Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen joins Valerie de Charette, Head of International, American Eagle Outfitters and Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, President & Chief Executive Officer, eShopWorld (ESW) Americas to discuss the complexities of expanding globally through direct-to-consumer channels.
Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen joins Valerie de Charette, Head of International, American Eagle Outfitters and Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, President & Chief Executive Officer, eShopWorld (ESW) Americas to discuss the complexities of expanding globally through direct-to-consumer channels. Valerie and Patrick’s fireside chat will wrap up the morning keynotes at the GELF NYC ’21 Global Stage during our Day 1 program on Tuesday, September 28th. Join us at the upcoming GELF event in New York, September 28th and 29th 2021 where we will be co-located with the CommerceNext In real Life conference at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel!
Our guests each talk about their extensive retail ecommerce background, their respective businesses, state of cross-border eCommerce, two starts and one stop advice. They will also provide a brief overview of what they will be talking about at the GELF NYC ’21 event; namely global expansion challenges ranging from localization and logistics to data management, legal compliance, and proving ROI internally.
We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever! GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online.
On September 28th and 29th, the Global Ecommerce Leaders Forum (GELF) community returns to New York City live and in person. This year we’re bigger and better than ever as we join our friends from the CommerceNext team at the New York Hilton!
GELF NYC 2021will co-locate its annual gathering in New York City with CommerceNext In Real Life (IRL) 2021. Join the GELF community for keynotes, breakout sessions, executive roundtable meetups and networking as our global ecommerce programming grows to two full days this September.
We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever!
GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online.
If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-borders commerce industry.
I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/
Kent Allen
I help innovative digital companies tell their story and build relationships with prospective and established clients and partners. I've spent the last twenty years providing market analysis, research & thought leadership, market development and consulting services within the ecommerce technology and digital marketing community.
Current focus: Globalization via cross-border ecommerce, marketplaces and international retail expansion. Co-founded the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum to foster community among and provide education to digital professionals with international growth objectives.
My 20+ years of experience in the digital commerce and marketing industry and strong personal connections have provided me with opportunities to stay ahead of the curve and explore "what's next" for my clients and our audiences.
My research, content marketing & thought leadership skills coupled with my strong client interface skills allow me to define & execute next-generation marketing and commerce strategies & improve business performance.
Specialties/Skills: Market Research, Communications, Strategy, Planning, Best Practices, Trend, Data and Competitive Analysis, Public Speaking, Writing and Expression
Michael LeBlanc is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. You can learn more about Michael here or on LinkedIn.
Until next time, have a safe week!
Michael LeBlanc 00:06
Well, Kent, it’s great to be on the microphone here again at the Global E-Commerce Tech Talks podcast. How are you doing?
Kent Allen 00:13
I am doing well, Michael, thanks again, for all your work. It's been, you know, it's been crazy behind the scenes. As a lot of folks know, we've done a quick venue change, we're going to be at the Sheraton Times Square now. So kind of right across the street from the New York Hilton, where we've been working with their great team.
Michael LeBlanc 00:33
Nothing else changes, right. I mean, basically, it's, you know, across the street, nothing else changes. So, it's kind of, you know, I'm sure a lot of work for you and the team behind the scenes, but other than that, for guests it's,
Kent Allen 00:43
Good word. This is one of my most favorite times developing the conference, you know, we've got a lot of people kind of committed, and now it's really just meeting with all the different speakers and learning their stories. And, and, again, you know, kind of working with you, Michael, on these short podcasts to kind of give people a little bit of an overview about some of the different sessions and some of the keynotes that we're going to be doing at GELF, it's been a lot of fun. And it's always a learning experience. I mean, as you know, you put some money on a camera, and suddenly you start finding out things that you'd maybe not hear on a typical session prep call or something like that. So, we've been having a lot of fun.
Michael LeBlanc 01:21
Yeah, well, I echo that. I mean, I love these bonus additions. This is the first of several actually, the second of several, and we're just getting into these, and it's a, it's a very similar format for all of these, which is an introduction to the caliber of the people on the stage. So, it really is a little bit about them. But really, it kind of, let's say wets the appetite to go see them in person at the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum conference coming up, give me those dates again,
Kent Allen 01:49
Yeah, September 28th, and September 29th. So, that's a Tuesday and a Wednesday. And, you know, for those folks that aren't going to be able to travel and join us live in person, we're going to be streaming and recording a lot of the sessions making them available for on-demand. So, you know, quite truly a hybrid event. And, just really looking forward to kind of getting the the program up and going and getting everybody back together. So, it's gonna be, it's gonna be a great time.
