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How do brands survive the pressure?
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Consumer sentiment is falling—across the eurozone, the index dropped to -16.7 in April, its lowest level in 18 months. At the same time, the pressure to “do something with AI” has never been higher. AI is pitched as the path to efficiency, personalisation, and growth. But the economic backdrop is shrinking the capacity to invest, experiment, or restructure.
The paradox is simple—transformation is most urgent when it’s least affordable.
Brands will need to resolve this tension by first fixing the foundations—prioritising integration, data readiness, and structural coherence over chasing shiny new tools or tactics. In the coming weeks, we’ll explore what successful AI adoption in digital commerce really looks like—starting not with bold moves, but with getting the basics right.
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Wildride’s founder Joost Hultink on building a 700% traffic growth brand, one real problem at a time.
Conway Expert Interview series returns!
We sat down with the founder Joost Hultink to explore his approach to the game of e-commerce. Hear how Wildride grew—and the decisions that drove its success.
Listen on Spotify, watch the interview on Youtube, or read on Substack.
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Tech Stack Navigator
Top tools & software that caught our attention this month.
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Experience
Listen Labs
AI-powered research assistant that finds the right participants, conducts interviews, analyzes responses, and delivers actionable insights.
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Operations
Demand forecasting and inventory replenishment (multi-channel stock management).
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Marketing
7Learnings
Dynamic pricing and markdown optimization (AI-driven price recommendations across products/channels).
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Continue exploring
Dive into our independent exploration tool to gain a clear
view of your digital commerce tech infrastructure.
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Conway Brand Radar
Top 3 wins in digital commerce this month
Each month, we break down brands that crushed it—whether through massive revenue jumps, bold funding rounds, or innovative product launches. The goal is not just to celebrate wins but to uncover what they signal for the industry.
Nothing
The brand grew from startup launch in 2021 to an estimated ~$200 million in 2022.
Having raised a $70 million Series B, Nothing has built a cult-like following in the consumer tech space. Nothing nurtures this loyalty through frequent community updates, and beta-testing programs.
Traffic in March 2025: 7M
YoY traffic growth: +139%
DXP highlight: Discord forum
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Saie
A clean beauty brand, featured in HBO's "The White Lotus," where makeup artists used their products to achieve a natural glow for characters. In April, Saie was the most popular brand in Sephora. The brand also committed to eliminating and offsetting carbon emissions across its supply chain to achieve net-zero by 2039.
Traffic in March 2025: 586K
YoY traffic growth: +57%
DXP highlight: Recycling program
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True Classic
A menswear brand known for its affordable premium t-shirts and basics. Last month, True Classic secured an investment, valuing the company at about $850M. The brand has served over 5M customers to date and fosters community engagement, for example, donating more than 250K shirts to veterans and homeless shelters, which has further strengthened its brand loyalty.
Traffic in March 2025: 2.1M
YoY traffic growth: +1%
DXP highlight: Try out order
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What we're reading:
AI & Technology:
Global digital commerce:
Local news:
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Conway Talent Network
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Our resources for digital leaders
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Talent Network
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Conway & Co
Implementing AI. From Rollout to ROI.
→ We combine deep industry knowledge, strategic advice and hands-on engineering to help consumer brands improve their digital maturity.
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