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The CommerceNext Growth Show is where retail leaders, ecommerce trailblazers, and brand builders come together to shape the next wave of digital commerce.
Unofficially CommerceNext, brought to you by ClickZ and powered by Fospha, is your insider lens on what’s really driving the industry forward. We’ll deliver the stories, takeaways, and strategies that cut through the noise—and help you make the most of every session, speaker, and hallway conversation.
Whether you're in NYC or following from afar, our coverage will keep you informed, connected, and one step ahead—across retail media, AI, Gen Z, loyalty, and everything in between.
Let’s get into it.
As we prepare for CommerceNext Growth Show 2025, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of the standout insights from last year’s gathering.
🔁 What Last Year Taught Us
🧪 Brands started testing interest before building anything.
Tractor Supply ran a simple test on their site—a link to a yet-to-exist “tractor configurator” tool. If a visitor clicked, they were told it was coming soon and prompted to leave their email. Enough people clicked to justify development. No build time, no spend, just a validated signal. Teams used this method to avoid wasted investment and move quicker in validating demand.
📊 Retailers stopped relying on last-click attribution.
Estee Lauder shared a framework combining three metrics: product desirability (based on Google Trends), consideration (based on unique visitors), and sales. This shift gave their teams a more realistic view of how influencer-led campaigns performed, particularly in the early days of launch when sales may not yet spike.
👉 That’s where Fospha comes in.
Estee Lauder’s approach showed the value of looking beyond immediate conversions to understand the full impact of influencer activity. Fospha helps marketers apply that thinking at scale.
Its full-funnel measurement platform connects early indicators like search trends with final purchase data, across paid social, search, and marketplaces like Amazon. The result is a clearer picture of what’s working—without waiting for sales spikes to justify spend. For teams under pressure to prove ROI, that clarity matters.
♻️ Loyalty became more about consistency than mechanics.
Angela Clark from Patagonia explained that the company doesn’t run a traditional loyalty programme. Instead, it relies on the repeatability of good product and the credibility of its environmental mission. Their customers come back because they agree with the company’s position and know what to expect—not because of rewards points.
📱 App ecosystems were used for cleaner data.
Victoria’s Secret discussed how its app gave them access to high-quality first-party data. This included logged-in user sessions and permission-based behavioural signals. Those insights were used to personalize campaigns and reduce dependence on third-party cookies.
📈 CMOs aligned more with finance than brand language.
Sessions pointed to a shift in how marketing leaders communicate internally. Instead of focusing on reach or awareness, discussions focused on revenue contribution, customer lifetime value, and retention. This helped marketing functions defend budgets during planning cycles.
🔮 What to Watch at CommerceNext Growth Show 2025
Key Theme | Session to Watch |
|---|---|
AI with clear business impact AI took center stage this year, as a tool reshaping how brands personalize, optimize, and scale. Sessions explored how retailers are measuring ROI from AI investments, and using AI to support decision-making across the customer journey. | 🔹 Crushing the Customer Experience With AI at Wayfair 🔹 Behind the Seams: Stitching AI and Analytics Into CX 🔹 From AI Pilot to Astronaut: Building ROI Savvy AI Evaluation Processes and Mindsets |
Omnichannel and Customer Experience CommerceNext 2025 put a spotlight on how brands are connecting digital and physical experiences. From fulfillment innovations to store design, leaders shared how they are adapting infrastructure and workflows to meet customers wherever they are. | 🔹 Seamless by Design: IKEA’s Blueprint for Customer Experience Across Every Channel 🔹 Connected Omni Experiences—Wins, Losses and Lessons Learned 🔹 Turning Store Shoppers into Omni Shoppers |
Retail Media and Marketplace Strategy Retail media is maturing fast, and brands are figuring out how to turn it into a long-term growth engine. Sessions covered marketplace expansion, full-funnel media performance, and how to balance monetization with customer experience. | 🔹 The Bigger RMN Opportunity: Commerce Media is the Future of Media 🔹 From Fragmentation to Full-Funnel: Shaping a Collaborative Future for Retailers & RMNs 🔹 Minimizing the Tradeoff: Balancing Retail Media ROI with a Seamless Brand Experience |
Gen Z and Community Building Younger consumers are changing the playbook, from their expectations on authenticity to how they engage on social platforms. Speakers shared practical guidance on what actually resonates with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and how to build lasting relevance. | 🔹 Gen Z Panel: Decoding Gen Z Professionals: The Future of Retail Through Their Eyes 🔹 TikTok Shops & Social Commerce 🔹 The Future of Retail: Blending Digital, Physical and Community |
Loyalty and Brand Growth Loyalty today is rooted in emotional connection, first-party data, and experiences that feel personal. CommerceNext sessions explored how leading brands are rethinking loyalty as a long-term growth lever. | 🔹 Building Emotional Connections for Loyalty in a Digital-First World 🔹 The New LTV Playbook: AI, Services & the Path to Profit 🔹 The Loyalty Shift: Transforming Transactions into Lasting Relationships |
💬 On the ground and want to connect?
The ClickZ team will be at CommmerceNext, speaking with brands about AI, measurement, and brand performance. We’re collecting insights for post-event coverage — and we’d like yours in it.
📲 Like what you’re seeing?
And that’s just the beginning. We’ve got exclusive insights and game-changing ideas coming your way in the next few weeks — all designed to keep you ahead of the curve. Stay tuned, because CommerceNext Growth Show 2025 is about to get even more exciting!
The Unofficially CommerceNext Team
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