Master B2B Friday 15

Andy and Brian debate whether Google's recent resurgence in the AI race can continue, and whether there are any historical parallels we can look at to make some guesses about how this all plays out.

Plus, is OpenAI the new Netscape?

Visit us at MasterB2B.com.

We're sharing a recording of our recent Webcast where we revealed our B2B eCommerce predictions for 2026.  Learn what we think is going to happen with product search, Amazon Business, AI customer service and more.  Plus, we bring in special guests to tell us where they think we're right - and wrong - about the future.

Get the Predictions report here.

For brands selling on Amazon, channel conflict and brand control are still a huge issue.

That's why we recently had an onstage debate at B2B Online in Atlanta to figure out which method of selling on Amazon - 1p or 3p - is the best option for a manufacturer.

As a reminder, 1p is a wholesale model and 3p is a retail model.

In this recap, we discuss: - Which option is the best approach for channel control - what you sell, what you charge, how it's presented?

- Which...

Andy and Brian spent the week in Seattle at the Amazon Business Reshape conference getting a deep dive into Amazon Business.  Today on the Friday 15, they chat with Natalia Montuori, a Director at Amazon Business, about AI buying assistants, direct delivery, business advertising and more.

It's 2025, so shouldn't every company have an eCommerce website?

Not so, says Schneider Electric's Anthony Locke.

Anthony says that companies have to consider what they are uniquely good at, and what their distribution partners are uniquely good at, and then decide whether they should have an eCommerce presence.

And the answer for multi-billion dollar Schneider Electric was that they should not sell online and instead should focus on supporting their distribution partners.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk with Gireesh Sahukar, a longtime software executive and eCommerce practitioner about what software buyers REALLY need to ask their potential vendors about their products.

Here's a hint - you don't just want a list of product features that they say meets your needs...and why executive churn may not be a bad sign.

The Paradigm B2B eCombine

Master B2B Nexus

This week, Andy and Brian return from hosting Master B2B executive roundtables across the country and share how practitioners are making the pitch to their CIO, CFO and CEO to fund their eCommerce initiatives.

And the answer is simple - "say it's an AI initiative."  Andy shared a story from one roundtable participant who made a pitch for a software investment to his CFO and the CFO responded, "Are you sure this isn't an AI tool? (wink wink)" knowing that every AI investment was being approved internally.

This week, Master B2B's Andy Hoar is joined by Master B2B contributor Jared Blank to talk through Andy's new Paradigm B2B eCombine tool that helps practitioners select the best eCommerce platforms to investigate for their business.

Plus, why are so many businesses giving up being a public company and going private nowadays?

Check out the eCombine here.

Author and executive Dr. Lisa Palmer shares learnings from her new book, "Show AI - Don't Tell It: Build Buy-In with Visual Storytelling."

In her research she found that there are 3 key reasons why executives get "stuck" when considering their AI strategy, and she offers a framework for how to get "un-stuck" and unlock AI's potential within your company.

Dr Lisa's Advisory Firm

Buy Dr. Lisa's book

The stock market has punished the shares of research firms Gartner and Forrester because of the possible impact of AI on their revenues. But it's not so clear that AI can replace everything research analysts do. Former analyst Andy Hoar walks through what analysts actually do in their roles, and which parts of their jobs will be - and won't be - impacted by AI.

Brands have failed to rein in unauthorized distributors who re-sell their products on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Is there nothing they can do to protect themselves?

We speak with attorney Jon Groza from the firm KJK about how manufacturers and brands can maintain control of where their product is sold.

More about Jon Groza

Master B2B Forum

Master B2B Nexus

This week Brian Beck attended the Amazon Accelerate seller conference and came back to share the key themes that he took away from the event:

1) AI AI AI (and also AI)
2) Fulfillment is now a strategic pillar for the company
3) Will they commercialize their analytics capabilities?
4) 1p vs 3p is now a war

This week, Andy & Brian look at whether there is a future in so-called "composable commerce" or if both tech providers and buyers need to adapt.  Should retailers be in the business of building tech?  And do tech providers need to re-think their approach and offer solutions that offer a mix of pre-built modules and flexibility?  Or is this all the wrong way of thinking about it?

This week, Andy & Brian look at whether the current trend of flattening organizations will actually be good for businesses.  They discuss concerns that managers will find it impossible to oversee a team of 15 on their own, and what happens when junior employees are not able to spend sufficient time with their managers.  Who will do the development? (Obviously it'll be ChatGPT.)

This week, Andy and Brian talk through a recent MIT report that found 95% of AI projects fail.  They discuss the barriers to success - specifically that the challenges aren't technical, they're strategic and cultural.

And they walk through the 3 "un's" - these projects are often undefined, unfocused and unmeasured.  Finally, they discuss the best practices they've learned working on their own AI initiatives.

Andy & Brian speak with American Eagle's Tim Ahlenius about how systems integrators are adapting to the new world of AI.  They discuss the need for systems thinking - understanding how different systems fit together and how changing one piece affects the whole - and how AI can help speed up parts of implementation projects, while requiring a different set of skills to ensure success.

American Eagle

This week, Andy & Brian speak with former Grainger, Caterpillar, and Rexel executive John Pehler about how he has transitioned from being a full-time Chief Digital Officer in B2B companies to building a series of part-time gigs into a career.  

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about the changing structure of the workforce and how gig roles will become increasingly prominent in B2B eCommerce, and how people will change their approach to working and build careers where they’re doing multiple jobs on a gig basis.

Then they share how they’re embracing this change in their own careers.

Notes:
Master B2B Nexus

Master B2B Forum

The WSJ article about CEOs cutting jobs.

