Show 325 - Ecommerce Expo Special Part 2 of 2: AI, Innovation & the Future of Digital Commerce

The second of two episodes recorded live at Ecommerce Expo in partnership with Exactly.com, who provide payment solutions for businesses with big plans. We continue our conversations with a number of the speakers and attendees from the event, exploring how businesses are adapting to changing customer expectations, advances in AI, and the evolving world of e-commerce and payments. Russell Goldsmith speaks with: 1/ Liam Yeates, Payments Leader, Exactly.com 2/ Natia Bichiashvili, Marketing and Digital Manager, FEME 3/ Olivier Geraghty, Co-Founder and CEO, Sleekr 4/ Ben Cons, Owner, Director and Head of Special Projects, French Bedroom 5/ Alex Burton, E-commerce and Marketing Executive, Garden Furniture Centre 6/ David Chapman, Founder, Thumb Soldiers Together they discuss the challenge of scaling e-commerce businesses, adapting to AI-driven search behaviour, the importance of customer trust, and how brands can balance automation with meaningful human interaction. From luxury aftercare and accessibility-focused innovation to checkout optimisation, payment choice and the future of online discovery, this episode provides practical insights for business leaders looking to stay ahead in a rapidly changing digital marketplace. Topics covered include: - How AI is reshaping search and product discovery - The role of payment innovation in business growth - Why customer trust remains a key conversion driver - The importance of human connection in a digital world - How brands can prepare for AI-driven commerce - Post-purchase experiences and creating long-term customer value - Lessons from founders, marketers and e-commerce leaders