Simplicity is key to a successful online transformation programme, according to Ralph Tucker, chief product and supply chain officer at the N Brown Group.

Speaking at the eTail conference in Westminster, Tucker stressed the importance of retailers getting the basics right when going through an online transformation process. He noted how Amazon are leading the way with innovation, through a simplistic approach which has become the norm across the industry.

N Brown, which owns fashion brands SimplyBe and Jacamo, has moved from a catalogue-based offering to one which is now 70 per cent online. To drive this switch, Tucker stated that the N Brown transformation process has focused on being relevant, economically viable and unique through a number of new processes.

Hyper personalisation has been a key part of the transformation process, researching exactly what kind of messages and offers customers would like to receive. The biggest challenge to this, according to Tucker, has been linking product data with customer data “to provide the best possible personalised experience”.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning has been key to the implementation of data management for N Brown, which saw almost immediate benefits of machine learning in the marketing and forecasting departments.

“It is obviously important to build a great website and product offering, but it is crucial to invest in data and innovation,” concluded Tucker.

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