Patchworks Connect 2024 brought together some of the most forward-thinking minds in ecommerce, from brands, technology partners, and agencies alike. Set against the backdrop of the eclectic Bikeshed in London, the theme, “Your Tribe, Your Tech, Your Future,” resonated strongly throughout the day. 

From exploring how to navigate an ever-fragmented tech landscape to discussing the latest in growth strategies, it was a day of deep insights, engaging conversations, and future-focused thinking.

Here’s a roundup of the day’s highlights:

Welcome Address by Jim Herbert

After a hearty breakfast of oversized pastries and muffins and plenty of coffee and tea, the event kicked off in style with a warm welcome from Jim Herbert, CEO at Patchworks, who set the tone by emphasising the importance of agility in a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Jim spoke briefly on Patchworks’ commitment to helping merchants find stability through flexibility in their tech stacks and partnerships, reminding attendees that “the only constant is change.” His introduction to the day underscored Patchworks' mission to continue evolving alongside its customers, helping them manage complex integrations and achieve digital growth.

Belstaff: A Truly Modern Transformation

Navid Jilow, Director of Technology at Belstaff, took to the stage for the opening keynote, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the brand’s recent digital transformation. Navid shared how Belstaff has reimagined its technology stack to streamline processes and improve operational efficiency. 

His insights into how brands can thrive through thoughtful digital evolution resonated with many in the audience who face similar challenges in scaling their operations while maintaining brand integrity.

Fireside Chat: The Shifting Sands of Growth

This was followed up by an engaging fireside chat sponsored by BigCommerce, between Jake Newbould, Growth Marketing Director at Sarah Raven, and Pete Robertshaw of Space48. The conversation centred around how Sarah Raven is adapting its marketing strategies to attract younger customers. 

Jake discussed how evolving customer expectations are pushing brands to invest more in digital platforms, and how their partnership with Space48 is enabling them to make the right tech investments. The session left everyone with actionable takeaways on how to balance customer acquisition with profitability in a challenging market.

Post-Purchase Care: Beyond the Checkout

Fernando Pedraz, CEO of Reveni, led a discussion with Rosie Duffy from ME+EM about how post-purchase care is fast becoming a critical part of the customer journey. This conversation dove into how brands can differentiate themselves in a crowded market by focusing on after-sales care, streamlining returns, and building lasting customer relationships. 

As Pedraz said, "It’s no longer just about making the sale—it’s about what happens after that keeps your customers coming back."

Integration Horrors: Facing the Fear

The "Integration Horrors" panel, moderated by Dave Wileman, Patchworks' VP of Sales and Partnerships, brought together experts from OKA, Clarks, and C&C Group to talk about one of the most pressing issues in the ecommerce world: poor integration. 

Nick Owen, Carole Kingsbury, and Meriel Neighbour offered real-life horror stories from their respective brands and discussed how to avoid common integration pitfalls. A recurring theme was the importance of aligning your tech stack with your broader business goals and ensuring that the right processes are in place to avoid breakdowns in communication between systems.

What Clients Really Need From Their Agency Partners

This engaging session, moderated by Iestyn Keyes, CEO at blubolt, saw Matt Burgess, eCommerce and Marketplace Manager at Green People, dive into the nuances of agency-client relationships in the evolving ecommerce space. Matt shared his experiences navigating the ever-changing landscape, emphasizing that more than just technical expertise, clients need agency partners who truly understand their brand vision and growth goals.

He highlighted the importance of collaboration, adaptability, and long-term strategic thinking in building strong, fruitful partnerships that can withstand the challenges of an increasingly fragmented market.

The Changing Nature of the Ecosystem

Moderated by James O'Hare, Managing Director at Sitoo, this session explored the shifting dynamics of the ecommerce ecosystem. Zoe Pedersen, General Manager at Limesharp, and Seth Bindernagel, Vice President of Marketing at Commerce Layer, discussed how rapid technological advancements are reshaping how brands operate.

From the rise of headless commerce to the increasing importance of omnichannel strategies, both panelists underscored the need for businesses to stay agile and adaptive. Zoe and Seth highlighted the importance of leveraging flexible tech stacks that can evolve with changing customer expectations, offering attendees actionable insights into how to future-proof their digital strategies.

The Castore Story: Building a Unique Technology Operating Model

The Castore team’s session was a standout, with Leon Shepherd, Luke Lennon, and Martin Tonge sharing insights on how Castore has built a unique technology operating model to handle rapid growth. Their discussion with Patchworks CEO Jim Herbert highlighted the power of flexibility and rapid response in a tech stack designed to accommodate Castore’s ambitious growth trajectory. 

Whether discussing the benefits of automating manual processes or the challenges of scaling with global expansion in mind, the team delivered valuable lessons for any brand on the rise.

