Thought Leadership at VML

The Future Shopper 2024 Report surveys 31,000+ shoppers across 20 countries to provide a clear view on the shopping trends of shoppers today and in the future, including why spending habits are changing and what to expect as we shift towards a world where physical and digital merge.

Amidst economic, societal, tech and environmental factors, we witness a re-normalization as consumers re-embrace physical retail, at the same time placing a higher value on "compressed commerce" and accelerated customer journeys. Marketplaces retain their dominant position but with a weakening grip, and attrition threatens to derail the progress of businesses selling via D2C channels. Meanwhile, new tech and channel options offer brands like Diageo exciting opportunities to augment the shopping experience.

Consumers won't put up with a shopping experience or a checkout that fails to live up to expectation. And neither should they...

With a few simple tweaks, online retailers and brands can prevent their acquisition spend going to waste with a poor online experience, and ensure that they maximize conversion on their sites and apps across all devices.

Drawing on the latest independent consumer research, our "Hard to Attract, Easy to Lose" report explains why friction-free experiences are non-negotiable in converting your hard-earned website visitors, why checkout is the key battleground - and how to win.

In "CPG Going Direct", we explore what has held back CPG organizations moving into D2C, and present the 5 areas where D2C can transform CPG brand operations, supported with the steps to take on this D2C journey.

Innovation, personalization and trialling new products are all key, and for many CPGs that means taking a fresh approach, beyond the confines of the traditional D2C playbook.

The report draws on both VML's and Shopify's deep experience supporting countless CPG organizations globally, and defines what it takes for CPGs to truly thrive in D2C.

We also have further CPG reports that unpack key trends and enablers in the sector including: Accelerating Digital Transformation in the CPG Industry and The Crucial Role of Data Governance in CPG.

In this new Marketplaces guide, we undertook a survey of senior brand decision-makers working to find out the state of play on their approach to multiple channels within an omnichannel context. We wanted to understand their issues, what channels they see as offering the best growth opportunities now and in the future, and how they see tying them all together in a single consistent offering.

Based on an original survey of UK businesses, we added global perspectives including regional input from VML commerce experts across the globe. Together, this guide presents what we learnt about brands’ views on marketplaces - the good and the bad, where they think even more value could be unlocked, and how marketplaces fit in with broader omnichannel strategies now and in the future.

Our Future Shopper B2B report provides a clear global overview of B2B eCommerce, revealing a global market that is becoming much more digital, and conducting more of its purchasing online.

We found a clear need for seamless omni-channel journeys, and growing importance in owned digital platforms. We spotlighted a B2B buyer base that is frustrated, demanding better mobile and app capabilities, and pressuring B2B sellers to do more to address the friction points. With other mounting challenges around purpose, sustainability, social commerce and new tech, we offer multiple insights on how to support the B2B buyer better. And for a deep-dive into the Food & Drink B2B sector, read Food & Drinks and the B2B Future Shopper.

The "Controlling Content Chaos" whitepaper is a critical read for C-Suite executives and content management professionals aiming to navigate the complexities of modern content management. By addressing key challenges and offering practical solutions, it provides a roadmap for enhancing customer value through effective content strategy and management. Adopting the strategies outlined in this report can help organizations achieve global brand consistency, drive efficiency, and demonstrate the strategic value of content as a business asset.

This report highlights the importance of content as a core business asset and offers insights from a survey of over 1,000 C-Suite executives in marketing and tech roles across various industries and countries.

The only constant is change, and based on the evidence so far, 2024 looks set to further validate this age-old notion, with the world in an ongoing state of unpredictable flux. Navigating the increasing complexity and pace of change is ever-more demanding.

Against this backdrop, our 7th edition of Tomorrow's Commerce brings together some of the key trends our experts are predicting to influence and shape commerce beyond 2024. Their impact might not be felt tomorrow, but that doesn’t mean the planning for them can’t start today. We’ve envisioned the trends changing how consumers buy and transact, and what you need to do about them.

AI has emerged as the game-changer that promises to re-write the rulebook for how technology delivers business solutions. But this poses many challenges: How can I get value from this tech? How can I differentiate? How will AI impact my customers and business? How and what do I change?

And the answers are driving both innovation and experimentation, with MACH gives businesses the freedom to experiment with AI and find out where they can gain value from it. Welcome to MACH 3.0 – a new phase of the composable journey defined by leveraging MACH architectures to create space for accelerated innovation and, more specifically, enable the race to drive value via AI.