Introduction: Why Digital Marketing Is Critical for Fashion in 2026

In 2026, digital marketing is no longer a support function for fashion brands—it is the main growth engine. Today, over 90% of fashion sales are influenced by digital marketing, whether the final transaction happens online or offline. Consumers discover brands on social media, compare prices on search engines, read reviews, receive newsletters, and are retargeted across multiple touchpoints before making a purchase.

This guide is published by Digital Fashion Academy, an international training platform dedicated to fashion eCommerce, digital marketing, CRM, and digital transformation. It is designed for fashion professionals, brand founders, eCommerce managers, and marketing teams who want a clear, practical, and industry-specific framework.

Before diving into channels and tactics, one prerequisite must be in place: a clearly defined Brand DNA—mission, vision, positioning, and tone of voice. Without it, digital marketing becomes inefficient, expensive, and inconsistent.

➡️ Recommended reading: Fashion Brand DNA – How to Define Positioning and Tone of Voice
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/fashion-brand-dna/

What Is Digital Marketing for the Fashion Industry?

Digital Marketing for Fashion is the strategic management of digital channels—such as search engines, social media, email, and digital advertising—with the goal of:

• Building brand awareness and positioning
• Acquiring and retaining customers
• Generating qualified traffic, leads, and sales
• Optimising Cost per Acquisition (CPA) and Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS)

In fashion, digital marketing is not just about performance. Every campaign, image, video, influencer collaboration, and newsletter contributes to shaping brand perception, which ultimately determines how much customers are willing to pay for your products.

Digital Marketing and Fashion eCommerce

A fashion eCommerce website does not sell by itself. It requires a continuous flow of qualified traffic and a coordinated set of marketing activities across the entire funnel.

The digital marketing team plays a crucial role in:

• Driving traffic to product pages and collections
• Supporting merchandising and seasonal launches
• Increasing conversion rates
• Building long-term customer relationships

In 2026, successful fashion eCommerce brands adopt a full-funnel and omnichannel approach, integrating media, content, CRM, and analytics.

Core Digital Marketing Channels for Fashion Brands

Fashion brands typically rely on a mix of the following digital channels:

• Search Engines (Organic – SEO)
• Search Engines (Paid – SEA / Google Ads)
• Social Media (Organic and Paid)
• Direct Email Marketing (DEM)
• Affiliate Marketing & Partnerships
• Referral Traffic & Digital PR
• Direct Traffic (Brand Strength)

The ability to drive qualified traffic from these channels—and to measure their performance—is a core skill for any Digital Marketing Manager in the fashion industry.

At Digital Fashion Academy, these topics are covered in depth in the Digital Marketing for Fashion learning path.

➡️ Explore the course:
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/fashion-digital-marketing/

What are the Key Digital Marketing Activities and Skills?

Digital marketing for fashion eCommerce spans multiple disciplines, each requiring specialised skills.

Content Marketing

• Copywriting and web writing
• Content localisation for international markets
• Fashion photography and video production
• Image optimisation
• Web design fundamentals and basic HTML

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, highlighting the necessity for fashion brands to optimize their online presence to capture this substantial traffic source.

• Technical SEO
• On-page and content SEO
• Inbound link generation
• Social media SEO
• SEO analytics and performance tracking

Learn how to generate free qualified traffic on your brand website with the SEO Masterclass by Oliwia Urban

Performance Marketing

• Search Engine Advertising (SEA)
• Paid social advertising
• Affiliate marketing
• Display and video advertising
• Retargeting and remarketing

Key KPIs include CPC, CPA, ROAS, engagement metrics, and eCommerce conversion rate.

Digital PR

• Online media relations
• Influencer and stakeholder management
• Online press offices and brand storytelling

Social Media Marketing

• Platform-specific content strategy
• Community management
• Social commerce and in-channel conversions
• Market-specific platforms (e.g. WeChat in China)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Email marketing
• Lead generation and onboarding programs
• Loyalty programs
• Customer database management
• CRM analytics: acquisition, retention, churn

CRM is one of the most critical skills for fashion brands in a cookieless and privacy-first world. Owning customer data and activating it across marketing channels is a decisive competitive advantage.

➡️ Related course: CRM for Fashion Brands
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/online-courses/crm/

Artificial Intelligence and Digital Marketing in Fashion

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping fashion marketing faster than any previous technology shift.

From Execution to Strategy

In 2026, AI is fully embedded into digital marketing platforms. Google, Meta, TikTok, and other ecosystems increasingly automate:

• Bidding and budget allocation
• Targeting and audience expansion
• Creative testing and optimisation

As a result, the role of the Digital Marketing Manager evolves from operator to strategist. The marketer becomes an architect of AI, orchestrating tools, data, and platforms to maximise efficiency and performance.

This transformation is analysed in depth in Digital Fashion Academy’s editorial content and executive interviews.

➡️ Recommended article: The Evolving Role of the Fashion Digital Marketing Manager in the Age of AI
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/

The Central Role of Data

AI-driven marketing depends on high-quality first-party data. Fashion brands must be able to:

• Integrate data from multiple channels
• Analyse performance at campaign, product, and customer level
• Use advanced dashboards and BI tools

Generative AI and Creative Production

Generative AI is transforming creative workflows:

• Automated production of multi-format ad assets
• Scalable localisation for international markets
• Faster testing of creative variations

This enables brands to improve CTR, reduce production costs, and accelerate global expansion.

➡️ Upskill for the AI-driven future of fashion management
🎓 Executive Master in AI for Fashion – Learn how to manage data, automation and AI-powered platforms.
👉 AI for Fashion Executive Master

Why Email Marketing Still Dominates in 2026

Newsletter and Email Marketing Automation generate up to 30% of revenues for fashion ecommerce. Despite new channels and technologies, email marketing remains one of the most profitable tools for fashion brands.

Key reasons:

• Full ownership of customer data
• Privacy-first and cookieless-ready
• Direct impact on both online and offline sales

For many fashion eCommerce businesses, email marketing generates 10% to 30% of total revenue.

Key Email Marketing KPIs

• Revenue per delivered email
• Deliverability rate
• Open rate and click-through rate
• Unsubscribe rate

Successful newsletters are:

• Well-segmented
• Story-driven
• Aligned with a structured content calendar

Learn from Golden Goose expert Gaetano Vancheri how to grow online sales with email marketing campaigns, discover the online course:

Email Marketing and Marketing Automation for Fashion

The Fashion Digital Marketing Funnel in 2026

Fashion marketing performance must be analysed across the entire funnel, not just at the point of sale.

1. Brand Awareness & First Visits

• First interactions with the brand
• Low conversion expectations
• Key goals: visibility, engagement, newsletter sign-ups

2. Micro-Conversions

Signals of interest include:

• Multiple page views
• Time spent on site
• Account creation
• Wishlist and add-to-cart actions

3. Macro-Conversions (Purchase)

Conversions usually happen after multiple touchpoints across channels. This is the essence of omnichannel fashion marketing.

4. Retention & Loyalty

After purchase, the focus shifts to:

• Customer experience
• Repeat purchases
• Reviews and word of mouth

Retention tools include CRM, loyalty programs, reviews, and community engagement.

Measuring ROI in Social Media and Influencer Marketing

Social media marketing works because it mirrors word-of-mouth dynamics. However, measurement is essential.

Key objectives:

• Brand awareness growth
• Engagement quality
• Sales impact (direct and assisted)

KPIs should be divided into:

• Micro-conversions (followers, comments, saves)
• Macro-conversions (sales, leads)

Quality of engagement matters more than volume.

How to Choose the Right Social Media Channels for fashion brands

Fashion brands should focus only on platforms they can manage effectively and speak the language of:

• Instagram – Visual storytelling, broad audience
• TikTok – Entertainment-driven content, Gen Z
• Facebook – Product news, commerce-oriented
• YouTube – Long-form video, education, live content
• LinkedIn – Corporate communication and employer branding

Risks and Limitations of Social Media

Key downsides include:

• Lack of ownership of audience data
• Algorithm changes reducing organic visibility
• Content rights transferred to platforms

This is why CRM and first-party data strategies are critical in 2026.

How to Build a Digital Marketing Plan for Fashion

An effective fashion digital marketing plan includes:

1. Objectives and targets
2. Budget definition
3. Channel strategy
4. Messaging and content
5. Marketing calendar
6. Measurement framework
7. Funnel management

At Digital Fashion Academy, the digital marketing plan is treated as an operational tool—not just a strategy document.

➡️ Step-by-step guide: How to Create a Digital Marketing Plan for Fashion eCommerce
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/creating-a-digital-marketing-plan-for-fashion-e-commerce/

The goal is always measurable performance: sales, leads, and qualified traffic.

Digital Marketing Budget and Prioritisation

A typical fashion digital marketing budget includes:

• Search and social advertising
• Retargeting and video
• Affiliates
• Email marketing platforms
• Content creation
• SEO and technical optimisation
• Digital PR and social media management

Activities should be prioritised based on ROAS and CPA, ensuring marketing investments are sustainable and profitable.

Final Thoughts: Digital Marketing as a Competitive Advantage

In 2026, digital marketing excellence is one of the strongest competitive advantages for fashion brands. Those who master data, AI, content, and customer relationships will outperform competitors—not only in sales, but in brand value and long-term growth.

At Digital Fashion Academy, we work with professionals and companies to turn digital marketing theory into practical, measurable results through courses, executive education, and applied case studies.

➡️ Explore all courses and programs:
https://www.digitalfashionacademy.com/

Digital marketing is no longer about isolated campaigns. It is about building an integrated, measurable, and customer-centric ecosystem that supports the brand at every stage of its journey.

Digital marketing for fashion online course.

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Learn Ecommerce & Digital Skills for Fashion from Industry Experts

Build real-world ecommerce skills for the fashion industry with professional online courses created by senior digital leaders from fashion and luxury brands.

✔ Industry-recognised certification
✔ 100% online & flexible learning
✔ Practical case studies & real projects

Digital Fashion Academy is a specialised online academy focused exclusively on fashion ecommerce, digital marketing, merchandising, UX, buying and finance.

Explore courses and Enrol

Our Best Ecommerce Courses for Fashion

1. Ecommerce & Digital Marketing for Fashion

Learn how to grow fashion ecommerce sales through digital marketing, performance strategy and omnichannel thinking.

You will learn

• Ecommerce strategy for fashion brands
• SEO, paid media, email marketing & CRM
• Customer journey and conversion optimization
• Analytics, dashboards and KPIs

Course highlights

• Approx. 58 hours of content
• Industry certification
• Practical projects and quizzes
• One-to-one mentoring sessions

View Course Details

Ecommerce & Digital Marketing: A to Z training on Digital Business

€ 2’150

2. Fashion Ecommerce Management

Develop the skills required to manage and scale a fashion ecommerce business end-to-end.

You will learn

• Ecommerce business models and value chain
• Merchandising, pricing and promotions
• Logistics, payments and operations
• Ecommerce KPIs and performance management

Course highlights

• Flexible self-paced learning
• Industry certification
• Strong focus on strategy and management

View Course Details

Fashion eCommerce Course & Certification

€ 1’750

Learn how to manage a successful fashion e-commerce business with a focus on sustainable growth. Develop hands-on experience with essential tools, workflows, and KPIs trusted by leading professionals and luxury brands. This comprehensive course covers the e-commerce value chain from strategic planning to day-to-day store operations, with clear learning goals, practical tools, case studies, exercises, quizzes, and workshops to apply what you learn. Update your skills, accelerate your career, and learn flexibly online while earning a globally recognised certification.

3. Ecommerce Merchandising for Fashion

Master online merchandising techniques to increase conversion, sell-through and profitability.

You will learn

• Digital merchandising strategies
• Category structure and product hierarchy
• Pricing, promotions and markdowns
• Data-driven merchandising decisions

View Course Details

eCommerce Merchandising

€ 75

Learn the principles, tools, and strategies of luxury eCommerce merchandising.
On-demand: start immediately
Class 1.5 hours
Teacher: Matteo Trombetta, Head of E-Merchandising at Loewe

4. Ecommerce Fashion Photography

Learn how to create high-performing product images that improve conversion and brand perception.

You will learn

• Ecommerce photography standards for fashion
• Styling for product and editorial shoots
• Image optimization for ecommerce platforms
• Workflow between creative and ecommerce teams

View Course Details

Ecommerce Fashion Photography

€ 75

Learn how to create high-impact ecommerce photography that elevates your fashion brand and drives conversions. Discover the best practices of leading fashion and luxury brands for ecommerce photography: photo studio set-up, talent management, types of shots, styling and workflow optimisation. Boost your online sales or accelerate your career with this ecommerce fashion photography course.

5. Fashion Buying for Ecommerce

Understand how buying strategies change in an ecommerce-driven fashion business.

You will learn

• Ecommerce buying strategies
• Budget planning and assortment building
• Demand forecasting and stock optimization
• Collaboration between buying and merchandising

View Course Details

Ecommerce Buying

€ 75

Learn the fundamentals of fashion buying for e-commerce. Gain an overview of tools and metrics used by Ecommerce buyers. Learn buying techniques, best practices and essential skills in range planning, and sales analysis. Designed by fashion professionals.

6. UX Design for Fashion Ecommerce

Design user experiences that convert and support the fashion customer journey.

You will learn

• UX principles for fashion ecommerce
• Navigation, filters and product pages
• Conversion-driven UX design
• Usability testing and optimization

View Course Details

UX design for Fashion Ecommerce

€ 75

Learn how to design high-performing fashion eCommerce experiences that convert. Discover best practices, tools and KPIs used by professionals to create luxury-inspired shopping journeys that build trust and drive sales.

7. Fashion Ecommerce Finance

Understand the financial drivers behind profitable ecommerce growth.

You will learn

• Ecommerce P&L for fashion brands
• Cost structure and margin management
• CAC, LTV and profitability metrics
• Financial planning for ecommerce expansion

View Course Details

Fashion eCommerce Finance: From P&L to Profitability

€ 450

Learn how to manage e-commerce financial performance and drive profitability in the online fashion industry. Master the fundamentals of P&L management, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and financial reporting using best practices adopted by global fashion brands. This comprehensive course equips you with the tools to strengthen your financial decision-making, optimise margins, and support sustainable e-commerce growth. Update your skills, accelerate your career, and learn flexibly online while earning a globally recognised certification.

Shopify free training at Shopify Academy

For a basic introduction to ecommerce I recommend the free training available at Shopify Academy online. There is a good free introductory course to ecommerce that cover the essentials of

• User Experience Design,
• Wireframing,
• Copywriting
• Product Photography
• Pricing
• Search Engine Optimisation
• Email Marketing
• and how to set up a Shopify Ecommerce Website.

The course is called First Day to First Sale and it’s available for free after registering.

What Our Students Say

“The most practical fashion ecommerce courses I’ve attended — everything is applicable immediately.”

“Clear structure, real fashion case studies and expert instructors.”

Launching an eCommerce website for an affordable jewellery brand is an exciting step, but it’s also one that requires a business plan, a vision and expertise. Too often, brands think of eCommerce as simply “building a website”. In reality, a successful online store is the result of a well-defined process that combines strategy, content, user experience, technology and marketing.

At Digital Fashion Academy, we help brands and retailers design and launch Shopify eCommerce stores that are not only visually appealing, but also ready to sell, scale and compete in a crowded market.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the complete process of setting up a Shopify eCommerce website for an affordable jewellery brand, and explain how our consultancy and implementation service supports you at every step.

Why Shopify Is the Ideal Platform for Affordable Luxury Brands

Shopify is one of the most powerful and flexible eCommerce platforms available today, particularly for fashion and luxury brands. It allows you to:

• Launch quickly without complex technical development
• Manage products, prices and collections easily
• Offer a seamless mobile shopping experience
• Integrate payments, shipping and taxes in a scalable way
• Connect marketing channels such as Google, Instagram and Facebook

For affordable luxury brands, where high volume, mobile traffic and efficient operations are key — Shopify provides the ideal balance between simplicity and performance.

Step 1: Strategy & eCommerce Foundations

Before building anything, we start with strategy, to ensure that the Shopify store is aligned with your brand positioning and commercial goals.

Key activities include:

• Defining the target customer and their buying behaviour
• Clarifying price positioning and value proposition
• Analysing competitors and reference brands
• Identifying key collections and hero products
• Defining the markets as country-language combinations and rules to serve them
• Defining success metrics (conversion rate, average order value, traffic sources)

For affordable luxury brands, strategic clarity is essential to avoid competing only on price and instead build perceived value and trust.