Michael LeBlanc 02:17
Well, fantastic. So, speaking of up and going, let's get to this episode. We've got two great two of our great guests, Valerie, and Patrick, tell me a little bit about them, because they introduce themselves, but give me just a bit of context.
Kent Allen 02:30
Yeah, exactly. I mean, it's great to have Patrick in the eShopWorld team. I mean, these guys have been supporting GELF and since day one, you know, back in in 2014. So it's great. And they've always done a great job pulling together, you know, great programs and great conversations this year. Patrick is joining Valerie from the American Eagle Outfitters. She's the Head of International E-Commerce, you know, and obviously I'll let her kind of introduce herself here a couple seconds.
Michael LeBlanc 02:59
Right.
Kent Allen 02:59
But, you know, just lots of experience in retail and certainly the last five years and e-commerce, Walmart and Stuart Weitzman, lots of other opportunities to really kind of bring some great insights to the audience. So, it's just great that we've got Valerie in, you know, I want to give a shout out to Meredith and Claire and the team behind the scenes that e shop world two they've been great to work with, and always have been.
Michael LeBlanc 03:21
Well, fantastic. Well, without further delay, let's get to it.
Kent Allen 03:26
All right, let's go.
Michael LeBlanc 03:29
Valerie and Patrick, welcome to the Global E-Commerce Tech Talks podcast. How are you both doing?
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 03:34
Doing great.
Valerie de Charette 03:35
Fine, Thanks.
Michael LeBlanc 03:37
Fantastic. Well, listen, looking forward to seeing you live on the stage in New York live in New York. So exciting. For the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum. Let's just start in this short kind of format about we're gonna ask you three questions. But we're gonna start a little bit about yourself. So, Valerie, such depth of expertise, and retail, wow, I was looking at your background. And as an added bonus, you've got a bit of French literature to talk to Patrick about later on the sidelines as well. So, that's gonna come in handy too, give us a bit of a sense of update about your background and what you do at American Eagle Outfitters.
Valerie de Charette 04:16
Yeah, so as you said, my experience has always been in retail, but it's definitely spand a lot of functions and channels and countries. So, I started in merchandising, when I was much younger, but I've also spent a good amount of time in corporate finance, and strategy even in the leading PMO during one part of my career, and then I've landed in e-commerce over the last, I don't know, five plus years. Predominantly, of course, I had been in e-commerce previously but this is sort of now where I've ended up and in terms of channels, you know, most of my career has been in Walmart or at brands that have an omnichannel retail presence. And, you know, I've lived and worked in the US and China and Singapore, and some of those roles have operated businesses outside of those, those regions. So, most recently, I was leading Global E-commerce with Stuart Weitzman. And I just joined American Eagle Outfitters in January 2021. Leading International E-commerce. So international ecommerce for us is somewhat nascent in terms of being a focus, and being a growth engine and that is my remit.
Michael LeBlanc 05:25
Now, for, American Eagle Outfitters certainly doesn't need any introduction from a brand perspective. But as you as you mentioned, you operate around the world. So, how many countries and how, what's your breadth and scope briefly, just, as I said, most people, I mean, everyone's listening is gonna know American Eagle Outfitters. But they may not know that that scope and scale a little bit.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 05:43
I mean, if you, if you're talking digitally, our scope is almost every country. So, depending on, we operate in multiple different models, there are some owned and operated regions and countries, there are some partners, licensed partners, a lot of which are long standing relationships, and very, very close partners. But if you could be in pretty much any country, and we could service you digitally, in some way from from one of our various hubs.
