen Z’s need for heightened brand values and interactive marketing and campaigns, e.l.f. (Eyes. Lips. Face.) has created a brand that delivers bold authenticity, inclusive messaging and engaging digital experiences that foster community and drive cultural relevance. In doing so, the brand has cemented itself as the #1 Favorite Gen Z Beauty Brand and earned a CommerceNexty award in the process. From $1 Makeup to a Gen Z Favorite Founded in 2004 by Joseph Shamah and Scott Vincent Borba, e.l.f. Cosmetics disrupted the beauty industry by introducing high-quality products at just $1, quickly

Top 5 Reasons to Attend CommerceNext

Jenna Shaps May 20, 2025

In the rapidly evolving retail landscape of 2025, staying ahead is essential to success. Here are the top reasons why your fellow retail peers attend the CommerceNext Growth Show: Take back actionable insights from top industry leaders. Build valuable connections to grow your brand and career. Explore the heart of commerce, NYC. Keep your finger on the pulse of industry trends and emerging technologies. Uplevel your skills, professional and personally. 1. Learn Real Strategies to Help You Move Your Brand Forward with Confidence The 2025 CommerceNext Growth Show offers sessions from leading brands such as American Eagle, Tapestry, Amazon, The Vitamin Shoppe,

Conversational Commerce & CX: Turning Real-Time Engagement Into Revenue

Maya Chalil May 16, 2025

In a digital world shaped by convenience and connection, the customer journey has evolved into a two-way conversation. In this CommerceNext webinar, leaders from Boot Barn, Billabong/Quiksilver, Sideshow and iAdvize explored how conversational commerce is transforming product discovery, driving conversions and helping brands build long-term customer relationships through smarter engagement. Moderated by Allan Dick, Co-Founder of CommerceNext, the discussion covered everything from the power of real-time AI to the evolution of chat tools, customer expectations and building customer connection at scale. What We Learned: Rethink the role of chat—don’t limit AI to a chatbot. Use conversational tools to simplify complex product decisions. Layer

The AI Playbook for Ecommerce: What’s New

Maya Chalil May 16, 2025

In our recent CommerceNext webinar, retail leaders from Catalyst Brands, SKIMS and Archipelago Companies came together to explore how AI is evolving from a reactive solution into a proactive driver of ecommerce growth. The conversation unpacked the acceleration of AI adoption, the emergence of use cases across digital teams and how brands are moving from experimentation to measurable impact. What We Learned: AI adoption is accelerating—and customer expectations are higher. AI is shaping customer experience through search, imagery and LLM-driven discovery. Personalization is advancing and moving beyond buyer personas. Search and discovery are evolving into intelligent conversational experiences. Speakers: Mike Dupuis, Chief Digital

5 Omnichannel Retailing Examples that Drive Results

Vanessa Dang May 7, 2025

CommerceNext brings insider insights from retail and ecommerce experts on how to unify digital and physical experiences. According to a Harvard Business Review study, customers who use multiple channels spend 10% more online than those who shop using a single channel, making it clear that omnichannel is essential for growth. We’ll share top omnichannel retail examples and the technologies driving their success. Beauty & Cosmetics Sephora Skyrockets Sales with Inclusive Customer Profiles Sephora sets the beauty industry’s gold standard for omnichannel. Since 2010, the app has unified online and offline behavior into one profile, boosting loyalty and driving cross-channel sales with personalized rewards.

Abercrombie & Fitch’s Marketing Strategy, Rebrand and Digital Rebirth

Corey Peters April 23, 2025

How Abercrombie and Fitch Revived Its Brand Through Modern Marketing With our focus on trends shaping modern retail, CommerceNext brings together the most forward-thinking strategies in digital marketing and ecommerce. One standout forward-thinker is Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F); once known for its exclusive, image-driven marketing, A&F has transformed into a modern retailer celebrated for inclusivity, digital innovation and customer-centric strategies. Want more insights like this? Register now for the CommerceNext Growth Show, where 2700+ industry leaders will come together to share real-world strategies for building modern, resilient brands. A&F’s Marketing Evolution: A Timeline Embracing Inclusivity and Diversity A&F has made significant strides in

From AI to Impact: The Trends Shaping Marketing in the CPG Industry

Corey Peters April 16, 2025

How Unilever, Red Bull & PepsiCo Are Redefining CPG Marketing At CommerceNext, we’re always tracking the breakthrough strategies redefining retail marketing. From AI-driven personalization and community-first branding to purpose-led sustainability, today’s most impactful trends change how CPG brands connect with consumers. We’ll unpack what’s driving these shifts—and highlight the trailblazing brands setting the standard. Ready to go deeper? Don’t miss the 2025 CommerceNext Growth Show—register now to be part of the conversation. Unilever’s AI-Powered Personalization at Scale Using real-time consumer time data, CPG brands are leveraging AI and machine learning to personalize marketing messages, product recommendations and even product development, based on real-time

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