Step 2: Product Content Creation – The Heart of Your Store

Product content is the most critical element of any affordable luxury eCommerce website. No theme or advertising campaign can compensate for weak product presentation.

We support brands in structuring and creating:

• High-quality product photography (studio and/or lifestyle)
• Clear and consistent product naming
• Detailed product descriptions including:
  • Materials and finishes
  • Sizes and dimensions
  • Usage and styling suggestions
  • Care instructions
  • Tags and attributes
• Variants such as colours, sizes or sets

Strong product content increases conversion rates, reduces returns and improves SEO performance.

Step 3: Shopify Store Setup & Visual Experience

Once the foundations are defined, we move into the Shopify setup phase.

This includes:

• Theme selection and customization
• Homepage structure focused on best sellers, collections and trust elements
• Product page layouts optimized for conversion
• Mobile-first design (essential for fashion, jewellery, beauty shopping)
• Consistent branding across all pages

The goal is to create a clean, elegant and trustworthy experience that reflects the brand while remaining fast and easy to navigate.

Step 4: Collections, Navigation & Filters

As your catalogue grows, structure becomes essential for usability and conversion.

We teach you how to configure, and support you in the configuration of:

• Smart collections (by product type, price range, material, style or occasion)
• Clear navigation menus
• Advanced filters to help customers find products quickly
• Internal linking for better SEO and discoverability

For affordable luxury brands, good navigation helps customers browse more products, increasing both time on site and average order value.

Step 5: Legal Compliance & Trust Elements

Trust is fundamental in online luxury sales, especially for new or emerging brands.

We configure all essential legal and trust components, including:

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Returns and Refund Policy
• Cookie consent and GDPR compliance
• Payment icons, guarantees and customer reassurance elements

This step protects your business and reassures customers at the moment of purchase.

Step 6: Payments, Shipping & Tax Configuration

A smooth checkout experience directly impacts conversion rates.

We set up:

• Payment gateways (Shopify Payments, PayPal, Klarna and others)
• Shipping methods and pricing rules
• Tax configuration based on your markets
• Automated order and customer notifications

Everything is tested to ensure reliability before launch.

Step 7: Marketing & External Integrations

A Shopify store should be built with growth in mind from day one.

We connect and configure:

• Google Analytics and GA4
• Google Ads
• Google Merchant Center for Shopping Ads
• Google My Business
• Meta (Instagram and Facebook)
• Social commerce integrations

This ensures accurate data tracking and allows you to activate digital marketing campaigns immediately after launch.

Step 8: Testing, Launch & Team Training

Before going live, we conduct a full quality check:

• Checkout and payment testing
• Mobile and desktop usability tests
• SEO and performance checks

We provide training and coaching so your team can confidently:

• Manage products and collections
• Process orders
• Handle basic marketing and content updates

How Digital Fashion Academy Supports Your Shopify Project

At Digital Fashion Academy, we don’t just “build websites”. We guide fashion and jewellery brands through the entire eCommerce setup process, combining:

• Fashion & Luxury eCommerce expertise
• Shopify technical implementation
• UX and conversion optimization
• Digital marketing readiness

Our approach is ideal for affordable luxury brands that want a professional Shopify store that is ready to sell, compliant, scalable and aligned with long-term growth.

Ready to Launch or Improve Your Jewellery eCommerce?

If you are planning to launch a Shopify store for your jewellery brand — or want to improve an existing one — our team can support you from strategy to launch and beyond.

Contact us to discuss your Shopify eCommerce project and discover how we can help you build a store that truly performs.

If you’re a small fashion brand owner or fashion marketing professional juggling 13847 tasks at once – writing ALL your marketing copy on a tiny budget can feel like you’ve been hired to style an entire editorial shoot with just three pieces. Impossible! 

Evelina Kaganovitch

Fashion Marketer, Creative Strategist, and Copywriter | Founder of Evelina Kreative
Melbourne, Australia

Evelina helps fashion entrepreneurs craft messaging strategies that convert into high-performing copy for websites, sales pages, ads, emails, and other marketing assets.

If you’re stuck in the middle of pumping out product descriptions, social media posts, ads, emails, and new weekly blog posts… AND you don’t have a fashion copywriter on call 24/7, then you need to read this. 

Here is everything you need to know about making ChatGPT your new copywriting and marketing assistant. If you learn to use AI in your fashion marketing workflow the RIGHT way – you’ll see that it’s 100x MORE reliable than the *assistant* Miranda Priestly always dreamt of.

This isn’t about replacing human creativity; AI hasn’t mastered the art of a perfectly timed fashion reference yet. It’s about using fashion tech to streamline, scale, and speed up your content creation process, giving you MORE time to focus on what you do best… creating amazing fashion experiences for your customers.

Even McKinsey published a report titled Generative AI: Unlocking the future of fashion – confirming what marketers have been saying that AI is NOT going anywhere.

Why ChatGPT is perfect for fashion marketing

Small fashion businesses are turning to AI tools faster than shoppers rush to a sample sale, and here’s why. When you’re bootstrapping a brand, every dollar counts. Traditional copywriting services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars monthly (and as a fashion copywriter, I can guarantee you they are 100% worth it, BUT they are not worth going into debt for). ChatGPT costs less than a cup of coffee a day and can still create content that grows your marketing and saves you time.

ChatGPT is SO good at doing the 80% of grunt work that in a fashion agency setting, a more junior marketer or copywriter would do. Think of it as a marketing assistant that brings your vision and strategy to life. 

Need social media captions that capture the vibe of your latest collection? Done. 

Want to draft email campaigns for your seasonal sale? Consider it handled. 

Looking for product descriptions that actually sell? ChatGPT can generate these fast.

The best AI for copywriting shines when you’re dealing with high-volume content needs. Instead of staring at a blank page, wondering how to describe your fifteenth pair of earrings this week, you can generate multiple variations and choose the one that resonates most with your brand aesthetic and voice.

The benefits (good) and limitations (bad) of ChatGPT

Benefits of using ChatGPT in fashion marketing:

Speed is ChatGPT’s superpower. What might take you an hour to write can be drafted in minutes, leaving you more time for strategic planning or creative development. Cost-wise, it’s great for small business content marketing. You’re looking at a monthly subscription that costs less than a single freelance blog post.

The versatility factor can’t be ignored either. ChatGPT handles everything from Instagram captions to email sequences to blog posts about styling tips. It’s like having an LBD for your content needs.

Limitations of using ChatGPT in fashion copywriting:

AI generated copy can feel as generic as fast fashion if you don’t add your personal touch. ChatGPT doesn’t understand the subtle emotional triggers that make your brand unique. It can’t capture the feeling of slipping into that perfect vintage jacket or the confidence boost from wearing a piece that truly represents your style.

As I usually tell my clients… “AI works well for tasks like generating product descriptions or email drafts, but it needs a human touch to ensure the messaging resonates with your audience.”

How to Use ChatGPT for copywriting and marketing in your fashion business

Using AI for Email Campaigns 

Email marketing is a great marketing channel for all fashion business owners and fashion marketing professionals. Add ChatGPT to your email marketing tech stack to brainstorm and organise content ideas, draft click-worthy subject lines, and engaging copy.

How ChatGPT can write Product Descriptions

For many small fashion brands, product descriptions are a big time taker. With new styles dropping monthly, or even every few months, it can feel demanding to constantly think of what to write to win over customers to buy your product. Try using ChatGPT to generate your product descriptions, which can help speed up your workflow. 

The best use of ChatGPT for Social Media content

Social Media can feel like a never-ending grind. Many fashion brands rely on social media as a key marketing channel to connect with loyal customers and attract new ones. This means there’s always a need to create new, engaging social media content across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn… and the list goes on. Integrate ChatGPT into your workflow to accelerate the process, reclaim your time, and generate content ideas that genuinely engage your audience. 

Speed up Blog Content creation with AI

If you’re creating educational content like blog posts, authority driven pieces, or writing long form articles, that positions you as a fashion authority, ChatGPT can help. Ask ChatGPT to help create topic outlines, draft blogs, and even edit and spell check final versions. You can ask AI to help you with anything from writing guides, seasonal trends, to styling guides, or industry insights that keep your audience coming back for more.

The 80/20 rule of using ChatGPT in fashion and still sounding human

10% – You come up with the overall strategy and direction of the content and give ChatGPT a really insightful prompt to give you the best output. 

80% – The generative AI does the heavy lifting of coming up with outlines, first drafts, and headline ideas.

10% – You come in for a final edit to give it a ‘human’ touch at the end, ensuring the content still carries your brand’s personality, voice, and tone. 

Simple editing tips for making AI sound *On Brand*

The magic happens in the editing phase. Once you have your ChatGPT generated draft, then adjust the tone to match your brand personality. Make sure you’re clear on your brand values and brand voice so all your content across different channels sounds like YOU or your brand. 

The extra hidden layer is sprinkling in personal anecdotes or specific details that only you would know about your products or design process. 

Pay attention to vocabulary/word choices. If your audience consists of eco-conscious millennials, incorporate sustainability language naturally. If you’re targeting luxury consumers, elevate the sophistication level of your descriptions. 

Use ChatGPT’s regenerate feature strategically. If the first version feels too corporate, ask for a more conversational tone. If it’s too casual, request something more polished. Think of it as having multiple drafts at your fingertips.

Remove anything that looks and feels like the typical ChatGPT content

Here’s a quick checklist of the most commonly used AI nuances and words that make it obvious you used ChatGPT to write your content.

Ready to give your fashion marketing and copywriting a glow up?

ChatGPT is a TOOL. It’s not an entire solution. And it’s a powerful tool to have in your fashion tech stack, especially for small fashion businesses and fashion brand owners balancing multiple responsibilities. 

AI won’t replace the nuanced understanding of a seasoned copywriter, but it can be a great starting point if copywriting and content creation are something you find difficult. Look at AI as your fashion copywriting partner, not your replacement. Use it to overcome writer’s block, generate ideas, and handle routine copywriting tasks, then add your unique perspective to make the content authentically yours.

ChatGPT will never replace hiring a strategic high conversion fashion copywriter

A skilled fashion copywriter can work with you to streamline your entire marketing strategy and funnel. They can create copy that performs above industry averages. 

For brands that rely heavily on content to generate revenue, a fashion copywriter is a great investment to scale your business and connect with your audience on a deep, psychological level. 

When the time comes, if you would like to learn more about hiring a copywriter, DOWNLOAD this FREE GUIDE “How to Hire a Professional Copywriter,” and discover WHEN it’s time to invest in human expertise alongside your AI tools. 

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Your Step by Step Guide to hire a Copywriter

…that gets your fashion business

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ChatGPT for Fashion Marketing: AI Copywriting Guide 2025 [Download your free guide – created by high-conversion fashion copywriter]

Key takeaways from the Lesson by Oliwia Urban, Senior SEO Specialist at GA Agency.

7+ years of experience in international SEO strategy, on-page optimization, and content development. Known for delivering actionable, measurable results for fashion and lifestyle brands across markets such as the UK, US, Poland, and the Middle East. Leads a team of SEO professionals with a people-first, strategy-driven approach.

Evolving SEO with Google Algorithm Updates

Google’s algorithms have come a long way—from early PageRank and the 2003 Florida update aimed at reducing spam, through Panda, Penguin, Hummingbird, and RankBrain, to the recent AI-powered Helpful Content Update and SpamBrain. The focus has consistently shifted toward rewarding quality, relevance, and trust. In 2025, Google’s core updates and ongoing refinements emphasize high-quality, user-centric content paired with deeper AI understanding of user intent.

Adapting to the Age of “MSEO” and Zero-Click Trends
Today’s SEO isn’t just about Google—it’s about reaching audiences across multiple platforms (“MSEO”): Google, Bing, LinkedIn, AI-powered engines (e.g., ChatGPT, Perplexity), and more. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) have evolved to include AI overviews, rich snippets, shopping panels, “People Also Ask,” video and image carousels—often resulting in zero-click scenarios. To thrive, we optimize for these features: using schema markup, concise Q&A content, FAQs, bullet-point formatting, and localized SEO. This allows us to “answer in place” and capture valuable visibility directly in the SERP.

Here you are some of the key points about SERP evolution and AI impact:

Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are undergoing a significant transformation. Gone are the days of a simple layout with sponsored ads at the top and classic “blue links” below; today’s SERPs are rich with AI-driven features like AI Overviews, featured snippets, People Also Ask panels, image and video carousels, and shopping grids. These elements occupy more screen space and answer user queries directly—often without the user clicking through to a website. The goal of these changes is to enhance user experience: faster, easier answers tailored to intent, seasonality, and personal search history 

This shift has profound implications for SEO. With zero-click searches—where users don’t leave the SERP—increasing dramatically (up to 80% when AI Overviews are present), traditional click-through metrics are declining. To adapt, brands must optimize content for SERP features: structuring Q&A and FAQ sections, implementing schema markup, writing concise answers, and targeting keywords that trigger AI-driven elements. Visibility in AI Overviews and featured snippets—not just rankings—matters more than ever, as they build brand authority and influence even without clicks.

Google Shopping is evolving beyond bids to value-based ranking. 

With AI-infused shopping results, Google now evaluates product relevance and feed quality—alongside traditional bidding—to determine visibility. Well-structured, information-rich product feeds (complete with attributes like size, material, GTIN, pricing, and availability) are increasingly decisive. As a result, even without high bids, merchants with optimized feeds can outperform competitors simply by offering deeper, more accurate product data.

In-house vs. agency-managed shopping feed optimization? Partnering with an agency like ours offers immediate access to specialists who understand the latest tools, AI-driven feed generators, schema/structured-data implementation, and performance monitoring best practices. While in-house efforts require hiring and training multiple experts, agencies streamline processes and provide consistent optimization. For clients with extensive catalogues, this approach reduces workload—no need to juggle Google Merchant Center setup, AI-assisted structured data tools, or frequent feed audits—and avoids relying solely on ad spend to capture traffic and conversions.

Google Shopping is now driven by AI-powered ranking that values relevance and feed quality—not just bids—so merchants with well-structured, comprehensive product feeds (complete with accurate titles, images, pricing, stock, and review data) can outperform competitors regardless of budget. Partnering with an agency ensures your feeds are continuously optimized: specialists handle feed audits, structured-data implementation, attribution of reviews, and AI-driven feed improvements, while freeing you from managing Merchant Center complexities. This approach minimizes manual workload and maximizes performance—making ad spend more effective and improving visibility across Google Shopping and AI-driven shopping surfaces.

Link building for SEO

Link building remains a crucial aspect of SEO, but the emphasis has shifted firmly from quantity to quality. Search engines now prioritize backlinks from authoritative, relevant, and trustworthy sources, which means fashion brands should focus on building genuine relationships and earning links through valuable, niche-specific content. Effective strategies include personalized outreach tailored to a recipient’s audience, using AI to identify relevant linking opportunities at scale, and securing mentions through expert contributions or PR efforts. A strong, trusted backlink profile ultimately enhances domain authority and supports long-term SEO visibility and growth.

To summarize, SEO in 2025 requires a multidisciplinary approach: strong technical foundations, rich semantic content, and optimization for the AI-driven world. It’s no longer just about ranking—it’s about being the trusted source that AI systems cite and serving user intent in real time. 

The key takeaways:

🚀 1. AI-Driven Optimization based on AI-SEO, AEO & GEO:

– AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on structuring content—Q&A, structured data, concise conversational tone—to appear in AI responses like Google’s SGE, ChatGPT, or Perplexity
– GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) ensures your content gets cited or integrated in generative AI outputs, using metadata, llms.txt, and topical authority
A combined hybrid strategy—SEO + AEO + GEO—is essential to maintain visibility across both traditional search and AI‐powered platforms

🧠 2. AI-Enhanced Content Tools & Human Oversight

Tools like Surfer SEO, Clearscope, MarketMuse, and Alli AI enhance relevance and semantics—but human creativity must polish them to avoid generic, machine-like output
Efficiency is key: AI helps with metadata, ideation, summarization, and coding, but content needs authentic voices to stand out.

