Where Culture Happens, Commerce Follows

In this episode of the Future Commerce podcast, hosts Phillip and Brian welcome Jason James (CIO) and Nikki Baird (VP of Strategy and Product) from Aptos to discuss the next phase of innovation in retail. The conversation revolves around breaking through traditional barriers to create seamless, secure, and imaginative customer experiences. They explore how brands are showing up in non-traditional settings like marathons and conventions to build community and engage with customers on a deeper level. The discussion covers the importance of flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness in an age that lives at the speed of culture, as well as the challenges and opportunities of pop-up commerce and mobile retail experiences. They also address the need for robust security measures and offline capabilities to ensure smooth transactions and customer retention in an increasingly digital world. The episode concludes with a look at the future of unbound commerce, including the potential for AI-powered personal shoppers and the integration of agentic technology to support both consumers and store associates.