Alejandro Cadenas González, PhD, MBA’s Post

Imagine walking into a great store, having a question about products, and the first thing you have to do is fill out a form to get an answer.  😐 📑 ⛔️ ➡️ That's what e-commerce is like right now. Self-service works perfectly, but if you have a question, you have to fill out a form. That's crazy, and a lot of potential customers are lost. ✅ Every conversation matters With heyrise you can destroy your forms and use real conversations between customers and your sales teams, just online and one click away. As if the customer was in your store talking to your experts. ✅ Being human Empower your teams to have powerful online conversations. In a world increasingly dominated by algorithms, we will need human skills and emotion to make the most of this technological revolution, see Global Consumer Trends by Mintel. Sounds normal and obvious? Let's talk. #conversationalai #conversationalcommerce

News update on personalised pricing! The collective European consumer authorities found Tinder to use personalised discounts, without telling their customers. This is prohibited by consumer law. As a result of the action, which was lead by the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (NL) and the Konsumentverket (SE), Tinder has committed to clearly disclose personalised prices moving forward. How do Tinder’s personalised discounts work? Tinder tracks whether consumers using the free version show interest for the paid version. If they don’t, Tinder will offer them a 50% discount for the first month of the paid service. This offer is automatically produced by Tinder’s systems. My take-aways: - This is more proof that business use personalise prices, which is not prohited perse. However, it is an interesting fact considering the ongoing debate on the extent of personalisation in practice; - Despite the fact that the legal obligation to disclose personalised prices has been in place for about two years, a large platform like Tinder does not comply. And two legally important aspects: - It is now unmistakably clear that personalised discounts also require disclosure; - and, the bar for a price to qualify as personalised is met by adapting the price based on the customer’s interest for the service. In other words: other business engaging in similar practices should also disclose personalisation. Prior to this case, consumer organisations in, for example, Sweden and Australia published on Tinder’s age-based price strategies. Tinder had already stopped this practice before this case was taken up. Here’s the EC press release: https://lnkd.in/epSNKzaG #personalisedpricing #consumerprotection #onlinedating Image: Autoriteit Consument&Markt

AI in e-commerce offers transparency and choice, but also risks like targeted ads and dark patterns. To protect consumers, collaboration between government and industry is crucial. Our Senior Associate, Darshika Gupta, explores the theme of AI in e-commerce in her article published by the IndiaAI portal and offers solutions for ethical AI practices and robust consumer protection for a safer shopping experience. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/ggUg6aJS #ConsumerRights #EthicalAI #Ecommerce #DataPrivacy #JaagoGrahakJaago Avian WE | WE Communications

Crackdown on Fake Reviews: A step forward for consumer trust Reviews can be the deciding factor when we're on the brink of making a purchase, especially in e-commerce. But what happens when trust in these reviews is compromised by fraudulence? The government has issued a warning to e-commerce sites. Businesses must take accountability for ensuring the authenticity of ratings and testimonials. Despite the efforts, deceptive review schemes, especially on large platforms like Facebook, stubbornly persist. In an ironic twist, giants like Amazon are deploying AI to combat fraudulent AI operations, rooting out the 23,000 social media groups fostering fake reviews. Research suggests that a significant portion of reviews in the UK could be misleading, potentially impacting our confidence. It's not just about being watchful anymore. With upcoming regulations, website owners must bear the torch of responsibility for the content they host – or they'll face the consequences. Consumer watchdogs celebrate the change, but some say it's just the beginning of a long battle. Have you ever spotted a fake review? How did it influence your perception of the business? Share your stories and thoughts below. You can find the full story from startups.co.uk in the comments. #Ecommerce #FakeReviews #BusinessEthics

Web of lies: how consumers are turning cautious as internet companies use dark patterns! I felt it important to share! https://lnkd.in/gWPv4ipe

🛒 Ready to make your online shopping a lively, shareable experience? 🤗 Social Ecommerce with YouKnowMeBest: Think of it as your shopping buddy and smart assistant rolled into one. Our AI helps you find what you need, while you get to chat and share with friends for advice on your finds, making every shopping trip engaging and fun. 📦 Traditional Ecommerce: It gets the job done, but it’s like shopping in a quiet store where you’re the only customer, and there's no one to ask, "Hey, how does this look?" No more second-guessing or solo scrolling! #YouKnowMeBest #ecommerce #ykmb #onlineshopping #experiencecommerce #socialcommerce YouKnowMeBest. Real-life shopping experience online! youknowme.best

For most of us, live shopping is a new concept, besides the occasional purchase on QVC.  However, globally this is not the case. In China, for instance, a report by HSBC in September 2023 suggested that the live shopping market would reach a staggering $720 billion.  …indicating massive potential for live shopping in other markets, including the UK!