🎯 3. E-E-A-T & Originality
Google’s Experience-Expertise-Authority-Trustworthiness guidelines remain crucial. Featuring real authors, bios, and original research or data improves credibility
An “OriginalContentScore” rewards unique, experience-based insights over recycled content

⚡ 4. Core Web Vitals & UX
Technical metrics—LCP, FID, CLS—are now fundamentals for both SEO and AI indexing. Fast, stable pages enhance user engagement and bots’ crawling efficiency

🎙️ 5. Voice & Conversational Search
As voice assistants grow, use natural speech patterns and long-tail conversational keywords. Structuring content in FAQ or Q&A formats can capture voice search results

📹 6. Visual & Video SEO
Images and videos are critical: include rich metadata, alt-text, transcripts, and schema markup to surface in image/video carousels and AI answers

💬 7. Semantic Search & User Intent
SEO is shifting from keyword focus to intent: build topic clusters that cover related queries and contextually align with user needs

🌍 8. Zero-Click Answers & SERP Real Estate
With AI providing direct answers, optimize for featured snippets, People Also Ask, and knowledge panels. Even without clicks, you gain visibility

📍 9. Local & Mobile-First Optimization
Local businesses should leverage Google Business Profiles, hyper-local content, and voice search. Mobile-first design is essential as Google prioritizes mobile indexing

🛠️ 10. Emerging Tools & Metrics
New platforms (AI EngineBoost, Alli AI, RankIQ) support hybrid SEO, AEO, and GEO strategies
SEO metrics are evolving: monitor AI‐driven visibility (appearances in AI responses) not just rankings and CTR.

✅ 2025 SEO Checklist: discover the 5 key priorities:
1. Hybrid Optimization Combine SEO, AEO, GEO strategies
2. UX & Performance Core Web Vitals, mobile-first design
3. Authority Boost E-E-A-T with real authorship & data
4. AI Formatting FAQs, structured data, conversational tone
5. Visibility Metrics Track AI mentions and zero-click placements

About GA – Your Truly Omnichannel Digital Agency
GA is an omnichannel digital agency specializing in international markets. With local experts across 25+ countries speaking 18 languages, we ensure a truly local approach to SEO and paid media. This means strategies are tailored to each client’s specific market—aligned with local audience behaviours and cultural nuances—giving us a unique edge in delivering relevant, impactful campaigns.
At GA London headquarters, a team of 60+ specialists offer two core pillars of service: SEO and Paid Media. But their capabilities extend further, covering strategy planning, tools management, analytics, content writing, digital PR, CMS management, and comprehensive audits. We collaborate closely with clients to define and agree on tailored solutions upfront—solutions that drive measurable results and align with their business goals.

Video commerce is emerging as a powerful tool reshaping the way fashion brands connect with customers and sell products online.

So what is video commerce?
Video commerce refers to selling products directly through video content—either live or pre-recorded—where viewers can click and shop in real-time, without leaving the video. Think of it as QVC meets TikTok, but fully shoppable and digital-first. This trend is already booming in Asia and is steadily gaining traction in Europe and the U.S.

Why is it important now?
Attention is the new currency, and consumers, Gen Z and Millennials in particular, are spending more time watching short videos than browsing traditional eCommerce catalogs. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are not just for entertainment anymore, they are becoming shopping environments, and fashion brands and retailers should be aware of this. Video creates emotional engagement, shows products in action, and builds trust with creators and brand ambassadors.

As Eitan Koter points out, creators are becoming the new commerce engines. They bring authenticity, community, and influence—qualities that static product pages simply can’t match.

“Video commerce is not just the next step in retail and e-commerce evolution, it’s a fundamental shift in how we connect, communicate, and convert attention into action. It empowers brands and creators to merge storytelling with commerce, creating seamless journeys where content becomes the storefront”.

Eitan Koter, Co-CEO at Vimmi

How should fashion brands and retailers approach video commerce?

1. Start small but consistent: Don’t wait to launch a perfect livestream shopping strategy. Begin with shoppable Instagram Reels, TikToks, or styling videos integrated into your PDPs (Product Detail Pages).
2. Collaborate with creators: Influencers and micro-creators can present your products in relatable, real-life contexts.
3. Leverage platforms: Use tools like Bambuser, Livescale, or directly integrate TikTok Shop to make video instantly shoppable.
4. Educate and entertain: It’s not just about “buy now”—use video to tell the brand story, explain materials, and show versatility.

What’s the difference between eCommerce, social commerce, and video commerce?

• eCommerce is the digital storefront—your Shopify or Magento site.
• Social commerce is selling through social platforms like Instagram Shop or TikTok Shop, where discovery and purchase happen within the app.
• Video commerce is a subset of both—using video content to directly drive sales, whether it’s embedded on your site or hosted on social platforms.

The fashion world is flooded with content and products, video commerce cuts through the noise. It’s a format designed for attention, built for engagement, and optimized for conversion.

At Digital Fashion Academy, we believe in continuous professional development that goes hand in hand with digital transformation, and as part of this transformation we recommend to start looking at ways to integrate video commerce your marketing and ecommerce strategies, as this could become as a core pillar of your omnichannel strategy.

The Video Commerce at QVC

QVC, the original home shopping giant, is undergoing a bold transformation.

With a massive decline in traditional TV viewership, 44% down since 2018, the company is now livestreaming on TikTok 24/7, becoming the first constant stream of shoppable content.

This pivot is part of a broader strategy to reinvent itself as a “live social shopping company,” targeting $1.5 billion in sales through social platforms within three years.

For legacy brands like QVC, embracing platforms like TikTok is a survival tactic, and a strategic shift that validates the massive potential of live social commerce.

Glossary of Video Commerce

📘 Glossary: Key Terms in Video Commerce

1. Video Commerce
The use of video content—live or pre-recorded—to showcase and sell products online. It allows viewers to watch, interact, and purchase directly from the video interface.

2. Shoppable Video
A video that includes clickable links or interactive elements allowing viewers to purchase featured products without leaving the video.

3. Livestream Shopping / Live Shopping
A live broadcast (often on social media or eCommerce platforms) where hosts or influencers present products, answer questions, and sell in real-time. Popular in China and gaining ground globally.

4. Short-form Video
Bite-sized video content, usually under 60 seconds, designed for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. Often used to showcase products in a dynamic and entertaining format.

5. Product Tagging
The practice of linking specific products to moments in a video, allowing viewers to click and view product details or make a purchase instantly.

6. Creator Commerce
A model where content creators (influencers, stylists, brand ambassadors) promote and sell products directly through their video content and social media platforms.

7. Social Commerce
Selling products directly through social media platforms like Instagram Shop, Facebook Marketplace, TikTok Shop, or Pinterest. Often includes video, but not exclusively.

8. eCommerce
Traditional online commerce via brand-owned websites or marketplaces (e.g. Shopify, Magento, Amazon), where users browse digital catalogs and complete purchases.

9. PDP (Product Detail Page)
A product-specific page on an eCommerce website that includes images, pricing, size options, and now increasingly includes video content to boost engagement and conversion.

10. Conversion Rate
A key performance metric in eCommerce that measures the percentage of viewers or visitors who take a desired action—usually completing a purchase.

11. Engagement Rate
A measure of how users interact with a video (likes, comments, shares, click-throughs), often used to gauge the effectiveness of video content in video commerce.

12. Video CMS (Content Management System)
A platform or tool used to manage, host, and distribute video content across websites and social media. Some platforms also include analytics and shoppable integrations.

13. Omnichannel Strategy
A unified customer experience across multiple platforms: web, mobile, social, in-store. Video commerce supports omnichannel by merging storytelling, content, and transactions.

14. Interactive Video
Video content that includes user-triggered actions (clicks, hovers, swipes), such as choosing product colors, adding to cart, or jumping to different video sections.

15. Platform Integration
The technical connection between your video content and eCommerce system, enabling real-time product data, pricing updates, inventory sync, and purchase flow.

Matteo Trombetta

Head of eMerchandising at Loewe (LVMH), Madrid

What Is Ecommerce Merchandising?

For Trombetta, digital merchandising is fundamentally about boosting online product sales through strategic visibility, presentation, and timing. But beyond the technicalities, he believes in a more profound role: acting as a product ambassador. In many digital teams where deep fashion or luxury knowledge may be lacking, Trombetta highlights the importance of bringing product knowledge into the digital context through compelling content, sleek design, and engaging marketing initiatives. 

The goal is to ensure every item shines online just as it would in-store.

He anchors his approach in a simple yet powerful merchandising framework:

• Right Product
• Right Place
• Right Time

Ecommerce merchandising, often referred to as digital merchandising, is defined as the “mix of strategies” employed to sell products online effectively through “smart product placement, presentation and product management”.

Its primary objective is to ensure the “right product in the right place and especially… at the right time,” displayed in the most effective manner to boost sales. Beyond simple product listing, it involves a complex set of activities, metrics, and technological integrations.

In practice, this means making sure the correct products are online, well-positioned within the site architecture, and launched in sync with customer needs and brand campaigns. This might be during major shopping events like Christmas or more niche moments such as Father’s Day, which require extra advocacy to gain internal support.

What does an Ecommerce Merchandiser do?

An ecommerce merchandiser acts as a “product ambassador” within an ecommerce team. They serve as a central hub bridging the gap between deep product knowledge and the technical or commercial requirements of the digital team. Their responsibilities require collaboration with various departments:

• Content Teams: Ensuring online assets accurately represent the product to maximise sales.

• IT and UX: Developing functionalities like “virtual try-on” or visual filters.

• Performance Marketing: Influencing which products are highlighted in traffic-driving campaigns.

• Operations: coordinating logistics for sales peaks and special packaging.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Unlike marketing teams that focus on driving traffic, digital merchandising focuses on what happens after a customer arrives. It influences four critical KPIs:

• Conversion: The primary focus is ensuring browsing turns into buying.

• Units Per Transaction (UPT): Increasing the number of items purchased (e.g., through “complete the look” suggestions).

• Average Basket Value (ABV): Encouraging the purchase of higher-value items or enriching the experience to justify premium prices.

• Returns: Merchandising plays a significant role in reducing returns by ensuring accurate sizing information, fit details, and realistic product imagery.

Online Visual Merchandising: The Art of Display

A core component of the role is online visual merchandising, which focuses on “making things beautiful” while boosting brand image and visibility. This involves strategic decisions on how products are sorted and displayed:

• Manual Sorting: Often used by high-end luxury brands to maintain precise aesthetic control and brand storytelling.

• Algorithm-Based: Preferred by mass-market and fast-fashion retailers, where display priority is automated based on stock levels, newness, or conversion rates.

• Hybrid Approach: A common strategy involving manual control for prime page areas (like the top rows of a category page) and automated sorting for lower sections.

The Product Detail Page (PDP)

The PDP is considered a crucial touchpoint for maximising value. Merchandisers optimise this page through:

• Imagery: Using still life, styling shots, and close-ups to “multiply the selling occasions”.

• Detailed Information: Providing specific size and fit data (including model measurements) to reassure customers and prevent returns.

• Cross-selling: Utilising “Shop the Look” features or recommending complementary items (e.g., bag charms with bags) to increase basket value.

The Impact of AI and Technology

Ecommerce merchandising is increasingly driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), which offers efficiency and new capabilities:

• Operational Efficiency: AI can automate copy translation, product tagging, and look creation.

• Customer Experience: AI powers virtual try-ons, size prediction based on return data, and personalised product recommendations.

• Generative AI: This technology can now generate complete outfits on models, resolving issues related to sample availability

A career in Ecommerce Merchandising

Few professionals have bridged the gap between luxury branding and digital strategy as seamlessly as Matteo Trombetta. With nearly 13 years of experience working at the intersection of fashion, product, and technology, Trombetta has built a career that exemplifies the power of digital merchandising as both an art and a science.

A Career in Luxury and Passion

Matteo Trombetta began his journey in digital fashion at Louis Vuitton in 2012, where he quickly developed a passion for product presentation and strategy in the online space. His career then expanded through roles at premium high-street brands such as 7 For All Mankind, Guess, and En Rose, gaining cross-segment experience that would become the foundation of his strategic insight.

Eventually, his career came full circle when he returned to LVMH Group, this time as Head of E-Merchandising, leading the digital merchandising function at the very brand where his journey began. For him, this return was not only professional but deeply personal—representing growth, expertise, and a heartfelt connection to the brand and its values.

Key E-commerce Metrics for Digital Merchandising

Through Trombetta’s lens, digital merchandising directly impacts some of the most crucial KPIs in e-commerce:

• Conversion Rate: A core metric influenced by product visibility and presentation.
• Units Per Transaction & Average Basket Value: Areas where tactics like cross-selling, curated looks, and personalized recommendations play a role.
• Return Rate: Often overlooked, returns can be reduced through accurate product content, sizing information, and customer education.

He points out that while traffic generation is usually owned by marketing and performance teams, conversion and return prevention are squarely within merchandising’s control. In his view, the merchandiser is the first line of defense in ensuring the customer gets what they expect, the first time.

Cross-Functional Approach to Digital Merchandising

Trombetta’s approach is deeply collaborative. He positions digital merchandising as a central hub in the broader e-commerce structure, working closely with:

• Content teams to align content marketing with sales objectives.
• UX and design to develop tools like visual filters and product try-ons.
• Analytics to monitor product performance and conversion metrics.
• IT and operations to ensure technical readiness and fulfillment planning.

His hands-on experience ranges across small startups, mid-size fashion labels, and global luxury giants—each offering insights into how merchandising adapts based on organizational scale.

Embracing Change and AI Innovation in Ecommerce Merchandising

A firm believer in staying ahead of the curve, Trombetta acknowledges the growing role of AI in digital merchandising. From personalization engines to automated categorization and performance prediction, AI is reshaping the landscape. While he remains grounded in the fundamentals, he supports the thoughtful integration of AI tools where they can elevate efficiency and decision-making.

He also emphasizes the need for flexibility and openness to change—a trait he considers essential in both the fashion and tech worlds. With new collections, new tools, and evolving customer behaviors, adaptability is key.

How does AI help ecommerce merchandisers?

AI helps predict the best size for customers by analyzing collective shopping behaviors rather than just relying on static measurements.

Specifically, AI algorithms review “what other people have bought” and, crucially, “what other people have returned” to calculate the most accurate fit. By processing this data, the technology can suggest the size that is likely to be the “best for you,” thereby addressing one of the most significant causes of returns in online fashion.

In addition to data-driven sizing recommendations, AI also supports sizing through “Virtual Try-On and Augmented Reality,” which allows customers to visualize products (such as sneakers or bags) on their own bodies to better judge scale and fit

What is the difference between Manual and Algorithm-based merchandising?

The difference between manual and algorithm-based product sorting lies primarily in the balance between aesthetic control and commercial efficiency, often dictating which strategy a retailer chooses based on their market positioning.

These sorting methods are part of Online Visual Merchandising, the process of “making things beautiful” while boosting visibility and sales.

Manual Sorting

This approach is typically favoured by high-end luxury brands where the brand image and storytelling are paramount.

• Purpose: It allows for “precise aesthetic control and asset placement”. Merchandisers manually curate the page to tell a specific story, ensuring that colours, styles, and “looks” complement each other perfectly.

• Application: It is used when the visual narrative is more important than raw speed, requiring a merchandiser to painstakingly arrange products to maintain a “spotless” and high-quality “flagship store” experience online.

Algorithm-Based Sorting

This method is the standard for mass-market and fast-fashion companies dealing with large inventories and high turnover.

• Purpose: It prioritises efficiency and commercial metrics over strict visual curation. The system automatically arranges products based on hard data such as “stock, newness, [or] conversion rate”.

• Application: This is highly effective for maximizing sales volume and operational efficiency, though it is generally “less aesthetically driven” than manual curation.

The Mixed Approach

In practice, many retailers employ a “mixed approach” to balance these needs.

• Strategy: This involves using manual control for “prime page areas” (such as the top rows of a category page) to set the tone and inspire the customer, while allowing algorithms to automate the sorting for lower sections or specific high-volume pages like sales sections.

• Evolution: As a brand moves from high-end luxury toward more commercial sectors, the strategy typically shifts from being very manual to becoming “a little bit more algorithm based”

Can AI create full outfits without physical product samples?

Yes, Generative AI is capable of creating “complete outfits on top of models” without the need for physical product samples.

This technology provides a solution for logistical challenges such as “late samples or unavailable models,” allowing merchandisers to generate necessary visual content even if the physical items are not yet on hand. However, the sources note that while this capability offers efficiency, it also raises “ethical implications” regarding the creation of synthetic imagery

How does AI automate product tagging and categorization?

AI automates product tagging and categorisation primarily by analysing visual data. By scanning “product pictures,” AI algorithms can “automatically understand” the nature of an item—for instance, determining if a specific garment belongs on the “jackets page”.

This technology streamlines the merchandising process in two key ways:

• Automated Categorisation: It removes the need for manual sorting by automatically placing items into their correct product categories based on visual recognition.

