Sam Shares #3: Conversational e-commerce hackathon, decision-making and webinar invitation

With some delay, here's the third edition of the Sam Shares Newsletter. Only the third edition and I already missed a deadline, shame on me. In my defence, I had to cover some vacations and illnesses over the past few weeks, so content receded into the background.

Now, we're back on track. Let's start off by introducing today's topics.

1. Hackathon in Biarritz: Exploring conversational e-commerce
2. Shopify webinar: Account structure and checkout extensibility
3. How to make better decisions in 2024: Mental Models
4. Oot Granola is advertising on TV: Did we pass the test?
5. Conway & Co's e-commerce predictions
6. Tool-tip

A 1-week Hackathon: Exploring conversational e-commerce

It is in all 2024 forecasts out there: The rise of AI will continue in 2024. New tools are popping up everywhere, but in the abundance of novelties I'm missing clarity and impact. So, that got us thinking: Can we be the ones to leverage the power of LLMs for e-commerce brands?

I invited fellow dear digital tech-geek Michiel Vandewalle for a hackathon in Biarritz to explore the possibilities. The full extent of the hackathon is for some other time, but in short here is what we did.

Our goal was to see how LLMs could improve online shopping experiences. Together with Gadget , we developed a Shopify app that makes it easier for customers to find what they need.

For instance, they can type in requests like "red running shoes in size 43, needed by the weekend" and get quick, accurate results.

But we wanted more than just a search tool. We built a model that creates dynamic, on-brand pages based on customer interactions.

It's like having a conversation with the entire website content, where the system continuously offers relevant information and products based on ongoing customer input. This means a more enjoyable and efficient shopping experience and cuts down on endless scrolling and guessing.

We will keep on testing this, and hopefully be able to implement it in the next few months. Feel free to reach out if you want to know more!

Something for fellow Shopify-enthusiasts

From AI to Shopify, it's juggling between my two favourite things.

Next Wednesday at 4 PM, it's time to tune in for those who want to make their Shopify store stand out in 2024. We'll dive deep into the new customer account and checkout extensibility. Super relevant features, but often overlooked.

If you're interested, claim your spot here!

How to make better decisions in 2024: Mental Models

Next up is my go-to source to read through to help me get my thought processes in place. It's super relevant to read in the beginning of the year to try and instil some better mental models for 2024 that will help you get you where you want to get. If you're in a decision-making position, it's a must-read.

Oot migrated to Shopify to handle TV-commercial traffic

Oot Granola has launched a big tv campaign this week. With the new year's resolutions fresh in the memory, it's all hands on deck for Oot and other brands that preach a healthy lifestyle.

Last year, Oot had the same intentions: Start off the year with a bang on tv.

? It didn't end well. Their WooCommerce infrastructure couldn't handle the traffic, the site kept on crashing.

? This year, the situation is different. dear digital migrated Oot from WooCommerce to Shopify.

Over the past few weeks, we stress-tested Oot's tech stack.

• Shopify's front-end and checkout are highly scalable, so this went flawless.
• For subscriptions, we work with Firmhouse. Their robust systems also passed the test.
• To connect everything we deployed custom applications. After an in-depth inspection, also no issues here.

Exciting times to see if the whole stack remains unbreakable. For now, Shopify beats WooCommerce (easily). For any platform migration questions, feel free to contact me!

Conway & Co's 2024 predictions

We couldn't have said it better ourselves, so here's a shameless repost of Conway & Co's 'E-commerce trends for 2024' predictions.

Tool tip: Stey.ai

Stey.ai provides AI solutions to improve business efficiency. They use AI for tasks like predictive analytics and automation, helping businesses make smarter decisions and streamline operations. Their approach is customised to each company's needs, ensuring effective AI integration for better productivity and innovation.

This was it for this week. Thank you for sticking with me until the end. By the next edition, Shopify's Winter Edition will be out, so expect nothing but greatness in Sam Shares #4.

Take care and see you in two weeks!

Sam