What exactly is an “ecommerce marketing strategy” if each multifaceted, mega-marketplace requires its own unique marketing plan? How does the small-to-medium-sized retail marketer, in particular, decide where to focus their time, energy and money? Given the real-time, data-driven nature of ecommerce, and the fact that these giant ecosystems are themselves complex and constantly changing, at what point do you ask yourself: should I hire third-party help, or do this all in-house?

Within the last few years, product marketing opportunities across social media have exploded, giving rise to the term “social commerce”. At the end of 2018, social commerce is undergoing a major shift, as social platforms circumnavigate sending traffic to retail destinations by allowing consumers to make purchases directly on their properties, instead. In this session, brand managers consider the impact of this shift on cross-channel marketing and personalization, in particular, while weighing potential pluses and minuses for their businesses.