• Tag Application: It can automatically apply specific status labels to items, such as the “new tag” for recent arrivals.

The implementation of these AI tools leads to significant improvements in both “efficiency and accuracy measures” within digital merchandising operations

What Makes a Great Ecommerce Merchandiser?

Trombetta identifies several core traits that define a successful digital merchandiser:

• Passion for product and sales
• Commercial mindset
• Attention to detail
• Flexibility and resilience to change
• Strong analytical thinking

At its best, digital merchandising isn’t just about presenting products—it’s about understanding them deeply, selling them smartly, and creating a seamless customer experience that reflects the brand’s identity.

Where Luxury Meets Logic

Matteo Trombetta’s work underscores the vital role digital merchandising plays in today’s retail economy. With his blend of strategic thinking, product knowledge, and digital fluency, he represents a new generation of merchandising leaders, ones who aren’t just selling products, but crafting experiences.

“A digital merchandiser is not just selling products, he’s crafting experiences.” 

Matteo Trombetta

As brands continue to compete in a saturated and digital-first world, voices like Trombetta’s offer a clear reminder: great merchandising is equal parts intuition, data, and storytelling. And when done right, it becomes the bridge between the heart of a brand and the fingertips of the customer.

Download the Guide. How to launch a product online 

To successfully launch a product online, you need four key components: product images, clear and localized descriptions, accurate pricing, and available stock. While this sounds simple, coordinating all these elements—especially translations and asset validation across internal and external teams—can be complex and time-consuming.

1. Pricing. Pricing is typically handled by a dedicated team, but it must be in place for a product to be shoppable. 
2. Stock availability, while monitored by planning teams, is also a merchandising concern to ensure that products with sufficient inventory are prioritized for visibility and promotion.
3. Assets
   1. High-quality photography—ranging from still-life shots to detailed styling and fit images—is essential in luxury e-commerce to showcase value and minimize returns.
   2. PDP Features. On the product detail page (PDP), cross-sell features like color selectors, alternate lengths, and style pairings help increase engagement and average basket size.
   3. Copy. Finally, the PDP copy plays a dual role: it supports SEO by being keyword-rich and informative, and it also reassures customers by providing sizing, fit, and traceability information—especially important for sustainability-conscious shoppers.
4. Visibility. Once the assets are ready, the product must be “activated”—this means placing it in the right categories and ensuring it’s visible across the site. This step is the digital equivalent of a store associate unpacking and displaying merchandise.
5. Presentation & Visibility. After a product is live, the focus shifts to how and where it’s presented. The homepage acts as digital prime real estate, used for major brand messages and commercial pushes. Navigation, once purely functional, now includes visual elements and campaign highlights to guide the customer journey.
   1. Landing pages provide storytelling and editorial content, while product listing pages (PLPs) drive direct product discovery and conversion. Together, these help users move from inspiration to purchase. Gifting pages and curated product edits—such as “wedding guest outfits”, are increasingly used to match seasonal trends and customer intent, especially around key events.
   2. In fast fashion, “new in” pages are critical because customers expect high turnover and constant freshness. These pages often drive the highest engagement.
   3. Internal search bars, used by 10–20% of visitors, tend to lead to higher conversion rates—especially when optimized to reflect what users are actively looking for.
   4. Filters & Sorting tools, especially visual ones, enhance mobile browsing by helping users quickly refine their searches.
   5. Product tags like “New In” or “3D View” help communicate unique selling points immediately, often before users even click through to a product page.
   6. Live chat & Chatbots support, often triggered after a delay, offers help at key points in the journey without being intrusive. 

Download the Ecommerce Merchandising Checklist

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By Enrico Fantaguzzi, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Fashion Academy

May 25th 2025, updated

At Google’s annual I/O conference for developers, Google announced several new advances, including a more personalised multimodal AI search experience for shopping queries, agentic checkout capabilities and an enhancement to its virtual try-on tool that will allow users to see products on their own body.  

What does “agentic” checkout mean?

Agentic checkout, it’s an ecommerce check out that behaves autonomously. I.e. the check out acts like an agent that completes a series of actions without you being involved. For example the agentic checkout could ask you, “Do you want to buy this product?” and, if you say yes, it might be able to complete the purchase on it’s own.

How is the agentic checkout able to complete a purchase on your behalf?

The agentic check out can complete the purchase on our behalf if it has all the necessary information to complete the checkout. First of all it needs the payment method saved – Google Pay wallet – and then it may need confirmation of your shipping address.

Google’s AI virtual try-on (VTO)

Virtual try ons are not new to the digital fashion industry, I personally used virtual try ones and virtual fitting solutions in some of the companies I worked for (Twinset, 7 For All Mankind) with excellent results in terms of conversion rate but recently the improvements in AI have made possible to achieve more efficiency (savings) to implement VTO for fashion products.

At I/O 2025, Google unveiled a significant upgrade to its AI Mode shopping experience: a powerful virtual try-on feature that allows users to upload their own photos and visualise garments on their bodies. Powered by advanced generative AI, the system simulates fabric fit and texture across various body types, promising a new level of personalization in online shopping.

This development has the potential to be a game-changer for fashion e-commerce. But beyond the consumer-facing benefits, what does this mean for fashion brands, especially those navigating the complexities of digital transformation?

Organizational Impact

Fashion brands will need to rethink how they organize their product content. To fully take advantage of AI-powered platforms like Google’s, brands must invest in rich, structured product data, including detailed images, accurate sizing information, and standardized metadata. Product photography will likely need to evolve to include multi-angle, high-resolution, and fabric-dynamic visuals that AI models can effectively process.

Furthermore, cross-functional teams, marketing, merchandising, IT, and customer experience, will need to collaborate more closely to align content creation, technology integration, and user experience. This may drive brands to create or expand dedicated digital innovation teams.

Business Strategy Implications

From a business perspective, these AI tools could significantly impact conversion rates, return rates, and customer satisfaction. By reducing the uncertainty associated with fit and appearance, virtual try-on tools may decrease returns, one of the biggest operational costs in online fashion retail.

Additionally, AI-powered personalization could improve customer loyalty by offering a more tailored experience. Brands that successfully integrate these tools may also gain a competitive edge in SEO and product discoverability, especially if they are early adopters and featured in Google Shopping results.

However, brands must also consider data privacy, AI ethics, and moderation challenges. Reports have already highlighted potential misuses of generative AI in retail contexts, including the generation of hypersexualized imagery. This underlines the need for responsible implementation, clear user safeguards, and rigorous testing before adopting such features at scale.

The Road Ahead

As AI redefines how consumers interact with products online, fashion companies must evolve, not just in terms of tech adoption, but in mindset and internal workflows. This is not just a marketing opportunity, but a strategic inflection point: the brands that adapt their structures, teams, and processes for a digitally immersive future will be the ones that thrive.

Supporting and integrating with third party applications such as Google AI or ChatGPT is just a first step in a digital transformation process that need to create value for the customer

Enrico Fantaguzzi

However, supporting and integrating third party applications such as Google AI or ChatGPT is just a first step in a digital transformation process that need to create value for the customer. Google’s “Shopping Graph now has more than 50 billion product listings, from global retailers to local mom and pop shops, each with details like reviews, prices, color options and availability”, so that customers have more options to select from, however people don’t just buy a new product everytime they go on a trip or to a party, therefore customers should be allowed to integrate the AI features within their own wardrobe. This would allow people to integrate their current selection of garments with new products that their missing. This step is critical for user experience but also to create a sustainable digital fashion industry,

At Digital Fashion Academy, we believe that understanding and leveraging these technologies is no longer optional, it’s essential. We’ll continue to monitor these developments and support fashion professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to lead in the age of AI.

Sources

• Google Blog: AI Mode and Virtual Try-On Update
  
• The Atlantic: Google’s Shopping Tool and AI Image Ethics
  
• Google I/O 2025 Recap (for context on product announcements)

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Strategic Advantage Through Marketing Mix Modeling and Incrementality Testing

Fashion brands can significantly enhance their strategic decision-making by leveraging advanced measurement techniques like Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and Incrementality Testing. These methods provide a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of marketing performance than traditional attribution alone, especially in the context of challenges like cookieless tracking and the difficulty of measuring cross-channel and offline impacts.

How Fashion Brands Can Leverage These Techniques

1. Holistic Budget Allocation with Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM)

• MMM provides an aggregated view of how digital and traditional marketing activities impact key outcomes like online and offline sales, helping fashion brands balance their investments across channels and refine their overall fashion digital marketing strategy to meet evolving consumer behaviors.
• By analyzing historical data, MMM helps brands reassess past budget allocations and better plan future investments, including hard-to-measure channels like print and out-of-home advertising.
• MMM also supports balancing investments between brand awareness and performance marketing by highlighting their combined impact on results. For those interested in applying these concepts in real-world campaigns, a market mix modelling online course can be a valuable starting point.

2. Validating Channel Effectiveness with Incrementality Testing

• Incrementality testing techniques like conversion lift and geo lift studies isolate the true incremental impact of specific channels or campaigns.
• This testing clarifies the value of upper-funnel initiatives and branded search efforts by distinguishing between pre-existing brand demand and campaign-driven results. Since these early-stage touchpoints often hinge on engagement metrics, understanding how engagement rate influences visibility can help refine upper-funnel strategy through frameworks here on product discovery. 
• Brands can use incrementality modeling alongside marketing mix modeling to identify promising channels for incrementality testing, creating a feedback loop to refine channel strategy.

3. Addressing New Measurement Challenges

• Modern marketers face significant challenges—cookieless tracking, inconsistent attribution across platforms, and privacy-driven data fragmentation. Marketing mix modeling, which relies on aggregated data rather than user-level tracking, is naturally resilient to these limitations.
• By incorporating both digital and non-digital data, MMM offers a fuller picture of marketing effectiveness in a fragmented landscape.

4. Strategic Insights for Long-Term Growth

• MMM enables brands to measure the long-term impact of brand-building efforts, such as fashion shows and collaborations, that are difficult to capture with traditional attribution.
• These insights can guide decisions around brand investments, customer acquisition, and market expansion for sustainable growth. For a practical look at how data-driven decision-making is applied in fashion, consider exploring our market mix modelling online course or check out this fashion analytics lesson by Fillipo Chiari.

5. Data Infrastructure and Continuous Iteration

• A unified data system integrating digital and offline sources is essential for effective MMM and incrementality testing. For luxury brands, aligning that data with high-impact KPIs can sharpen focus and drive stronger results, as shown in this guide to luxury fashion e-commerce KPIs.
• These techniques thrive on continuous iteration: modeling, testing, refining, and adapting. Together, they enable brands to move beyond basic attribution and embrace a more comprehensive, strategic approach to marketing measurement.

By embracing MMM and incrementality testing, fashion brands can overcome the limits of traditional attribution, leading to smarter budget allocation, optimized channel strategies, and stronger business growth.

Key Differences Between Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and Attribution

Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) takes an aggregated and holistic statistical approach to model past data, understanding the impact of all marketing activities (digital and traditional) on overall business results like sales (online and offline):

• It helps brands look back at how they’ve spent their budgets and make smarter decisions for future campaigns and product launches.
• MMM also makes it easier to strike the right balance between building awareness (demand generation) and driving conversions (demand collection).
• Since it pulls together digital and traditional marketing activities, MMM is great for measuring things like print ads or in-store promotions that are usually harder to track.
• It even helps brands understand the impact of brand-building activities, like fashion shows or collaborations.
• To get Marketing mix modeling working properly, you’ll need a well-organized, unified data setup.
• Keep in mind, MMM isn’t about real-time campaign tweaks — it’s more about giving you the bigger strategic picture.

Incrementality testing, using methods like conversion lift studies and geo lift testing, measures the true incremental impact of a specific channel or campaign

• It shows the actual cause-and-effect relationship between your marketing and your sales or conversions.
• It’s especially useful for seeing how top-of-funnel brand campaigns impact sales across both online and offline channels.
• MMM can point you to channels that look promising, and incrementality tests can then confirm whether they’re really making a difference.
• This type of testing can also answer “what if” questions, like what would happen if you stopped bidding on branded keywords.
• While MMM gives you the broad overview, incrementality testing delivers more precise, channel-specific insights.

When you combine MMM and Incrementality Testing, you get the best of both worlds — a full-picture view plus detailed measurements. This helps fashion brands make smarter choices about where to spend their budgets and which channels to prioritize. Both techniques require a strong data infrastructure and an ongoing, iterative process …. As Yako Laganga from Pinko highlighted, MMM is a starting point that needs to be validated and refined with continuous incrementality tests to gain real insights. Tim from Funnel emphasized that this combined approach helps triangulate the “truth” of marketing effectiveness, acknowledging the limitations of each method individually. 

Navigating the Complex Landscape of Marketing Measurement

Marketers face growing complexity due to cookie restrictions, Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), and the inconsistent attribution models used by different digital platforms. As a result, many brands still rely heavily on tools like Google Analytics, which do a good job tracking lower-funnel activities but often miss the true influence of upper-funnel efforts — leading to skewed budget decisions.

To navigate this landscape, marketers need a more advanced measurement approach that integrates Marketing Mix Modeling and Incrementality modeling. Two key concepts help guide the way:

• The Ad Stock Effect:  As explained by Tim Camp, marketing efforts like a TV ad don’t just influence consumers at the moment of exposure — the effects persist for days or even weeks. Traditional attribution models often fail to capture this extended impact.
• Triangulation for Better Insights: No single measurement method is perfect. The most reliable results come from combining different approaches:
  
  • Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM): Looks at historical data across all channels — online and offline — to guide strategic investment decisions.
  • Incrementality Testing (e.g., Conversion Lift Studies): Icrementality modeling isolates the true impact of specific campaigns by comparing exposed vs. control groups.
  • Attribution Models (e.g., Google Analytics): Provide useful but partial views, especially for lower-funnel activity.
    

By triangulating insights from these different methods – including MMM, incrementality modeling, and attribution – marketers can build a fuller, more accurate picture of their true marketing impact.

Effective Measurement: A strong data infrastructure is critical to making this work:

• Data needs to be clean, unified, and integrated across platforms.
• Tools like Funnel, which recently acquired Atria, are helping brands by streamlining the connection between marketing platforms, cleaning data, and making advanced measurement faster and more actionable.

Marketing Measuring Testing: Finally, as Yakobo Laganga highlighted, measurement should be an ongoing, iterative process:

• Start with a marketing mix model to identify high-impact channels across online and offline efforts.
• Then, apply incrementality modeling techniques to validate and refine your insights.
• Continuously update and adjust based on new data and findings.

This cycle of modeling, testing, and refining – grounded in both MMM and incrementality, leads to smarter budget allocation, more accurate predictions, and ultimately, stronger marketing performance.

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Setting up and ecommerce is easy, making e-commerce profitable requires mastering the Fashion Ecommerce Value Chain

We’ve already discussed in detail al the aspect of the Profit and Loss of Fashion Ecommerce, in this article we present and examin the activities that generates value for a fashion ecommerce and the potential pitfalls that fashion companies need to be aware of before the start setting up their ecommerce.

The fashion and luxury industry requires a highly specialized approach to e-commerce, balancing brand storytelling, customer experience, and operational efficiency. From product sourcing to customer service, every stage of the e-commerce value chain plays a crucial role in delivering a premium experience that meets the high expectations of luxury shoppers.

Each activity in the value chain is interconnected and each activity contributes to the customer satisfaction and to the profitability of the digital channels.