Michael LeBlanc 06:11
Right, right on, as he said, a very broad remit. Patrick, you know, I think I run out of adjectives to describe the number and breadth of companies you've worked with Prestige beauty, HSN, I saw you on the board, you know, just in a mall in Dubai in the AEO and now you've got eShopWorld, tell me about yourself at eShopWorld what you do there.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 06:33
Hey, Michael, great to be with you today. And looking forward to the conference as well. Well, I've traveled the world extensively, I would say. And I'm best described as a as a hybrid, culturally, between my 30 years, living and working in the US, and obviously my French roots, and European culture as well. So, kind of a hybrid between the two, the two continents. passion and drive has been all around the building global brands, both during my days at Unilever, the Estee Lauder companies spend some time at LVMH, as well. All that facing, basically, the challenge of how do you be a global brands in, in the complexity of basically the emerging markets on one side, but also basically the fundamental shifts in channels of distribution, and how do you stay relevant, or you say compelling and engaging for your consumer base. And that's one of the operating principle that remains valid, I believe, and, and tested through the times, in my most recent time that I spent several years of both on the border of Martin Spencer, as an executive director, as the CMO and Chief Digital Officer of Martin Spencer, and really being challenged by the how do you take a legacy department store force within British retail, and how do you modernize it, how do you make digital relevant from a, for a company which has been having its roots deeply into the British high streets, and I would say probably extensively represented on the British high street, how do you make that transformation happen. and how do you build a relevant modern ecommerce proposition that spans you know, apparel and beauty and home and fashion, as you mentioned, my, my spent time in in Dubai has a CEO of Emaar malls. And obviously, people would think Emaar think about the Dubai Mall, which is the largest basically, luxury mall in the world today, both in terms of revenues and, and traffic, and which given me a very interesting perspective.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 08:44
On the other side of brand operation, basically, in terms of managing physical retail for brands, eShopWorld, I was on the advisory board for quite some time and help the company really strategize in channel variety of customer industrial markets before being invited to takeover as President, CEO of the Americas operation. The company is still a young company, 11 years old, has done incredibly well in terms of leveraging basically the consumer shift toward digital and bringing technology and solutions, which make it very efficient for brands to go global. And also, basically, we go we spend a wide array of products and solution from being able to build the design very quickly sites to run sites for brands as well obviously, connect them with their global customer base, and the pandemic has been, as we will talk during the conference, an amazing accelerator for all of our clients.
Michael LeBlanc 09:50
Well, you've been on both sides of the table and now you're at the inflection point of this global e-commerce. So, I'm gonna start with you, Patrick. Tell me about advice. For the listeners, two things they should start doing and one thing they should maybe stop doing if they're doing it or not do it. And that's not meant to be at negative, it's meant to be, hey, things keep changing. So, if you were doing this before, and it was working, that might not work in the future. But first of all, let's start with two things that the listeners who are operating internationally should start doing if they're not from your perspective.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 10:23
So, I think, you know, and those are probably reinforced lessons coming out of the last, last 18 months. Number one, I think that brands must on building direct-to-consumer, e-commerce presence, it is no longer an option. It is not just in their home market, but they have to go global with a direct-to-consumer connection and engagement. It's no longer optimal, In my mind, I think it can be done efficiently in a capital-light mode, and with fast track access to millions of new consumers for new incremental revenues.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 10:56
Second, I would say that being the age in the age of data, where data is actually King, brands must stop collecting data directly, and not leaving that intel on the table or in the hands of third-party marketplaces. It won't guide them, it will guide their innovation, product development, and will also help them being relevant to their global consumer base. In terms of what they should stop doing, I would say, stop diluting your brand equity and your revenues across too many channels of distribution. We have seen, we have seen the best brands in the world, really focusing on two or three options and putting their time, attentions, you know, consumers are smart. If you're active socially today, as a brand, if you're consistent and compelling with your content, they will come directly to you online and offer your most exciting point of physical distribution. So, those will be you know, three of the learnings.
Michael LeBlanc 11:52
Perfect. Valerie, you, Patrick mentioned the great acceleration, so to speak of the COVID era, you're, you're you come with a rich background, you're fairly new at a Yo, what so far is your advice to your fellow retailers and DTC, e-commerce operators from your experience. And both in the past and recent experience two-starts and one-stop.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 12:14
So, I'm going to repeat one of the things that Patrick said is, is that important, which is start paying attention to your customer data and get real into the details of how you are collecting it, gaining the proper consent, storing it, leveraging it, to speak to them, leveraging it to acquire additional, similar or relevant customers. That is becoming number one important thing for everybody in so many ways. So, I will echo what he said about customer data.