Someone who is bringing this to the forefront of Europe and the UK is Guillaume Faure, co-founder of LiveMeUp, an integrated live-streaming platform that brings a new dimension to online shopping.  We all are familiar with TikTok shop, etc., however this way your live is also broadcasted ON your website, which is where you want your customers to be.  This wasn't his first venture into D2C, he also is a part of the brand AMA Pâtissière, where his wife uses live shopping to highlight how easy it is to create delicious desserts at home, which has proven to drive great results and it removes any double in consumers mind whether or not then will be able to make the dessert properly.  So, here are some top tips to liven up your live (according to LiveMeUp)! 1. Schedule regular live shopping events to keep your audience engaged and looking forward to your next showcase. It's all about consistency, whatever platform you may be on!  2. Encourage audience participation and offer special deals or exclusive previews to incentivize real-time purchases. 3. Partner and collaborate with other brands or influencers to expand your reach and add variety to your live sessions. Some may tune in just to see their favourite influencer promote their collection.  4. DON'T FORGET! Utilise analytics from your live sessions to understand customer preferences and tailor future content. Plus, want to hear about more amazing tech partners? Join us at GameChangers - a FREE monthly event that has become a hub for learning and growth, where founders, CEOs, and marketing teams converge to tackle today’s challenges, including TikTok marketing, AI integration, and coping with economic shifts. 🔗Sign up now ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e--iBMYh

Over the past 20 years, the internet has revolutionized our lives, simplifying mundane routines and saving time. From communication to work, almost no aspect of our lives is untouched by the power of the internet and technology. #SimplifiedB2B #internet #technology #digitalrevolution #lifestyle #convenience

IT meltdowns can wreck your reputation, but here's a company getting it right. Today GAIL's Bakery has no working tills across the UK. ( and my branch near the London Eye has a queue out of the door at the best of times ) So, this morning they've got people outside, all smiles, asking folks to order on the app for in-store pickup. Clever, right? Well, almost. The app's letting people order stuff that the store doesn’t have. ( because the systems are down ) It's gonna be one hell of a day for them, no doubt. But they've got a game plan and they're running with it like pros. The takeaway here? This isn't just about Gail's though. It applies to every business. When the tech fails (and it will) it's your plan and your people that save the day. So yes, invest in tech. But invest more into planning and people. That's how you turn a PR nightmare into showing what your company's really made of. In the age of AI, it's still the personal touch that makes or breaks the customer experience.

In today’s market, protecting consumers from counterfeit products is a growing challenge, especially in industries like beauty where safety is paramount. Counterfeit beauty products not only pose health risks but also undermine trust in legitimate brands. At Berify, we’ve developed an innovative solution. Our real-time product authentication technology leverages blockchain-based traceability, providing consumers with instant verification of product authenticity. Every product is assigned a unique digital identity, making it nearly impossible for counterfeiters to replicate. We’re also excited to add rewards and gamification to the process. By scanning products and verifying authenticity, consumers can earn rewards with our vertically integrated point system, encouraging them to make safer, smarter purchasing decisions. This gamified approach not only engages users but also incentivizes them to actively protect their health and the brands they love. Berify also plugs right into any Shopify driven store, with the ability to turn rewards into coupons to drive further sales into a brand's funnel. Advanced analytics within our dashboard can help brands understand their customers on a more engaged front. Add customized content catered to the viewers, send recall notifications, and more. With Berify, we’re not just addressing a growing problem—we’re using technology to protect the integrity of entire industries, while rewarding consumers for doing their part. If you're a beauty brand and want to increase your valuation by adding data, shoot me a DM!