The e-commerce value chain activities

• Sourcing the product and managing the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) forms the bedrock. Strategic sourcing ensures quality and competitive pricing, directly impacting margins. Understanding COGS allows for accurate pricing and financial forecasting.
• The e-commerce business model decision, whether to build in-house or outsource, dictates operational control and scalability. In-house development allows for customization but demands significant resources, while outsourcing offers flexibility and specialized expertise.
• Product digitalization and content production are paramount for online engagement. High-quality imagery, videos, and detailed descriptions create a virtual showroom, driving conversions.
• Traffic acquisition, brand awareness, and digital marketing are the lifeblood of online visibility. SEO, social media, and targeted advertising are essential to reach the desired audience.
• E-commerce platform requirements and development ensure a seamless user experience. A robust, scalable platform with intuitive navigation is non-negotiable.
• Store management activities, encompassing the commercial plan and returns management, optimize sales and customer loyalty. A well-defined commercial plan drives promotions and inventory management, while efficient returns processes build trust.
• Logistics & shipping directly impact customer satisfaction. Fast, reliable delivery is a key differentiator.
• Customer service, including multilingual support, whether in-house or outsourced, fosters customer relationships. Prompt, helpful assistance builds brand loyalty.
• Payment systems must be secure and diverse, catering to global preferences. Offering multiple payment options reduces cart abandonment.
• Finally, e-commerce team organization ensures smooth operations. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities are vital for efficient workflow and strategic execution. Each of these components must be meticulously planned and executed to build a thriving international fashion e-commerce business

What is the fashion ecommerce value chain

The fashion ecommerce value chain is the set of processes that need to be implemented in order to run an ecommerce, in other words the value chain is made of all the activities that need to be managed in a fashion ecommerce business

1. Sourcing the product and the Cost of Goods Sold
2. Ecommerce Business Model decision: in house or outsourcing
3. Product digitalization and content production
4. Traffic acquisition, brand awareness and digital marketing
5. Ecommerce platform requirements and development
6. Store management activities: commercial plan, returns management
7. Logisitics & Shipping
8. Customer Service, multilanguage, in house and outsourcing
9. Payment systems
10. Ecommerce team organization

Sourcing the product and the Cost of Goods Sold

Strategic sourcing is the foundation of a successful fashion e-commerce business. It involves identifying reliable suppliers who can provide high-quality products at competitive prices within the time limits that you need. Effective sourcing directly impacts the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), which determine your gross margin. Managing COGS is crucial for profitability. A lower COGS allows for more competitive pricing or higher profit margins. Understanding and controlling these costs through efficient sourcing is essential for financial sustainability of the e-commerce.

If you are the manufacturer of your product you will probably sustain a lower cost than if you need to buy your product and then resell online. This is the case of fashion brands that run their own ecommerce.

If you are a retailer and you buy the products at wholesale price, and then you resell them on your website, you will generally sustain higher cost for sourcing the product and therefore your gross margin will decrease.

The advantages for retailer are that they can source their products from a variety of brands and suppliers, thus creating a richer assortment; and the second advantage is that you may have less stock in your warehouse as you can source the product based on the demand.

E-commerce Business Model Decision: In-house or Outsourcing

The decision to handle e-commerce operations in-house or through outsourcing can significantly impact the profitability of the e-commerce. In-house operations offer greater control over branding, customer experience, and data. However, they require substantial investment in infrastructure, technology, and personnel.

Outsourcing, on the other hand, can provide access to specialized expertise, scalability, and reduced upfront costs. The choice depends on the business’s resources, strategic goals, and desired level of control.

Product Digitalization and Content Production

Forfashion brands product digitalization and high-quality content are your virtual showroom. This includes professional photography, videos, 360-degree views, and detailed product descriptions. These elements create a compelling online shopping experience, build trust, and drive conversions. Investing in excellent content is crucial for showcasing the quality and appeal of fashion items.

Photoshooting style-guides

Photoshooting style-guides

Photo studio for E-commerce

Photo shooting for fashion ecommerce

Traffic Acquisition, Brand Awareness, and Digital Marketing

Driving traffic to your e-commerce store requires a robust digital marketing strategy. This encompasses Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, email marketing, and content marketing. Building brand awareness is equally important. Consistent branding across all channels, engaging content, and a strong online presence are key to attracting and retaining customers.

E-commerce Platform Requirements and Development

The e-commerce platform is the technological backbone of your online business. It must be user-friendly, secure, scalable, and it should be correctly sized for your business.

Some ecommerce platforms provide you will all the features that you need to run a small business but the same platform might not be suitable for a large one.

The ecommerce platform is usually divided into a Front-end – the ecommerce website – and a Back-office – the administrative panel.

Key features of the front-end include: pages (home page, about us, contact us), navigation menu, PLP Product Listing pages or category pages, Product Page (PDP) and checkout witha secure payment gateway.

In the back office you have control of visual merchandising, inventory management, order management.

Finally every ecommerce platform needs to integrate in your technological ecosystem that is generally made of an ERP, Product Information Management (PIM), Product Lifecycle Management PLM, and customer relationship management (CRM) integration.

Choosing the right platform helps you develop a smooth a seamless customer experience and organise your team and ecommerce processes.

Store Management Activities: Commercial Plan, Returns Management

Effective store management encompasses a well-defined commercial plan, including promotions, pricing strategies, and inventory management. It also involves establishing a clear and efficient returns process. A smooth returns experience builds customer trust and encourages repeat purchases. Both aspects are crucial for maximizing sales and customer loyalty.

Visual Merchandising & Product Discovery

• Curated Collections & Storytelling – Instead of generic categories, luxury brands should emphasize editorial curation (e.g., “Parisian Summer Edit” rather than “Women’s Dresses”).
• Automated & AI-Driven Sorting – Utilize AI-powered merchandising tools to dynamically adjust product ranking based on customer preferences, bestsellers, and inventory levels.
• Localized Merchandising – Luxury markets vary globally. A tailored approach ensures that winter collections appear in New York while resort wear is featured in Dubai.

Logistics & Shipping

Fast, reliable, and cost-effective logistics and shipping are essential for customer satisfaction. This includes order fulfillment, packaging, shipping options, tracking, and returns logistics. International e-commerce requires navigating complex customs regulations and shipping costs. Efficient logistics can be a significant competitive advantage. www.digitalfashionacademy.com

Customer Service, Multilanguage, In-house and Outsourcing

Providing excellent customer service is paramount in the competitive e-commerce landscape. This includes offering multiple channels for support (email, phone, chat), providing timely and helpful responses, and handling complaints effectively. For international businesses, multilingual support is crucial. The decision to manage customer service in-house or outsource depends on factors such as cost, scalability, and desired level of control. www.digitalfashionacademy.com

Payment Systems and Fraud Prevention

Offering a variety of secure payment options is essential for catering to a global customer base. This includes credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets, and local payment methods. A secure and seamless payment process reduces cart abandonment and builds customer trust.

Flexible Luxury Payments – High-value purchases require installment payments (Klarna, Affirm), crypto payments, and private banking options.

AI-Powered Fraud Detection – Advanced fraud prevention tools can identify suspicious activity while ensuring VIP customers aren’t blocked due to high-value transactions.

E-commerce Team Organization

A well-structured and efficient e-commerce team is crucial for smooth operations. This includes clearly defined roles and responsibilities across departments such as marketing, sales, technology, logistics, and customer service. Effective communication and collaboration are essential for achieving strategic goals.

Want to learn more about ecommerce value chain?

Explore our online courses created by leading fashion professionals or contact us.

One significant risk of an approach that relies solely on these metrics is that all costs associated with the online presence are allocated to the e-commerce Profit & Loss (P&L). Meanwhile, a considerable portion of in-store revenue is driven by customers who initially engage with the website, yet these sales are not reflected in the online P&L. This disconnect can distort the true value of the online channel, undermining its role in driving both digital and physical sales.

To address this complexity, a more holistic approach is needed — one that analyzes the customer journey across all channels, with a special emphasis on online interactions. This journey can be visualized as a funnel. The following analysis focuses on the upper part of the funnel, often identified as the product discovery phase.

PRODUCT DISCOVERY CHANNELS

During this stage, customers explore the brand’s product catalog. Success occurs when customers identify products that align closely with their needs, prompting them to move closer to purchasing.

Product discovery takes place through multiple channels:

• Physical Stores: Visiting a store in person or browsing its window displays.
• Offline Marketing: Channels like billboards, magazines, public transportation ads, and similar media.
• Brand Website: A central touchpoint where many e-commerce journeys begin.
• Brand Mobile App: Delivering a personalized, on-the-go shopping experience.
• 3rd Parties Partner Platforms: Third-party websites or apps, such as concessions and marketplaces.
• Other Online Channels: Social networks, digital ads, and other web-based platforms.

In luxury fashion, where careful consideration is a key part of the purchasing process, multiple channels are often involved for a single customer. According to the RACE framework for marketing, some channels align with the Reach (or Awareness) stage, while others support the Act (or Consideration) stage. However, all channels contribute to helping customers identify and select the right products.

It’s important to clarify that, while several channels operate online, this analysis focuses specifically on website performance, as it is the primary driver of e-commerce activity. For simplicity, the term “online” will be used throughout to refer exclusively to the website.

CHALLENGES WITH TRACKING

At first glance, tracking might seem like the solution to understanding how the brand’s website contributes to overall business performance. It offers the potential to seamlessly follow customers across the website, stores, and other touchpoints, such as mobile apps, to build a comprehensive view of their journey and revenue impact. However, this approach comes with significant challenges, particularly for luxury brands.

In the early stages of the customer journey, it is crucial to maintain the high-end experience by minimizing intrusive tracking methods. Preserving the brand’s exclusivity and sophistication is essential to building trust and loyalty. As the relationship develops and a personal connection is established — often through a client advisor — tracking becomes both more practical and less invasive.

Additionally, the luxury sector’s distinct characteristics present further complexities. Aspirational purchases, gifting, and the high-value nature of products mean that luxury brands often deal with a higher proportion of first-time customers. This reduces the effectiveness of conventional tracking strategies and CRM tools typically used in more transactional businesses.

In the absence of precise tracking, it becomes crucial to identify the most effective leading indicators of successful online product discovery. In other words, which KPIs specific to this stage of the customer journey can be monitored to predict future conversions, regardless of whether the transaction ultimately occurs online or in-store?

PRE-PURCHASE BEHAVIORS

When analyzing website visitor behavior, two distinct patterns emerge. Some users show little interest in exploring available products, exhibiting high bounce rates or minimal interaction. Others are more engaged, spending time navigating search results (SERPs), product listing pages (PLPs), and ultimately product detail pages (PDPs). Among those considering a purchase, users typically fall into one of three categories:

1. A2C (Add-to-Cart) CTA (Call-to-Action): These users clearly demonstrate intent to purchase by adding a product to their cart.
2. Other CTAs: These users interact with alternative buttons, such as checking product availability in physical stores, contacting customer support, or adding items to their wishlist. While not directly adding to the cart, these actions indicate interest and movement toward a potential purchase.
3. No CTA: These users do not engage with any buttons on the PDP but may still be considering a purchase. Their actions might include taking screenshots of the PDP, saving the product link, or doing nothing explicit. While there’s no visible interaction, these users may return to the product later, perhaps during an in-store visit or after consulting a client advisor.

Customers who intend to make an online purchase typically fall into the first category, as the Add-to-Cart action is required to enter the website’s checkout process. For this reason, traditional e-commerce often views the A2C Rate as the most reliable leading indicator of an upcoming transaction.

However, research shows that the A2C action is often used to save products for later rather than to proceed immediately with a purchase. According to Baymard, 42% of customers who want to save a product for later consideration go through the A2C button. This makes A2C an unreliable signal of a confirmed transaction. The challenge is even greater in luxury markets, where many in-store transactions occur without a prior A2C action online. In addition, for luxury brands aiming to drive as many transactions as possible in-store, the A2C step is optional in the ideal customer journey they envision.
Consequently, relying on A2C as a primary performance indicator in this industry can be even more misleading.

Referring back to our earlier discussion, it becomes clear that optimizing the product discovery journey solely to maximize the A2C rate risks undermining overall business performance. While online metrics may improve, in-store transactions could suffer — potentially outweighing the online gains. In systems thinking terms, a high A2C rate might represent a local maximum, whereas the true goal is to achieve a global maximum that benefits the entire business.

From a tracking perspective, the first two user categories (A2C and other CTA interactions) provide actionable data. However, the third category, which plays an important role as a bridge between online and offline experiences, occurs without detectable interaction, and therefore it’s neither trackable nor measurable.

All these considerations highlight why the step marking the closure of the upper funnel, just before customers enter the purchase journey, cannot reliably indicate the success of a product discovery activity. Even when expanding beyond the single A2C metric to include alternative behaviors, this stage remains insufficient as a comprehensive measure.

To develop a meaningful metric for upper funnel success and a strong predictor of future revenues, it is essential to step back and examine how customers discover the products they eventually choose to buy. A deeper understanding of this discovery process is key to accurately evaluating and optimizing the product discovery journey.

INTRODUCING THE ENGAGEMENT RATE

Healthy activity in the website’s product discovery area — PDPs, PLPs, and SERPs — is the best signal for upcoming purchases.
As in a mall or a supermarket, the volume of the crowd, the time spent in the lanes or in front of the windows, and the interaction with the products on the shelves indicate healthy conditions for those businesses. Similar observations can be considered for a brand website.
In a single term, Engagement is the behavior to measure, and the associated metric should be used as the north star metric for the product discovery stage of the funnel.

This approach aligns with Google’s recent updates to its Analytics product, which introduced more advanced methods for measuring website activity. Among these updates is a new metric called Engagement Rate, which goes beyond basic metrics like button click ratios. It aims to capture the qualitative aspects of user interactions, such as time on site, actions taken, and deeper navigation patterns, offering a richer understanding of genuine user engagement.

In GA4, a session is classified as “engaged” if it meets at least one of the following criteria:

• The session lasts longer than 10 seconds.
• The session includes at least one conversion event.
• The session involves two or more pageviews or screenviews.

A high Engagement Rate indicates that users find the content valuable and are actively engaging with the site or app. Companies can leverage this metric to optimize user journeys and improve conversion rates.

Furthermore, the individual metrics that contribute to the Engagement Rate definition — such as time spent on the site or the number of pages viewed — can be further analyzed for deeper insights.

Brands should establish a tailored definition of Engagement Rate, either adopting Google’s standard or customizing it to reflect better the unique characteristics of the online product discovery journey for luxury goods. For instance, users interested in luxury products tend to engage for longer periods than the typical duration suggested by Google.

Once defined, this customized metric should act as a guiding north star for upper-funnel activities, informing all experiments related to Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). As customer behaviors evolve, the definition of this metric should be revisited and refined. The underlying assumption is that a high Engagement Rate signals the brand’s success in capturing and maintaining customer interest, encouraging deeper exploration of the catalog, and ultimately increasing the likelihood of future purchases, whether online or in-store.

IS LONG TIME SPENT ON SITE ALWAYS A POSITIVE INDICATOR?

A common critique of using metrics like time spent on site as an engagement indicator is that longer durations could imply either customers are actively exploring the catalog and evaluating products they plan to purchase or, conversely, that the site lacks relevance, leading to frustration and difficulty in finding desired products. This distinction is why, when introducing the Engagement Rate, the focus was placed on defining the activity as “healthy” to ensure the metric accurately reflects meaningful user engagement.

There are several ways to address these concerns. One effective approach, particularly in this context, is to use a mutually destructive pair of metrics: alongside the Engagement Rate, another metric can be tracked to ensure that customers are deriving real value from the discovery process. This secondary metric, often referred to as a health metric, is not intended for primary optimization but serves as a safeguard. For instance, brands might monitor the A2C Rate or interaction rates with CTAs within the PDP, establishing a threshold to detect a potential drop in engagement.

Another approach is to identify key elements that ensure the intrinsic health of engagement. For luxury brands, a positive customer journey typically involves significant interaction with product galleries, particularly images. This interaction rate can be integrated into the custom definition of Engagement Rate, providing a more accurate measure of genuine engagement.

It’s important to note that the Engagement Rate, as defined above, does not provide an absolute measure of the quality of the product discovery segment in the funnel. Given that different brands may have varying definitions of this metric, it’s not easily applicable as a benchmark against industry standards or competitors. Instead, its value lies in tracking changes over time — specifically, comparing the metric before and after a particular experiment or website update. Drawing from the Toyota Kata approach covered in the previous discussion, the Engagement Rate should act as a measurement system that captures trends and ensures that changes in the website are consistently moving toward the vision.

WRAPPING IT UP

While traditional e-commerce can effectively rely on the Add-to-Cart Rate to measure the performance of the product discovery stage, brands that favour an omnichannel experience cannot rely on it as a sole metric. This is because it doesn’t provide a comprehensive view of customer journeys that span both online and in-store experiences, which are crucial for luxury brands.

The Engagement Rate offers a more sophisticated and relevant metric for assessing the health of the upper funnel, acting as a guiding north star for improvement plans. However, defining and applying this metric requires careful consideration and customization to align with the brand’s specific strategies.

Optimizing the product discovery phase of the website based on the Engagement Rate can deliver holistic benefits, regardless of where the customer ultimately decides to make the purchase — whether autonomously online or by visiting a physical store.

In the next article, we will explore the lower stage of the e-commerce funnel, examining the key differences and commonalities in dynamics between luxury brands and transactional or traditional businesses at both ends of the funnel.

M.P.