Sponsor Spotlights: Our Partners in Innovation

Patchworks Connect 2024 would not have been possible without the support of our incredible sponsors, each of whom brings unique value to merchants through their innovative solutions.

BigCommerce – Headline Sponsor

As our Headline Sponsor, BigCommerce plays a pivotal role in the world of ecommerce platforms. Their robust SaaS solution empowers merchants to scale globally with ease, offering flexibility and speed that today’s businesses need. Patchworks partners with BigCommerce because of its open architecture and seamless integrations, enabling merchants to build custom, high-performing storefronts while benefiting from a comprehensive suite of features. 

For retailers looking to grow across multiple channels, the BigCommerce platform offers a scalable solution that integrates effortlessly with Patchworks' iPaaS, allowing for smooth operations from day one.

Visualsoft – Lead Agency Sponsor

Visualsoft, our Lead Agency Sponsor, has long been a trusted partner in helping brands maximise their ecommerce potential. Known for their full-service digital offering, Visualsoft provides everything from SEO and PPC to bespoke web development.

The partnership between Patchworks and Visualsoft enables merchants to not only build their ideal ecommerce platforms but also execute marketing strategies that drive measurable growth. Visualsoft's deep expertise in crafting customer-centric ecommerce solutions complements Patchworks' strength in systems integration, allowing for a holistic approach to building strong, scalable digital ecosystems.

Blubolt – Gold Sponsor

As a Gold Sponsor, blubolt brings unparalleled expertise in creating bespoke Shopify and BigCommerce sites for ambitious brands. Their focus on delivering beautiful, high-performance ecommerce stores aligns perfectly with Patchworks' mission of providing seamless integrations that allow brands to grow without friction.

Merchants partnering with blubolt benefit from a tailored approach to their ecommerce strategy, supported by the technical backbone that Patchworks provides to ensure all systems—from ERP to CRM—communicate smoothly.

Reveni – Silver Sponsor

Reveni, a Silver Sponsor, offers a revolutionary approach to post-purchase experiences. Their solutions for returns management and customer care are transforming how brands handle the often-overlooked stage of the customer journey. Patchworks partners with Reveni to offer merchants a way to simplify and automate the returns process, ensuring that this crucial part of the customer experience is smooth and hassle-free. For merchants, this means fewer bottlenecks, happier customers, and a stronger bottom line.

Virtualstock – Silver Sponsor

Virtualstock, another Silver Sponsor, is an innovative technology company specialising in supply chain management. With their digital platform, Virtualstock helps retailers and suppliers streamline their supply chain operations, improving inventory management and order fulfilment.

Patchworks collaborates with Virtualstock to provide merchants with real-time visibility across their supply chain, enabling them to better manage their stock and reduce operational inefficiencies.

Sitoo – Silver Sponsor

Sitoo, a Silver Sponsor, is a global retail POS system provider that synchronises online and offline sales channels. Sitoo’s real-time, omnichannel POS solution allows retailers to integrate their brick-and-mortar stores with their digital platforms seamlessly.

The partnership with Patchworks ensures that merchants can centralise data across all channels, providing a unified customer experience and real-time stock visibility, crucial for businesses looking to offer flexible shopping experiences like click-and-collect or ship-from-store.

GoCertify – Bronze Sponsor

GoCertify, our Bronze Sponsor, provides innovative closed-group verification tools that allow brands to easily verify over 20 types of closed group communities, enabling them to build unique and tailored segments with ease. This powerful capability helps brands tap into highly targeted customer groups, driving engagement and fostering brand loyalty.

Patchworks is excited to partner with GoCertify as we explore the future of ecommerce innovation. Together, we help merchants leverage these advanced verification tools, unlocking new opportunities for growth through hyper-targeted audience segments, and ensuring a seamless integration into their overall tech stack.

InPost – Networking Sponsor

As our Networking Sponsor, InPost plays a critical role in enabling convenient delivery and returns through their network of parcel lockers. The rise of the locker delivery option has proven to be a game-changer for ecommerce, offering customers flexibility while reducing the burden on traditional delivery services.

Partnering with InPost allows Patchworks merchants to tap into a growing trend in retail that prioritises customer convenience and operational efficiency.

Wrapping Up Patchworks Connect 2024

As the day came to a close with drinks and networking, there was a shared sense of optimism and energy in the room. The conversations sparked at Patchworks Connect 2024 will undoubtedly continue to shape the strategies of the attending merchants, partners, and industry leaders. As Jim aptly summarised in his closing remarks: "Change is inevitable, but with the right tech and partnerships, you can not only survive but thrive."

Patchworks continues to be at the forefront of helping businesses navigate the complexities of a fragmented digital landscape, delivering solutions that are as flexible as they are powerful. Whether you're integrating new systems or scaling to new heights, with Patchworks, you can achieve stability through flexibility.

Until next year!