Unified Commerce Assembly 2025

‍Shaping the Future of Digital Commerce in Aotearoa

^{On October 16th, 2025, Moustache Republic and NZ Post brought together a powerhouse group of retail leaders, ecommerce founders, and tech innovators for the second annual Unified Commerce Assembly.}

^{Set against the backdrop of Auckland’s Maritime Room, this year’s theme, “Shaping the Digital Future of Commerce,” didn’t just set the tone, it delivered. With spotlight sessions, raw conversations, and practical takeaways, the day was packed with insight, ideas, and the kind of connections that move the industry forward.}_‍

What We Talked About (and What Stuck)
_{The Rise (and Reality) of Retail AI}‍

^{AI isn’t coming, it’s already here. Shopify’s Darryn Soper opened the day showing how embedded AI is changing the game for merchants. Kelly Slessor followed with a tactical framework on using AI to drive efficiency and sales, while Instant’s Liam Millward and Nakie’s Dean Leibbrandt showed how retention strategies powered by AI are already delivering real ROI.}

Customer Data That Actually Drives Growth

_{NZ Post’s Chris Wong returned with the 2025 eCommerce Market Sentiment Report, and let’s just say, the numbers spoke volumes. From delivery expectations to shifting shopper behaviours, his keynote unpacked the data shaping this year’s peak season. One standout? Delivery pricing is no longer just a cost - it’s a conversion lever.}‍

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Loyalty Beyond Discounts‍

_{In a post-BFCM world, it’s retention season. Klaviyo’s Jeremy Singh and Rachel Mangan ran a workshop on turning once-a-year shoppers into loyalists. Later, Rachel teamed up with LEO LIN’s Laura Good to challenge the discount addiction and explore how premium brands are building long-term value (without the flash sales).}‍

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Going Global (the Real Talk Version)‍

_{AS Colour CEO Clive Ormerod joined Moustache Republic’s Tony Hou for a no-fluff convo on taking Kiwi brands international. From logistics headaches to nailing local nuance, this was the playbook you don’t get on LinkedIn.}

Omnichannel’s Grown-Up Sibling: Unified Commerce‍

_{The final panel brought it home. Joseph Webb (YOUKNOW Clothing), Ben Harris (Wallace Cotton), and Sophie Dowse (Shopify) dissected the shift from omnichannel to truly unified commerce. Think smarter operations, better data flow, and seamless customer journeys across every touchpoint.}

The Real MVP? The Community.

_{Sure, the speaker lineup was stacked. But as always, the real magic happened in the in-between: the coffee chats, the idea swaps, the “we should definitely work together” moments. UCA isn’t just about commerce trends, it’s about the people shaping them.}

Huge Thanks

_{To NZ Post, our partner, and to Shopify, Klaviyo, Gorgias, Athos Commerce, Clearer.io and Instant - thank you for backing bold conversations. To our speakers, thank you for showing up with honesty and insight. And to every guest in the room: you are the future of digital commerce in Aotearoa.}

_{Bring on UCA 2026.}

_{We’ll see you there.}

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