Author: Sabrina Jbeili

Digital Fashion Academy

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Real Deals, Real Cute, and Up To 85% Off

Why it stood out: minimal and on-brand

We like this newsletter because it doesn’t play around – 85% off? Say less. The bold blue backdrop instantly pops in your inbox, and the grid layout makes it super easy to browse standout spring pieces (hi, cherry red heels and floral knits). It’s one of those fashion newsletters that feels curated and clickable without trying too hard. As a spring newsletter, it’s bold but still on-brand – definitely a strong fashion newsletter example for brands that want to keep promos fun but still on-brand.

Aritzia’s “Into the Sun Sale” Shines on Spring Staples

Why it stood out: wearable pieces, soft styling

We like this newsletter because Aritzia’s spring drop is giving that light, effortless vibe we all want when the weather starts warming up. It’s a great fashion newseltter example of minimal styling that still feels elevated. The color palette is super fresh and breathable, and everything feels made for those laid-back spring days. As far as spring newsletters go, this one keeps things clean while still driving home that 30–50% off “Into the Sun Sale”, in way that feels aligned with Aritzia’ brand.

Bath & Body Works is Doing the Most in the Best Way

Why it stood out: strong colour story and scroll-friendly

We like this newsletter because it feels like a vacation in your inbox. Bright visuals, strong product curation, and a crystal-clear spring theme make this a standout spring newsletter – whether you’re into fresh starts, cozy scents, or stocking up on moisturizers. It’s easy to scroll, easy to shop, and makes you want to treat yourself and your space.

Urban Outfitter’s Sky Blue Edit Feels Like Spring in a Newsletter

Why it stood out: spring energy in full effect

We like this newsletter because it’s giving full-on spring moodboard energy. The sky blue theme is soft, fresh, and super wearable—and the dreamy rainbow backdrop just adds to the vibe. It’s a fashion trends newsletter that doesn’t feel over-styled, made in a way that actually feels fun to scroll, and everything ties back to the color story without feeling too matchy-matchy. It makes you want to refresh your closet with easy, light pieces you’ll actually wear on repeat.

Some Recent Summer Newsletters

Europe Called, Princess Polly Answered

Why it stood out: scroll-stopping but wearbale

We like this newsletter because the styling and photography are super attention-grabbing – every detail feels considered. From the sun-drenched lighting to the warm, romantic color palette, it draws you in right away. The crochet textures add a handcrafted, vintage feel, while the bold hues and playful accessories give it that modern edge. It nails that balance between aspirational and attainable, making you feel like you’re already on a summer escape somewhere along the Amalfi Coast or in a little Spanish alley. It doesn’t just show clothes—it sells the fantasy of a carefree Euro summer.

Edikted to the Vibe

Why it stood out: makes summer dressing feel fun again

We like this newsletter because it delivered on all fronts – fun, flirty, and totally Edikted. The playful styling, from micro minis to bold stripes, gave it that cool-girl-on-holiday vibe without feeling overdone. I loved how each look felt easy to wear but still packed personality. It was giving summer getaway, but make it fashion.

SKIMS’ Take on the Hottest Summer Hue

Why it stood out: everyday staples, turned statement

Red is having a moment – and SKIMS knows it. We like this newsletter because it brings bold, monochrome styling to life with easy, elevated basics in their signature ruby tone. From tube tops to micro skirts, it’s everything you need to heat up your summer lineup (without overthinking it).

More Than Just a Pretty Layout

From smart segmentation to shoppable design, these fashion newsletters show how email still plays a core role in effective digital marketing for fashion brands – helping them build stronger connections with their audience, drive seasonal sales, and translate brand storytelling into real engagement. It’s not just about looking good in the inbox; it’s about using design, timing, and tone to move the customer journey forward.

Download the guide to our spring 2025 newsletter picks

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Show Me the Picks

Join us for an insightful webinar focused on pricing intelligence, benchmarking, and competitor analysis within the dynamic fashion and luxury sector. This session will explore how leading brands leverage data and technology to achieve optimal market positioning.

Key Discussion Points:

• The evolving landscape: Understand how increased production costs, the pursuit of ultra-luxury customers, and shifting consumer preferences are impacting the fashion and luxury industry. The rise of e-commerce and online sales has intensified competition, making it crucial to find the right product-price-brand positioning.
• Strategic price positioning: Discover how to align your pricing strategy with the characteristics of various geographic target markets.
• Data-driven decision making: Learn how to use software that gathers millions of data points from hundreds of brands worldwide. Specifically, the webinar will cover:
  • Product assortment by brand and country.
  • Product price positioning by brand and category.
  • Achieving almost real-time pricing monitoring.
• The role of AI: Gain insights into the role of Artificial Intelligence in pricing analysis.
• Expert perspectives: Hear from industry leaders who have successfully implemented best practices for price positioning using Competitoor software.

Featured Speakers:

• Maurizio Catellani, CEO at Competitoor, will share his expertise on how cutting-edge technologies can add customer value, and how AI can positively impact the business world.
• Enrico Fantaguzzi, Co-founder of Digital Fashion Academy, will offer insights from his extensive experience in scaling fashion brands online, and discuss digital transformation in e-business management.
• Gianluigi Zarantonello, Global Director of Digital Solutions at Valentino, will discuss how the lines between online and offline are blurring and the need for new digital skills. He will also address the importance of a single customer view and data-driven strategy.
• Fulvio Mercuri, Head of Pricing at Tod’s spa, will share his strategic approach to pricing, market positioning and how this drives revenue growth and profitability.

How to determine the best price for your products?

This webinar is essential for fashion professionals looking to optimise their pricing strategies, gain a competitive edge and understand how to reach the right customers with the right product and the right price. Learn from the experts and take your brand to the next level.

The webinar is sponsored by Competitoor, a leading platform providing price monitoring and product catalog benchmarking software. Competitoor’s platform assists brands in making the best pricing decisions for their products.

This description should effectively promote the webinar and highlight the value it offers to professionals in the fashion and luxury industry.

How to determine the best price for a specific market?

The best price for a product is the price that maximises the profit margin and the opportunity of selling.

In the competitive market of digital marketplaces and search engines, the algorithms often determine how much visibility your products will have based on a combination of stock, price, brand reputation and other factors that are relevant to the marketplace.

Chosing the right price can heavily influence the visibility that your product will gain organically on the search results pages of the marketplaces.

Join the webinar, register now to receive invitation.

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Decoding the Future of Marketing: SEO AI Solutions and SEO Automation

The fashion industry is a challenging market moment, fashion brands and retailers need to evolve rapidly and adapt to changes quickly. In the digital realm, this translates to a relentless pursuit of online visibility. With customer expectations soaring and search engine algorithms becoming increasingly sophisticated, fashion marketers and entrepreneurs need to turn to AI and SEO Automation to keep up with the changes.

Today, we’re diving deep into the future of fashion SEO, exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling SEO automation providing powerful tools for fashion brands to succeed in a competitive digital market.

The Evolving E-commerce Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities

The e-commerce sector has reached maturity, presenting both exciting opportunities and significant challenges, such as the compression of profit margins due to rising manufacturing costs, marketplaces commission and high competition in performance marketing. Customers now expect a seamless and enriching customer experience, demanding high-quality visuals, detailed product information, engaging videos, and personalized recommendations. They want to feel connected to the brand and understand the story behind each garment.

Simultaneously, search engines like Google impose stringent requirements for website performance. Speed, mobile-friendliness, and structured data are no longer optional extras; they are critical ranking factors. Meeting these technical demands while delivering a captivating user experience requires a delicate balance.

Adding another layer of complexity is the increasing adoption of AI in marketing. While AI offers immense potential for SEO automation and optimization, it also introduces a “black box” element. Digital marketers now have less granular control over campaign performance, relying on AI-driven insights and algorithms. This shift necessitates a new understanding of how to leverage AI effectively while maintaining a strategic approach.

The State of Search: Key Statistics and Trends

Google dominates the search landscape in the Western world, accounting for approximately 90% of searches. Understanding Google’s behavior and algorithm updates is paramount for any online business. Here are some key statistics that highlight the current state of search:

• High Search Volume: Millions of Google searches are conducted every minute, demonstrating the massive potential for reaching a wide audience.
• Local Search Dominance: A significant portion of searches are local, indicating the importance of optimizing for local SEO and targeting customers in specific geographic areas.
• Click-Through Rate Disparity: Top-ranking pages capture the majority of clicks, while a vast majority of web pages receive little to no organic traffic. This underscores the importance of achieving high search rankings.
• Indexing Challenges: Many web pages submitted to Google are not even indexed, meaning they are not considered relevant enough to be included in Google’s search index.
• Limited Organic Visibility: Only a small percentage of indexed pages receive a significant number of organic visits per month, highlighting the difficulty of attracting organic traffic.

These statistics paint a clear picture: achieving online visibility requires a strategic and data-driven approach. Simply having a website is not enough; businesses must actively optimize their online presence to attract and engage their target audience.

SEO AI and Google’s SERP Evolution

Google’s continuous evolution, driven by advancements in AI, is reshaping the SERP and impacting how users interact with search results. Key changes include:

• Continuous Scrolling: The shift from paginated search results to infinite scrolling emphasizes the importance of ranking at the very top of the page. Users are less likely to scroll endlessly, making top positions even more valuable.
• Shopping Graph: This feature provides rich product information directly within the SERP, allowing users to make informed decisions without clicking through to individual product pages. This necessitates highly optimized product data to capture visibility within the Shopping Graph.
• Refined Searches: Advanced filters allow users to narrow down their search queries, highlighting the importance of providing detailed product attributes and categorizations.

AI SEO brings changes that have significant implications for fashion brands:

• Focus on User Intent: While overall clicks might decrease, the clicks that do occur are likely to come from users with a higher purchase intent. This means focusing on attracting qualified leads who are ready to buy.
• Product Data Optimization: Providing comprehensive and accurate product information is more critical than ever. SEO AI tools helps marketing teams and ecommerce teams to create detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and relevant attributes are essential for capturing visibility in the Shopping Graph and refined searches.
• Content is Still King: Creating high-quality, user-centric content remains crucial. SEO AI tools can be employed to help writing and optimising blog posts, articles, and other forms of content that address user queries and provide valuable information.

The Power of AI SEO tools in Product Data Enrichment

One of the biggest challenges for fashion brands is managing and enriching product data. Manually tagging products with relevant attributes is a time-consuming and error-prone process. This is where AI-powered solutions come into play.

AI can analyze both visual and textual information to automatically generate accurate and comprehensive product attributes. This offers several key benefits:

• Increased Efficiency: Automating product tagging significantly reduces the time and effort required to manage product data.
• Improved Accuracy: AI-powered solutions minimize human error, ensuring consistent and accurate product information.
• Faster Time to Market: By streamlining the product tagging process, brands can launch new products more quickly, capturing market share and maximizing revenue potential.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Rich product data provides customers with the information they need to make informed purchase decisions, leading to increased satisfaction and conversions.
• Consistency Across Channels: AI ensures consistency in product data across all online channels, creating a unified brand experience.

Automating Website Performance with SEO AI

Beyond product data enrichment, AI can also be used to automate website performance optimization. This involves analyzing website code, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing changes to enhance page speed, SEO, and user experience.

AI SEO Automation for website optimization offer several key advantages:

• Continuous Monitoring and Optimization: AI constantly monitors website performance, identifying and addressing issues in real-time.
• Automated Code Optimization: AI can rewrite and optimize website code to improve page speed and SEO.
• Reduced Development Costs: By automating many technical tasks, AI can significantly reduce development costs and free up resources for other initiatives.
• Improved SEO Performance: Optimizing website code for speed and SEO can lead to higher search rankings and increased organic traffic.
• Enhanced User Experience: Faster loading times and improved website performance create a better user experience, leading to increased engagement and conversions.

Combining AI SEO Solutions for Synergistic Results

The true power of AI SEO in fashion is unlocked when different AI-powered solutions are combined. For example, integrating an AI-powered product data enrichment solution with an AI-driven website optimization platform can create a powerful synergy.

By combining these solutions, brands can achieve:

• Comprehensive Optimization: Optimize both product data and website performance for maximum impact on SEO and user experience.
• Increased Conversions: Drive higher conversion rates by providing rich product information and a seamless website experience.
• Improved Brand Visibility: Enhance brand visibility in search results and attract more qualified leads.
• Data-Driven Insights: Gain valuable insights into customer behavior and website performance to inform future marketing strategies.

AI SEO Tools:

In this webinar we have hosted some experts who work for established AI SEO applications:

Kleecks is an innovative SaaS platform engineered to revolutionize eCommerce by optimizing performance marketing, enhancing website health, and improving speed in real-time.

Velou is a product catalog agent that enriches and tailors product data for every channel—ads, SEO, marketplaces, and AI-search tools—boosting discovery, relevance, and conversions.

The Future of Fashion SEO: Embracing AI

The future of fashion SEO is inextricably linked to AI and Automation. By embracing AI-powered solutions, fashion brands can overcome the challenges of a competitive market and achieve sustainable growth. This involves:

• Prioritizing Product Data: Investing in AI-powered product data enrichment to provide customers with the information they need.
• Optimizing Website Performance: Leveraging AI to automate website optimization and enhance user experience.
• Adopting a Data-Driven Approach: Using AI-driven insights to inform marketing strategies and measure campaign effectiveness.
• Staying Ahead of the Curve: Continuously monitoring the evolving search landscape and adapting strategies accordingly.

By embracing these strategies, fashion brands can harness the power of AI to unlock new opportunities, drive growth, and thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. The key is to see AI not as a threat, but as a powerful partner in achieving online success.

Watch the webinar on SEO AI

Online Course

FASHION DIGITAL MARKETING

– Study with fashion industry experts
– Learn Performance Marketing, SEO and Social
– Network with international professionals

Discover more

Gaetano Vancheri, Head of Traffic Acquisition @ Golden Goose

Oliwia Urban, SEO Manager @ GA Agency

Giulia Rosetti, Marketing and Digital Director GrandVision Benelux (EssilorLuxottica)

Meet all the teachers >>

AI Fundamentals: Essential Knowledge and Applications for Fashion & Luxury

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, and understanding its core concepts is crucial for leveraging its potential. This post aims to demystify AI and explore its practical applications in fashion eCommerce.

Understanding AI: Key Concepts

AI Defined:
AI isn’t a magical tool but a broad field of computer science focused on creating systems capable of tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation.

AI is rapidly becoming part of every day operations for fashion brands, from trends analysis to customer services, AI will increase efficiency in all activities of the value chain.

Terms to know in AI

• Algorithm: A set of rules a computer follows to solve problems or complete tasks, forming the backbone of AI systems.
• Data Set: A collection of data used to train and test machine learning models. The quality and quantity of this data are critical for performance.
• Training and Testing: Training involves teaching a model using a dataset, while testing evaluates its performance with new data.
• Supervised vs. Unsupervised Learning: Supervised learning uses labeled data to improve accuracy through feedback, whereas unsupervised learning discovers hidden patterns without explicit guidance.
• Model: The result of applying an algorithm to data, representing learned patterns for making predictions or decisions.
• Neural Networks: Inspired by the human brain, these interconnected units (neurons) work together in layers to process information.

Machine Learning vs. Deep Learning

Machine Learning (ML):
A branch of AI that uses algorithms to learn from data and make predictions. ML models are generally simpler and require less data and computational power compared to deep learning.

Deep Learning (DL):
A subfield of ML that employs neural networks with many layers to analyze vast amounts of unstructured data, such as images and text. DL models are more complex and demand significant computational resources.

Practical AI Applications in Fashion eCommerce

1. Automated Product Descriptions:
AI can revolutionize product description creation by leveraging existing company data to generate descriptions automatically. This approach reduces time and costs, ensures consistency across markets, and supports multiple languages. It also allows for manual review to maintain quality.

2. Enhanced Customer Support:
AI-driven intelligent agents can interpret and index information from various document formats to provide accurate, immediate answers to customer queries. This reduces the load on customer service teams, enhances customer experience, and streamlines operations.

3. Personalized Shopping Experiences:
By understanding customer behavior, AI can offer tailored product recommendations, making the shopping journey more engaging and efficient. Digital shop assistants can interact in multiple languages and provide context-aware suggestions.

4. AI-Driven Customer Insight and Service Enhancement
Today, we explore how leveraging AI can significantly enhance our services by listening closely to market feedback. Utilizing systems like Trustpilot and advanced AI tools, we analyze vast amounts of unstructured data from various sources, including textual feedback, social media reviews, support tickets, and audio messages from call centers. Our goal is to transform this unstructured data into actionable insights, visualized through dashboards or used to trigger marketing automation journeys.

