The world of commerce is changing radically, but (whisper it) smart companies are catching on.

Ecommerce is no longer simply a battle for the shopping cart. It’s a drive to win the hearts and minds of customers - because when you win there, you create customers for life. And lifelong, loyal customers are the Holy Grail for any brand that wants to succeed in today’s competitive landscape. That’s true for retailers as well as for virtually every other company.

The sun is setting on old-style ecommerce Many leading brands and Internet businesses have had it good for years, riding the online shopping wave and developing electronic commerce platforms. But with their “one-and-done” focus on selling, which centres on the transaction, they’ve failed to notice that their world is starting to shift beneath their feet. What’s changed? Answer: The customers. Increasingly, they want the kind of familiar and rewarding relationship from an on-line store as they’d get from their neighbourhood coffee shop barista - you know, the one who knows your favourite drink by heart, the name of your dog and what time you go to work in the morning.

Even the language has altered. Companies must talk, think and act towards today’s customers in a new way. They should no longer think success is down to merely responding, promoting and transacting faster. Customers actually want a new language of engagement.