PodChats for FutureCIO: Insights from Zalora’s data-driven business model

E-commerce is both exciting and scary. It continues to negatively impact brick-and-mortar businesses that refuse to acknowledge the value proposition of a borderless commerce model. With forecasts for growth of US$4.9 trillion in 2021, it promises to continue to be an exciting place to be in.In particular, Asia has become the world’s largest e-commerce marketplace accounting for 59.7% of online retail and expect to reach 61.4% by 2024, according to Statista. While China continues to dwarf the region for its massive US$1 trillion market, Southeast Asia and South Asia are just as active and competitive with markets like India, Indonesia and Thailand forecasts to see CAGR of 13% or more, according to Statista. One of the leading online fashion stores in Asia, Zalora has been carving a niche for its use of big data and artificial intelligence to drive new levels of personalisation for itself and its brand partners.Quiron Aguiar, Senior Strategy Director with Zalora, opens up on how data is helping the online fashion giant stay at the forefront of customer engagement and business growth.