To tackle these challenges, we adopted a project approach focusing on creating advanced sentiment analysis solutions. These solutions not only identify key topics and customer sentiments but also integrate this structured data into our business analytics systems. This enables us to improve service and product quality, make informed decisions, and directly address customer needs.

Case Study Highlights:

1. Sentiment Analysis: AI-driven sentiment analysis consolidates customer feedback across digital platforms, highlighting issues and opportunities. This allows for real-time response and service improvements.
2. Automation of Insights: The system automates the collection, indexing, and reporting of data, saving significant time and resources.
3. Audio Data Analysis: Speech-to-text models convert audio messages into structured data for analysis, aiding in customer service and enhancing decision-making processes.
4. AI-Powered Chatbots: Implementing AI-driven voice assistants provides 24/7 customer support, reducing costs and maintaining service quality.

Path to AI Implementation:

1. Understanding Business Processes: Map out and define business processes and objectives.
2. Technological Assessment: Evaluate the impact of AI and prepare data accordingly.
3. Pilot Projects: Start with small, quick projects to generate initial value, then optimize and scale.
4. Team Expertise: Assemble a team with AI-specific skills to manage and expand AI initiatives.

ROI and Benefits:

• Operational Efficiency: Automation reduces task execution time and minimizes errors.
• Cost Reduction: Streamlined processes lead to significant cost savings.
• Actionable Insights: Data-driven decisions enhance strategic planning.
• Product Innovation: AI fosters new product development, giving a competitive edge.
• Risk Management: AI helps in identifying and mitigating risks, ensuring compliance.

AI in Shopify eCommerce: Shopify offers various AI-powered tools for content creation, translation, and reporting, depending on the subscription plan. It’s essential to align AI tools with specific business processes to maximize benefits.

This article is based on the webinar “fashion + AI” in collaboration between Digital Fashion Academy and Alpenite.

Conclusion

AI offers significant advantages in fashion eCommerce, from automating product descriptions to enhancing customer support and personalizing shopping experiences. By integrating these AI-driven solutions, businesses can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver superior customer experiences.

For luxury fashion brands, traditional e-commerce KPIs — such as Add-to-Cart Rate, Conversion Rate, and Digital Revenues — are typically adapted from transactional models. This KPI framework works indeed well for companies that are e-commerce-driven. For example, Amazon is built around selling physical products, but its business is fundamentally driven by e-commerce, with KPIs focused on online transactions. On the other hand, platforms like Udemy and Epic Games, which sell digital products such as courses and games, rely entirely on online sales without the need for physical inventory or logistics.

For fashion brands like Zara or MyTheresa, where the in-store experience is less central or the physical presence is minimal, these KPIs are also effective.

However, luxury brands present a more complex picture. For them, e-commerce is just one part of an integrated, immersive brand experience, and conventional KPIs may not fully capture the richness of customer interactions, brand perception, or loyalty — key elements of success in high-end retail.

UNIQUE ASPECTS OF CUSTOMER JOURNEYS

Several factors uniquely shape the luxury customer journey. First, competition among luxury brands is far less intense compared to the mass-market segment. When a customer chooses a specific handbag from a brand, a slightly subpar online experience is unlikely to drive towards another brand. The switching barrier is much higher than in transactional businesses, where seamless online interactions often dictate customer loyalty.

Moreover, luxury brands have long been anchored in the in-store experience. They are neither web-first nor web-only businesses. E-commerce was introduced not to replace but to complement their brick-and-mortar presence, enhancing overall performance rather than serving as the primary sales channel.

It’s also essential to recognize that these brands don’t sell digital products; their physical products are meant to be part of a larger experiential journey. The nature of luxury goods makes the in-person element particularly crucial. Customers want to feel the fabric, admire the craftsmanship, and immerse themselves in the brand’s ambiance. These tactile interactions are a vital part of the decision-making process, much like test-driving a car before purchase. In this context, a luxury purchase transcends a simple transaction — it becomes an emotional and immersive experience.

A central figure in delivering this immersive experience is the client advisor, whose role extends far beyond facilitating a purchase. Acting as brand ambassadors, client advisors are instrumental in establishing meaningful relationships with customers, understanding their unique preferences, and providing personalized recommendations. Through attentive and knowledgeable guidance, they help transform each visit into a memorable experience, fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat visits. In luxury retail, the client advisor’s expertise and attentiveness are not just service enhancements; they are pivotal to achieving lasting success.

Finally, the high price point of the goods often makes customers hesitant to buy online without first experiencing the product in person. They want to ensure that key aspects such as size, color, and material meet their expectations, while also gaining confidence in the overall quality and feel of the item.

Taken together, these factors make it clear that in the luxury industry, online and offline experiences are deeply intertwined, making it difficult to assess e-commerce performance in isolation with conventional KPIs.

IS “E-COMMERCE” THE RIGHT WORDING?

These observations highlight that customers often prefer to include a store visit as part of their purchase decision-making journey. Brands, in turn, actively encourage this by steering customers toward the in-store experience, where deeper, long-term relationships can be cultivated, rather than prioritizing a quick online sale.

Transaction data underscores the importance of in-store engagement: despite offering the same products, metrics like Units per Transaction, Average Unit Retail, and, consequently, Average Order Value are consistently higher in stores, while Return Rates are lower. This highlights how online and offline channels play distinct, complementary roles, creating a seamless, integrated luxury shopping experience.

Given the close integration of online and offline experiences, it’s worth reconsidering whether “e-commerce” is even the right term. A more fitting description might be “online presence”, as digital channels in luxury retail aim to complement, rather than replace, the immersive in-store experience that defines the brand.

E-COMMERCE KPIs AND SYSTEM THINKING

When revisiting the discussion of primary e-commerce KPIs, it becomes evident why traditional online-centric metrics fall short in capturing the full complexity of the luxury brand ecosystem. While metrics like Add-to-Cart Rate, Conversion Rate, and Digital Revenues can still provide useful insights in certain contexts, they are not suitable as “north star” metrics for a strategy that emphasizes the offline experience.

A well-regarded approach to optimizing system performance is the Toyota Kata method, which focuses on assessing the current state and conducting iterative experiments to gradually move toward target conditions aligned with the broader vision. The success of this approach depends on a measurement system that captures trends and ensures that changes are consistently moving in the right direction.

Take the example of a racing car: reducing the car’s weight might seem like an easy win for increasing speed, but if the measurement system focuses solely on weight as a leading indicator for velocity, replacing the engine with a smaller one might be viewed as an improvement. However, this could result in a slower car due to reduced power.

Similarly, adopting e-commerce Conversion Rate as a “north star” metric poses the risk of optimizing for a local maximum. Enhancing the online experience could inadvertently draw attention away from store visits, leading to diminished overall business performance. While improved digital metrics may align with better company results in some cases, this is not guaranteed. To use a fitting geographical analogy, relying on such a metric is like navigating with a compass that occasionally points north and occasionally doesn’t — hardly the kind of tool you’d trust to guide your journey.

WRAPPING IT UP

At this stage of the discussion, a crucial question emerges: if the traditional e-commerce KPI triplet falls short, what is the better alternative? Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. The challenge with conventional KPIs is that they attempt to isolate the digital segment, whereas for luxury brands, the online and offline experiences are deeply intertwined. Any improved approach must offer a holistic perspective, though this inherently makes such KPIs more complex to calculate than straightforward metrics like the online Add-to-Cart Rate.

In the next article, we’ll take a deeper dive into the e-commerce funnel and introduce new indicators that are better suited for a comprehensive analysis.

The good news is that while the north star metric should be holistic, the action plan can still focus on specific areas. However, for optimal results, the strategy will likely need to integrate digital actions, in-store initiatives, and a combination of both.

M.P.

The Ultimate Guide to Fashion Marketplace Marketing

Introduction

With the rapid growth of online marketplace marketing, marketplaces like Amazon, Zalando, and others have become central hubs for fashion brands seeking to expand their reach in digital marketing marketplace strategies.

Marketplaces offer the opportunity to meet new consumers where they are already shopping, offering a mix of convenience, variety, and brand discovery, making marketplace marketing crucial for visibility.

By 2028, there will be an estimated 313 million e-shoppers in the EU alone, highlighting the growing importance of a strong marketplace presence. The marketplaces will reach 50% of the total sales of fashion ecommerce.

This guide will explore why having a dedicated marketing strategy for marketplaces is essential, how to optimize your listings and advertising efforts, and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you measure success.

Why Marketplaces Commerce?

Marketplaces provide an all-in-one platform where consumers can discover, compare, and purchase products from various brands. Unlike traditional e-commerce, where brands sell directly to consumers through their own websites, marketplaces bring together a multitude of sellers, creating a dynamic environment that facilitates product discovery.

Key Advantages of Marketplaces:

• Increased Reach: Access to a broader audience compared to traditional direct-to-consumer sales.
• Ready-to-Use Platforms: Marketplaces are equipped with built-in marketing tools and analytics, simplifying the process for sellers.
• Brand Discovery: Consumers are open to exploring new brands, making it an ideal space for emerging companies to gain visibility.

However, marketplace commerce also comes with its challenges, such as increased competition, lower margins, and limited control over customer data. This makes it crucial for brands to adopt a strategic approach to stand out.

The Importance of a Dedicated Marketing Strategy

A dedicated marketing strategy is not just about being present on a platform; it’s about being effective in leveraging content marketing marketplace tools and analytics to boost brand visibility. Here’s why it’s essential:

• Competitive Edge: Effective marketing strategies help brands attract leads, build loyalty, and ultimately capture market share.
• Sales Optimization: With proper marketing tactics, brands can optimize their sales funnel, from awareness to conversion.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Leveraging the analytics tools provided by marketplaces allows brands to refine their strategies and achieve better outcomes.

Opportunities and Challenges in Marketplace Marketing

Navigating marketplaces requires an understanding of both the opportunities and the challenges involved in marketplace advertising. Here’s a look at some of the key factors:

Opportunities:

• Expansion Potential: Marketplaces offer a low-cost entry into new regions, enabling brands to test markets without significant investment.
• Reputation Building: Brands can build credibility through customer reviews, ratings, and consistent presence.

Challenges:

• Sales Cannibalization: Products on marketplaces can compete with direct sales from a brand’s website, potentially leading to cannibalization.
• Lower Margins: Marketplaces often charge fees or commissions that can eat into profit margins.
• Data Limitations: Sellers often have limited access to customer data, which can hinder personalized marketing efforts.

How to Offset Marketplace Challenges

To succeed on marketplaces, brands need tailored strategies that address platform-specific challenges:

1. Listing Optimization: Optimizing product listings is a crucial first step. This includes refining product titles, descriptions, images, and using rich media like comparison tables and videos.
2. Paid Advertising and Marketplace Ad Management: Leveraging advertising options such as sponsored product ads, brand ads, and display ads can significantly boost visibility. Effective use of paid ads helps brands stay top-of-mind and drive conversions.
3. Content Marketing Marketplace: Investing in high-quality content such as enhanced product descriptions, A+ content, and influencer partnerships can help differentiate your brand.
4. Promotions: Marketplace-specific promotions like coupons, volume discounts, and exclusive deals can drive sales, attract new customers, and encourage repeat purchases.
5. Earned Media: Programs like Amazon Vine and Zalando Lounge affiliate marketing allow brands to generate organic reviews and word-of-mouth promotion.

Key Marketing Strategies for Marketplaces

1. Listing Optimization

Creating optimized listings is essential for marketplace success. Key elements include:

• Product Titles: Use clear, descriptive titles that include relevant keywords to improve search visibility.
• Descriptions: Detailed descriptions help inform buyers and increase the likelihood of conversion. Focus on benefits and unique selling points.
• Visuals: High-quality images, videos, and interactive media can significantly impact purchasing decisions.

2. Paid Advertising and Marketplace Ad Management

Paid advertising on marketplaces can take various forms, each designed to address different stages of the customer journey:

• Onsite Ads: These include homepage teasers, catalog ads, and sponsored product placements that capture customer attention at the point of purchase.
• Offsite Ads: Utilize offsite options like influencer marketing, paid social formats, and custom advertising to reach consumers across multiple channels.

3. Content Marketing Marketplace

Content marketing on marketplaces goes beyond standard listings. Leveraging influencer partnerships, storytelling, and educational content can enhance brand perception and engage potential buyers.

4. Promotions and Deals

Special deals like lightning deals, volume discounts, and free shipping can attract bargain hunters and encourage bulk purchases. Promotions are also a great way to clear out old inventory or introduce new products.

5. Earned Media

Programs like Amazon’s Vine or Zalando’s Lounge provide opportunities to gain authentic reviews and build consumer trust. Organic reviews can drive credibility and influence purchase decisions significantly.

Measurement and Analytics

To measure the success of your marketplace marketing efforts, it’s crucial to track relevant KPIs. Different KPIs measure different stages of the customer journey, from awareness to loyalty:

• Brand Awareness: Metrics like impressions, share of voice, and brand store visits.
• Engagement: Clicks, CTR, and add-to-cart actions.
• Performance: Sales-related KPIs such as ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), conversion rates, and average order value.
• Loyalty: Metrics that reflect repeat purchases and customer retention.

Using these KPIs, brands can assess which strategies are working and make data-driven decisions to optimize their approach.

Case Studies: Success in Marketplace Marketing

Successful brands use a mix of onsite and offsite strategies to optimize engagement on marketplaces. Tactics include homepage takeovers, sponsored brand ads, and influencer campaigns that extend reach beyond the marketplace.

Trends Shaping the Future of Marketplace Digital Marketing and Marketplace Advertising

Marketplace marketing is constantly evolving. Here are some of the key trends:

• Personalization: Brands are increasingly using personalized marketing tactics to tailor offers and recommendations to individual shoppers.
• Sustainability: Consumers are more conscious of sustainability, and brands that highlight eco-friendly practices can differentiate themselves.
• Augmented Reality (AR): AR technology is being used to enhance the shopping experience, allowing customers to try before they buy.
• Social Commerce: The integration of social media and e-commerce is blurring the lines, creating new opportunities for brands to engage with shoppers.

Conclusion

Marketplace marketing offers immense opportunities for fashion brands, but it requires a strategic approach to marketplace ad management. By understanding the unique dynamics of marketplaces, optimizing your listings and advertising, and leveraging data-driven insights, brands can maximize their success. As consumer behaviors continue to evolve, staying agile and responsive to trends will be key to thriving in this competitive landscape.

Further Reading:

Understanding how different marketplaces operate is key to crafting a successful marketing strategy. Platforms like Farfetch follow a unique hybrid model that blends wholesale and marketplace elements—learn more about Farfetch business model here to understand how this impacts marketing decisions and brand visibility.

What’s next?

Do you want to master online marketplace marketing and become an expert in marketplace marketing digital? Enrol on the Marketplace Management course or the Fashion Digital Marketing course to access the lesson by Giulia Rosetti, Giulia is Marketing and Digital Director for GrandVision in Benelux .

Not quite what you’re looking for?
If these courses aren’t the right fit, browse through all our other offerings here to find the perfect one for you!”

E-commerce and digital marketing are closely related but serve distinct roles in the digital business landscape. Understanding the differences between the two is crucial for businesses looking to maximize their online presence and sales.

Author: Enrico Fantaguzzi
Co-founder and Director
Digital Fashion Academy

Former Gucci, Yoox, Tod’s
PMP(r), Prince2

1. Definition

• E-commerce (Electronic Commerce):
  E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. It involves online stores, marketplaces, and other digital platforms where transactions occur. E-commerce encompasses the entire process of online business operations, including product listing, payment processing, shipping, and customer service.
• Digital Marketing:
  Digital marketing involves promoting products or services using digital channels such as social media, search engines, email, and websites. Its main goal is to reach potential customers, engage with them, and persuade them to take a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or visiting a website.

2. Core Purpose

• E-commerce:
  The primary purpose of e-commerce is to facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers. It focuses on creating an environment where customers can browse products, make purchases, and have those products delivered to them.
• Digital Marketing:
  Digital marketing’s core purpose is to attract and engage potential customers, build brand awareness, drive traffic to e-commerce sites, and ultimately generate sales. It is about creating demand and guiding consumers through the buying journey.