Valerie de Charette 12:44
I think the other start from my perspective is, and this may go a little bit counter what my stop is. But one of, one of I think the important starts is people need to be very detailed and realistic in how they understand and prepare for entering international markets. I think we underestimate how complicated it can sometimes be. And so you really need to do some due diligence, enough due diligence and enough, you know, modeling, understanding of, you know, things like compliance by country things like duties and taxes, things like shipping prices by volume, you really need to get into those details in advance so that you can have a reasonable start in terms of business model so that once you do start getting feedback data actuals you aren't totally blindsided.
Valerie de Charette 13:37
And so that sort of dovetails into my stop, which maybe goes a little counter that which is stop making, you know, I think I think this is a no brainer, but I think everybody needs to be very careful about how much long term capital or cost-intensive commitments that they're making when they launch into new markets. So, I have always been a huge proponent. I think this goes back to you know, I spent a lot of years working in startups, a huge component and proponent sorry, of testing and learning and trying to test with it with as little investment as possible. That does not mean not being prepared from like analysis perspective and having, kind of, made sure that you understand all the drivers, but it does mean that until you actually are on the ground, you don't really know what the customer is going to do. You don't know how the markets gonna react. You cannot just trust market research and what customers say they will do.
Michael LeBlanc 14:28
Well, it's kind of like a walk-run sprint approach, right, be prepared, but, you know,
Valerie de Charette 14:33
Yeah, do your training, but then you do have to start, otherwise, you're never gonna never get to win
Michael LeBlanc 14:38
Right, right. You'll never if you wait, if you wait you'll wait forever, great advice.
So, last question. You're live, you and Patrick are going to be live on the stage in New York, as I said, coming up in September, and for the listeners more details so they can go to GELFs website, but, give us a hint about what your two of you are going to be talking about what you're going to be sharing from your perspective on that, on that discussion.
Valerie de Charette 15:00
You know, we've, we've talked a good amount about what it takes for things to be, to be successful as you enter new markets. But I think one of the things that, that eShopWorld and American Eagle Outfitters, I have worked on closely and that we have discussed is also how you work well together with the with, the partners that you choose and how you can, you know, kind of gain the best results and learn together improve together.
Michael LeBlanc 15:25
All right, Patrick, last words to you what, what are you going to be talking about on the panel, give folks a bit of a hint as to the content that you'll be sharing, in addition to what you've shared with us today.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 15:36
As Valerie was saying I think the partnership is definitely something we can go into, you know, choose your partner's wisely. But you know, what, why is the direct-to-consume,r so, important these days for, for brands, we will touch upon the importance of, of data and really owning your customer, what are the benefits of that, but you know, a lot of brands are asking themselves, how do I manage that interplay between the marketplaces and in my own brand side, which one should take the priority, should I acquire on both sides, what are the implications, one versus the other. So, this all, complexity of strategizing across channel, I think we'll, we'll go into that. And the complementarity, if you paid well, of those channels, but there's also I think we'll, we'll probably debate about the challenges that brands are facing, is that starting in one country and are trying to go internationally, I think that you know, American Eagle Outfitters is a great example in terms of a focused strategy and, and executing that, that strategy, and how do you do it, you know, with, with limited resources, you don't need, you know, huge amount of capital investment to.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 16:45
And maybe, you know, one other point I think that we'll debate upon is, you know, how do you keep track of technology, digital product development, can you do it all across so many markets and, and, and the regulatory environment that's changing so quickly. So, what are, the some of those complexities, and how can we make it you know, easier for brands to, to understand and, and walk and deliver on their journeys successfully as they go global.
Michael LeBlanc 17:10
Well, it's fascinating, I think its going to be a great discussion, calibrating the right amount of investment to the right scale of opportunity. And we all know the opportunities are immense, but so can be the complexity. So, it's great to have partners and brands on live on stage. And thank you both for joining me on a Global E-Commerce Tech Talks podcast for this kind of quick preview. I wish you both much-continued success and look forward to seeing you live in New York, coming up in September.
Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne 17:37
Thank you, Mike.
Valerie de Charette 17:38
Thank you.
Michael LeBlanc 17:39
If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five-star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-border commerce industry.
Michael LeBlanc 17:53
I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/
Michael LeBlanc 18:14
Until next time, travel safe and have a great week.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
brands, commerce, American Eagle Outfitters, Patrick, global, Valerie, consumer, retail, channels, markets, terms, customer, podcast, spent, global brands, people, country, relevant, complexity, bit