Zhipster steps into the e-commerce heat — and Arne B. Andersson is on the ride
Our CEO, Jan Lundin, asked me to do an interview with Arne B. Andersson. I don't know anything about interviews, I thought, but how hard can it be? I splice something together. Having to sit down and talk e-commerce and logistics with Arne-på Posten is hardly something I do every day. So we drive!
The first thing that strikes me as the conversation picks up is how much I've missed the e-commerce industry — and how fun it is to be part of Zhipster's journey into the e-commerce community. For me, in fact, there is one in Sweden, and it became very clear in our first few minutes. When we were both able to talk warmly about common industry colleagues, I realized that e-commerce really is a team sport. It's a thought I've carried with me for a long time, and when I talk to Arne it bubbles up again.
Arne and I have never sat down and talked before, but when it comes to e-commerce, there is a lot to talk about.
“E-commerce has grown up,” Arne says. “Today I am involved in several research projects where we investigate, among other things, what happens when omnichannel meets sustainability. The conversation has matured, and e-commerce is being driven more and more by tradespeople rather than tech people. Values such as accessibility and sustainability are marked more clearly every day. It's more real today — the ideas we had 10-15 years ago we have now whittled down to something concrete.”
It is clear that a lot has happened in recent years. Customer experience has always been central, and I, who have worked with UX, can sign off on that. What has changed is perhaps what we factor into the customer experience — what actually influences the purchase and what creates loyalty.
“We have fixed the experience around payment,” says Arne.
“We're actually doing that really well. But there are still things left to do in the checkouts. Where, for example, you, Zhipster, come into the picture. The customer experience goes beyond just the purchase — we still haven't quite got the hang of the last mile.”
We discuss AI, EU directives and the concept of middle trade. It's a word that clearly describes what we in the industry actually do. We enable trade, but the way we do it matters.
“If fossil-free supplies cannot be selected at the checkout — how are we going to get the consumer involved?” Arne asks me.
Yes, you? I'll take that question with me and put it to Jan.
It is precisely questions like this that make it clear why Arne is a valuable resource on Zhipster's board. The perspective that we techies sometimes miss.
Maybe I forgot to mention that? Arne is now part of Zhipster. He steps onto the board where he becomes an invaluable asset and that brings us to the last and most interesting question.
“Why did I accept the assignment at Zhipster?” Arne said, laughing. “It was very simple really. We are not done yet — there is still work to be done in the delivery area. Zhipster feels like an exciting player in the market that, with its ease of mobility, can take on a unique role, challenge the giants of the industry and work proactively with the delivery experience.”