3. Key Components

• E-commerce Components:
• Online Storefronts: Websites or apps where products are displayed and sold.
• Shopping Cart and Checkout: Systems that handle order processing and payment.
• Inventory Management: Managing stock levels, order fulfillment, and logistics.
• Customer Service: Handling queries, returns, and support.
• Digital Marketing Components:
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Improving website visibility in search engine results.
• Content Marketing: Creating valuable content to attract and engage audiences.
• Social Media Marketing: Promoting brands and products on social media platforms.
• Email Marketing: Sending targeted messages to potential or existing customers.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Paid ads that appear on search engines or social media.
• Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with influencers to promote products.

4. How They Work Together

• E-commerce relies on digital marketing to attract customers to the online store. Without digital marketing, an e-commerce site might struggle to gain visibility and attract traffic.
• Digital Marketing drives potential customers to e-commerce platforms. It builds brand awareness, creates interest, and generates leads, which can be converted into sales through e-commerce.

5. Metrics and Success Measurement

• E-commerce Success Metrics:
• Sales volume
• Conversion rate (percentage of visitors who make a purchase)
• Average order value
• Cart abandonment rate
• Customer retention and repeat purchase rate
• Digital Marketing Success Metrics:
• Website traffic
• Engagement rate (likes, shares, comments)
• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Return on ad spend (ROAS)

6. Customer Interaction

• E-commerce: Customer interaction is transactional and focuses on the buying experience. It involves navigating product listings, making purchases, and receiving after-sales support.
• Digital Marketing: Customer interaction is about engagement, building relationships, and influencing purchase decisions. It involves creating touchpoints across multiple channels to maintain ongoing communication with the audience.

7. Different skills & responsibilities

• E-commerce Manager Responsibilities: ensure the overall success of the ecommerce business which generally refers to reaching certain targets of revenues and specific levels of profitability. In order to achieve these goals ecommerce managers need to acquire specific financial, technical and organisational skills. Check out our fashion ecommerce management course.
• Digital Marketing: The skills required for digital marketing in the fashion industry range from knowledge of fashion trends to performance marketing, digital PR, social media management, marketing budget management, graphic design, styling and photography. Ideally marketing managers should understand the ecommerce profit and loss statement of ecommerce in order to better interact with the ecommerce team and support them to reach their targets.

8. Comparing the curriculum of studies of ecommerce course vs digital marketing course

Similarities and shared lessons between e-commerce and digital marketing

The digital marketing course and the ecommerce course have in common some lessons. For example both courses begin with the Fashion Industry module which explains the essential notions to work in the fashion industry. For example the fashion product lifecycle, the merchandising structure, the seasons, the distribution channels such as Directly Operated Stores, Wholesale, Franchising and so on. These fashion business notions must be known by both the Ecommerce Team and the Digital Marketing Team.

Another common area between Digital Marketing and Ecommerce is CRM – Customer Relationship Management. The CRM is essentially the governance of all business communications with customers and prospects: customer service emails, newsletters, loyalty messages, replies to customers comments and reviews. Managing online communities, social networks groups and so on.

A third important knowledge area that is essential for both the ecommerce team and the digital marketing team to possess is the Google Analytics or similar web analytics system knowledge. To have a common understanding of how to measure the performance of ecommerce is essential to both teams as every action implemented by the digital marketing team needs to reflect on the ecommerce performance KPIs.

A fourth aspect that Digital Marketing and Ecommerce share is the personal data treatment and the compliance with privacy regulations. Both Ecommerce teams and Digtal Marketing team treat customers’ personal data on a regular basis. Either collecting email addresses for sending newsletter or collecting phisical addresses for shipping or telephone numbers for contact purpose. It’s essential to be able to carry out these activities in compliance with local and international regulations.

Conclusion

In essence, e-commerce and digital marketing are distinct but complementary components of a successful online business strategy. E-commerce focuses on the transactional side of business—facilitating sales through digital platforms—while digital marketing concentrates on attracting, engaging, and nurturing customers to drive those transactions. Together, they create a complete ecosystem that enables businesses to reach their target audience, convert them into buyers, and retain them as loyal customers.

Digital Marketing and Ecommerce Budgets

In these two examples below you can see the Digital Marketing Budget, which represent the plan of spend for the following year for the Digital Marketing Function, and below the Ecommerce Budget, which is the plan of sales, expenditures and profit that we are targeting to reach for the following year.

Learn fashion brand management

Check out our courses in Fashion Brand Management, and Digital Marketing for Fashion.

Share your knowledge!

Author: Enrico Fantaguzzi
Co-founder and Director
Digital Fashion Academy

Former Gucci, Yoox, Tod’s
PMP(r), Prince2

The Email Marketing and CRM manager for fashion is a job that is increasingly important for fashion brands, retailers and etailers. In the contemporary fashion business where 90% of all sales are influenced by digital interactions, understanding and nurturing customer relationships has become paramount to the success of fashion brands.

Email marketing and CRM automated messages can generate up to 25% of the total ecommerce revenue for fashion brands.

The role of CRM and Email Marketing manager is a pivotal roles as this person will play a critical part in generating sales for E-commerce, but they need also to support communications towards bricks and mortar customers and wholesale clients.

The CRM management involves a strategic blend of marketing, data analysis, and customer psychology to drive sales, loyalty, and brand advocacy. On the other hand the CRM Manager is a tech savvy person with strong competences in regard of large customer databases managament, data flow processes, data treatment and privacy law.

What is Email Marketing and CRM?

Email marketing is the process of sending targeted emails to a specific audience for the purpose of generating engagement, leads, sales, and building customer relationships.

CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, is a broader strategy focused on managing and analyzing customer interactions and data to improve long term relationships. In the fashion industry, these two disciplines intersect to create a powerful tool for driving growth.

What Does an Email Marketing and CRM Manager Do?

The Email Marketing and CRM manager is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive email marketing strategy aligned with the overall business objectives. Their role encompasses a variety of tasks, including:

• Customer Journey Mapping: Understanding the customer lifecycle, from initial awareness to post-purchase, to identify key touchpoints and opportunities for engagement.
• Database Management: Ensuring data accuracy, segmentation, and growth through effective lead generation and acquisition strategies.
• Email Campaign Creation: Designing and developing engaging email campaigns that resonate with different customer segments, including welcome emails, promotional offers, personalized recommendations, and re-engagement campaigns.
• A/B Testing: Experimenting with different email elements (subject lines, content, design, send times) to optimize performance and improve open and click-through rates.
• Performance Analysis: Tracking and analyzing email campaign metrics to measure ROI and identify areas for improvement.
• CRM Strategy Development: Building and implementing a CRM strategy that fosters strong customer relationships and drives loyalty.
• Data Analysis: Leveraging customer data to identify trends, preferences, and opportunities for targeted marketing campaigns.
• Automation: Implementing automated email workflows and personalized recommendations to enhance the customer experience.
• Collaboration: Working closely with other departments, such as marketing, sales, and customer service, to ensure alignment and achieve business goals.

Why is Email Marketing and CRM increasingly important for Fashion?

With the increasing limitations in the use of third party cookies from the big tech companies such as Apple and increasing attention from authorities auround the world to respect consumers privacy, Email marketing and CRM are essential for fashion brands for several reasons:

• Direct Communication: Email provides a direct channel to connect with customers and build relationships.
• High ROI: Email marketing offers a high return on investment compared to other marketing channels.
• Personalization: CRM data enables highly personalized email campaigns that resonate with individual customers.
• Customer Loyalty: Nurturing customer relationships through targeted email communication increases brand loyalty and repeat purchases.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: CRM data provides valuable insights to inform marketing strategies and product development.

Goals of an Email Marketing and CRM Manager

The primary goals of an email marketing and CRM manager in fashion include:

• Increasing email open and click-through rates
• Driving sales and revenue through email campaigns
• Building and growing the email subscriber list
• Improving customer lifetime value
• Enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty
• Providing valuable insights to inform business decisions

KPIs for Measuring Performance

To evaluate the success of email marketing and CRM efforts, managers use key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:

• Email open rate
• Click-through rate
• Conversion rate
• Bounce rate
• Unsubscribe rate
• Customer lifetime value
• Return on investment (ROI)

Tools of the Trade

Several tools are available to assist email marketing and CRM managers in their roles:

• Email Marketing Platforms: Mailchimp, HubSpot, Klaviyo, Adobe Campaign
• CRM Software: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho
• Data Analysis Tools: Google Analytics, Tableau

Career Opportunities in Email Marketing and CRM

A career in email marketing and CRM offers exciting opportunities for growth and advancement. Professionals in this field can progress to roles such as:

• Senior Email Marketing Manager
• CRM Director
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Customer Experience Manager

How to Access a Career in Email Marketing and CRM

To enter the field of email marketing and CRM, a combination of education, skills, and experience is essential. Relevant degrees in marketing, business, or related fields can provide a solid foundation. Additionally, certifications in email marketing and CRM can enhance job prospects.

Essential Skills for Success

Successful email marketing and CRM managers possess a blend of hard and soft skills:

• Hard Skills:
  • Proficiency in email marketing platforms and CRM software
  • Data analysis and interpretation skills
  • Copywriting and design skills
  • HTML and CSS knowledge (for email design)
• Soft Skills:
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Creativity and problem-solving abilities
  • Attention to detail
  • Analytical mindset
  • Project management skills

Hiring an Email Marketing and CRM Manager

When hiring an email marketing and CRM manager, recruiters should look for candidates with:

• Proven experience in email marketing and CRM
• A strong understanding of the fashion industry
• A track record of delivering results
• A data-driven approach
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

To assess a candidate’s skills, employers can conduct interviews, review portfolios, and administer practical tests.

Training and Development

Continuous learning is essential for success in the dynamic field of email marketing and CRM. There are numerous training options available, including:

• Online courses and certifications
• Workshops and seminars
• Industry conferences
• On-the-job training

Why Study with Digital Fashion Academy?

Digital Fashion Academy offers specialized training programs designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in email marketing and CRM for the fashion industry. Our courses are delivered by experienced industry experts who share real-world insights and best practices.

By enrolling in our programs, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fashion industry, customer behavior, and the latest marketing technologies. You will also have the opportunity to network with other fashion professionals and build valuable connections.

At Digital Fashion Academy, we believe in providing practical, hands-on training that empowers you to make a significant impact on your career. Our courses are designed to help you develop the skills and confidence to succeed in the competitive fashion industry.

The Cookie Crunch

The digital advertising world is undergoing a seismic shift due to the evolving landscape of cookies. Both Google and Apple have taken significant strides to prioritize user privacy, leading to the gradual phasing out of third-party cookies.  

Apple’s Approach: A Privacy-First Stance

Apple has been at the forefront of privacy initiatives. Its App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has significantly impacted mobile advertising, requiring app developers to obtain explicit user consent for tracking. This has led to a decline in targeted advertising effectiveness on iOS devices.  

Google’s U-Turn: A Balancing Act

Google initially planned to phase out third-party cookies in Chrome, its dominant browser. However, facing industry backlash and regulatory scrutiny, it recently reversed its decision. Instead, Google is exploring a user-choice model, similar to Apple’s ATT, allowing users to decide whether to allow third-party cookies. This approach aims to balance user privacy with advertiser interests.  

Impact on Digital Advertising

The cookie changes have profound implications for digital advertising:

• Reduced Targeting Accuracy: With limited access to user data, advertisers face challenges in delivering highly targeted ads.
• Increased Reliance on First-Party Data: Companies are focusing on building their own customer databases to fuel advertising efforts.
• Privacy-Compliant Alternatives: New technologies like contextual advertising, privacy-preserving measurement, and identity solutions are gaining traction.
• Industry Consolidation: Smaller ad tech players may struggle to adapt, while larger companies with more resources are better positioned to navigate the changing landscape.
• Shift in Ad Spending: Budget allocations may shift from performance-based advertising to brand-building campaigns that rely less on granular targeting.
• Increased Costs: Advertisers may experience higher costs per acquisition as targeting becomes less precise.

The Impact of Cookie Changes on the Fashion Industry

The fashion industry, heavily reliant on data-driven marketing and personalized experiences, is significantly impacted by the cookie changes.

For companies in the fashion and luxury sectors, this will have a significant impact on recognizing their customers and VICs, as well as understanding information related to their behavior, such as the ability to recognize international and traveling customers.

The reduced ability to recognize users impacts the strategies for personalizing properties (e.g., based on style preferences or the customer journey).

Additionally, the ability to measure results and media performance (and thus business and product decisions) and media targeting, from awareness to retargeting, is compromised.

Challenges for the Fashion Industry

• Difficulty in Targeting: With reduced access to third-party cookies, fashion brands struggle to accurately identify and target specific customer segments based on browsing behavior and purchase history.
• Reduced Effectiveness of Retargeting: Retargeting campaigns, which rely on cookies to track user behavior across websites, become less effective in re-engaging customers.
• Measurement Challenges: Attributing sales and conversions to specific marketing channels becomes more complex without robust tracking capabilities.
• Increased Competition: As targeting becomes less precise, competition for customer attention intensifies, making it harder to stand out.

Alternative Targeting Methods for the Fashion Industry

Despite these challenges, fashion brands can adapt by exploring alternative targeting methods:

• First-Party Data: Leveraging customer data collected directly from websites, apps, and loyalty programs is crucial. This includes purchase history, demographics, and preferences.
• Contextual Advertising: Targeting ads based on the content of the webpage where they appear can be effective. For instance, ads for luxury fashion can be displayed on high-end lifestyle websites.
• Lookalike Audiences: Creating lookalike audiences based on existing customer data can help identify potential customers with similar profiles.
• Privacy-Centric Identity Solutions: Exploring solutions that offer identity resolution without compromising user privacy can enable more accurate targeting.
• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Try-On: Providing immersive shopping experiences can enhance customer engagement and data collection.
• Influencer Marketing: Partnering with influencers can help reach target audiences authentically and build brand loyalty.
• Offline-Online Integration: Connecting online and offline customer data can provide a more comprehensive view of customer behavior.

Key Focus Areas for Fashion Brands

• Data Management Platform (DMP): Implementing a DMP to consolidate and manage first-party data is essential.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Strengthening CRM systems to capture and utilize customer information effectively.
• Privacy Compliance: Adhering to data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA is crucial to build trust with customers.
• Experimentation and Innovation: Testing different targeting methods and technologies to find the most effective strategies.
• Customer Experience: Prioritizing customer experience to build loyalty and advocacy.

By embracing these strategies and staying informed about the evolving landscape, fashion brands can navigate the cookie-less future and maintain their competitive edge.

Would you like to explore a specific aspect of this further, such as the potential impact on luxury fashion or the role of artificial intelligence in this context?

How AI Can Help Fashion Brands Optimizing Marketing Strategies:

• Media Buying: AI can optimize media buying by analyzing campaign performance and allocating budgets effectively.   1. Enhancing Media Buying and Selling with AI – WideOrbit www.wideorbit.com
• Creative Optimization: By testing different creative elements, AI can identify the most effective ad creatives.   1. Ingenious Way to Test Ad Creatives for your Winning Ad Campaigns using the power of AI www.adcreative.ai
• Attribution Modeling: AI can help attribute sales and conversions to different marketing channels with greater accuracy.

The Road Ahead

The digital advertising ecosystem is in a state of flux. As Google and Apple continue to shape the privacy landscape, companies must adapt their strategies to thrive in a cookieless world. A focus on user experience, data quality, and innovative advertising solutions will be crucial for success.

Would you like to delve deeper into a specific aspect of the cookie situation, such as the potential impact on a particular industry or the technical details of alternative targeting methods?

Enrol to the Cookies online course

The Post-Cookie Era for the Fashion Industry: Adapting to the Growing Inefficacy of Third-Party Cookies

This course will guide resources from defining cookies and their usefulness to understanding how the elimination of third-party tracking changes the digital communication landscape. We will explore the most suitable solutions to maintain a high level of personalization and customer loyalty.

1. State and Evolution of the Digital Market
   • Current trends in the eCommerce and fashion sectors, focusing on new privacy regulations
   • How major browsers and other large platforms have changed their approach to cookies over time
2. Impacts on Measurement / Analytics
   • Measuring and evaluating performance in the new context
   • Exploring new attribution models to better understand the customer journey
   • Tools and technologies that can replace third-party cookies in data collection and analysis
3. Impacts on Media Activities, Targeting, and Retargeting
   • Adapting targeting strategies to the new context
   • Effects on advertising budgets and media effectiveness
4. How to Address the Changes
   • Plans and strategies to prepare for the upcoming changes
5. Opportunities, Guidelines, and Best Practices
   • Analysis of success stories of companies that have already implemented solutions without third-party cookies.