How AI and Tools Like ChatGPT will Change eCommerce: In Conversation with Brent W Peterson

As eCommerce continues to grow and evolve rapidly, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the industry.

Today, we’ll explore the insights of Brent W Peterson on the current state and future of eCommerce. Specifically, we’ll delve into the exciting impact of chatbots on customer service, the rise of voice commerce, and the importance of content and expertise in building a successful eCommerce business.

Whether you’re just starting out in eCommerce or looking to stay ahead of the game, this conversation is sure to provide valuable insights and advice.

So, let’s get started.

Q1: Can you tell us a little about your background and experience in the eCommerce industry?

I started in eCommerce in 1995 when I was taking emails for quotes on computers, manually running them through a spreadsheet, and sending back a quote.

By 1998 I was building websites with a shopping cart using ASP. I was introduced to Magento in early 2009 and quickly took on the platform and asked and answered so many questions. I co-founded an eCommerce agency in 2010 and ran that until 2021, when we sold the business. I am currently the President of Wagento.com. I am a 5x Magento Master.

Q2: Can you describe a particularly successful project or campaign that you have worked on in the eCommerce space?

In 2018 and 2019, we launched more than 300 individual Magento stores for Universal Music Group. We had a mix-and-match way of putting together stores, each with a custom front end. It was all brought together using Magento Order Management.

Q3: Can you tell us about a current trend or development in eCommerce that you find particularly exciting or noteworthy?

It is ChatGPT. It is a large language model trained by OpenAI that can understand and generate human-like language. With its advanced NLP capabilities, it has the potential to disrupt the way businesses interact with customers online. In the eCommerce industry, ChatGPT can be used to develop chatbots that are specifically designed to handle customer queries and provide personalized product recommendations.

These chatbots can be programmed to deeply understand the products and services offered by the eCommerce store. They will learn from the questions that customers ask and provide increasingly accurate and relevant responses over time. It will not only enhance the customer experience but also free up human customer service representatives to focus on other tasks that need a human touch.

In short, ChatGPT-powered chatbots have the potential to revolutionize the way eCommerce businesses interact with customers and improve the overall customer experience.

Q4: How do you see eCommerce evolving in the next 5-10 years?

In the next 5-10 years, eCommerce is expected to continue its evolution towards more user-friendly and seamless experiences. One of the significant changes we will see is the rise of voice commerce, where customers can use their voice to interact with smart devices to purchase items without having to click through multiple pages. This means that businesses will have to adapt to the new way of doing things by designing interfaces that are optimized for voice-based searches.

Marketplaces will also become more prominent and blend stores and the marketplace. The rise of machine learning and AI technologies will help people find what they need faster by making personalized recommendations based on their browsing and purchasing history. With more data being generated every day, machine learning algorithms will become even more sophisticated, making it easier for businesses to identify and target specific customer needs.

Overall, the future of eCommerce will be more focused on user experience, with businesses leveraging advanced technologies to make shopping more convenient and personalized. It will be interesting to see how the industry will continue to evolve as new technologies emerge and customer behaviors change over time.

Q5: What advice would you give to someone just starting out in eCommerce or looking to break into the industry?

Start simple, do your research, and above all, measure what you are doing. Content will be more and more prevalent in how people find you. Google now released the EAT algorithm to assign rankings. They are also saying that 30 posts no longer make you an authority. There is a need to show that you are an expert in what you are selling.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, we thank Brent W Peterson for providing valuable insights about the industry. We trust that you have found this session informative. To stay updated with the latest developments in eCommerce and Magento and engage in meaningful discussions, kindly subscribe to our content.