Future Commerce · 2025-12-22 · 45 min
The brands that will thrive in the next era of commerce understand that context drives everything, from platform choice to storytelling and trust formation. As a result, success hinges on a brand’s ability to serve customers across multiple contexts rather than controlling single experiences. For the season finale, Commerce CEO Travis Hess joins Phillip and Lindsay to explore what it means when "the customer is the channel." The conversation tackles designing for AI agents alongside humans, reaching customers across surfaces independent of purchase location, and balancing data-driven marketing with authentic storytelling. Travis shares why brands must embrace agentic commerce now, and the mindset shifts required for 2026, synthesizing the season's insights into actionable guidance. The Customer is the Channel KEY TAKEAWAYS Omnimodal commerce shifts focus from channels to surfaces where customers engage across contexts. Design for agents, not just humans. Agentic intermediaries will shape future commerce experiences. "The customer is the channel" requires reaching consumers wherever they want to engage.
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