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian speak with Ed Fenton, the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation at wholesale distributor Graybar, about what it’s like for senior executives to search for a job in the age of AI. 

Ed talks through six key lessons he learned from his own six month job search.

Andy and Brian walk through the results of Andy's Paradigm B2B Combine reports on eCommerce platforms, and they discuss strategies for preparing for a platform selection.

Download the Midmarket Report

Download the Enterprise Report

Key takeaways from this week's episode:

Home Depot continues expanding into B2B, leveraging its digital strengths and logistics infrastructure.

B2B eCommerce teams are significantly smaller than their B2C counterparts, often due to legacy thinking.

88% of the Master B2B community believes B2B eCommerce teams are too small.

Many B2B companies lack foundational digital roles like merchandisers or CMOs.

Understaffing can lead to lost revenue, poor customer experience, and missed market opportunities.

B2B companies must rethink how they structure and resource eCommerce...

One of the big questions of the moment in AI is whether we are experiencing a REvolution or an Evolution when it comes to whether new technologies will enhance the decisions eCommerce practitioners make in their day-to-day roles, or whether it will soon take over many of the decisions practitioners make.

Join Andy Hoar, Brian Beck, and HCL's Brian Gillespie as they try to bust the myth that AI be making all of our decisions for us.

The Mythbuster discusses:

– Can Agentic AI agents build dynamic experiences on the fly based on multiple fa...

When we surveyed B2B practitioners, we learned that they have chosen not to invest in mobile, even though their B2C counterparts have long ago made the shift to focus on mobile. 

We heard that 34% of B2B companies have less than 5% of their sales on mobile, while 18% don’t even track mobile sales.

In this podcast, Andy and Brian talk about some of the reasons why mobile is on the back burner, and why this is a huge missed opportunity for most companies.

Learn more about our upcoming events and the pra...

In B2B eCommerce practitioners are all asking the same question: how do I get my products to show up in search results when people are searching on an AI tool like ChatGPT or Perplexity?

The answer, it seems, is to create authority around your listings, and in this podcast Andy Hoar and Brian Beck discuss exactly how to do that.

Andy and Brian dig into the new (and mysterious) world of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and what that means for how B2B eCommerce companies that are looking to drive traffic to their websites (which is, of course, all of them).

How will it replace their SEO efforts (if at all?)

They share 5 emerging GEO best practices:

- AI answers reduce clicks (AI provides the answer up front)
- Semantic relevance rules: focus on topics, not just keywords.
- Expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (EAT) now more important than anything else
...

Andy & Brian offer six criteria for how B2B eCommerce practitioners should select a system integrator when they are embarking on a commerce technology project.

The Friday 15 is presented by Master B2B Nexus, your personal B2B digital lifeline..  Visit us at http://www.masterb2b.com/nexus

This week - Andy and Brian debate whether someone looking to implement a new eCommerce platform should choose their system integrator first, or whether they should select their technology first.  And whether that's the right question to be asking at all...

Visit us at masterb2b.com to see all our upcoming events and to join our Forum.

Andy & Brian talk through their key takeaways from the dozen executive roundtables they held with B2B eCommerce practitioners across the country.

Andy and Brian recap the key themes from B2B Online in Chicago, including what it means when younger executives take over senior roles in a company, and how practitioners are talking about tariffs.

Andy and Brian recap their on-stage debate from B2B Online where they wrestled with whether private equity is ultimate good or bad for B2B companies. Is it true that PE firms never invest for the long-term? Is it true that your career is at risk if your company is bought by a PE firm? Are there benefits to having a PE owner?

Visit our website to learn more about Master B2B.

Andy & Brian talk about whether B2B companies are correct when they say that they view Amazon as a foe. Brian makes the case that Amazon will only continue to steal market share in B2B, and the best way to understand what they're doing is to be on the site selling yourself.

See all the Master B2B events and see how to join the online Forum at MasterB2B.com.

This week - Andy and Brian walk through the results of a survey they conducted at the Master B2B Summit where they asked B2B eCommerce executives where they'll be investing next...they're surprised at what answers were missing.

A special for Friday 15 subscribers:

Master B2B's Andy Hoar speaks with VTEX founder and co-CEO Mariano Gomide about the company's decision to leave the MACH Alliance, and how he sees the eCommerce software industry changing in the coming years.

This is a really interesting conversation about the future of the eCommerce platform ecosystem, how systems integrators fit into it, and whether the forces that control the industry can ever change.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy and Brian speak with Trent Guyer, the VP of Marketing and Digital at Grasshopper Mowers, a family-owned manufacturer of mowers, about how to build a successful career at a family-owned business.

Learn more about Master B2B at masterb2b.com.

This week on the podcast - Andy and Brian look at how B2B eCommerce companies are thinking about investing in new hires in the coming year, and the challenges they may face when looking to bring on new talent.

This week - Andy and Brian dig into a thought-provoking article (link below) asking whether organizations should even have an AI strategy and the reasons why it may be better if they don't.

Mentioned in the podcast:

Rushing into an AI Strategy?

The Master B2B Nexus Program

Master B2B held its 3rd annual Mindshare Summit in Chicago recently, and Andy & Brian went over some of the key takeaways from the event including these 4 focus areas:

Building a digital organization

Successful digital business models

Data, analytics & data cleanliness

(Of course) AI

Stay up to date on all Master B2B events at http://www.masterb2b.com

We're all recovering from the Master B2B Mindshare Summit this week, so in lieu of a new Friday 15 episode we're bringing you a recent Fireside Chat that Brian Beck conducted with Jeff Reichert, Kimball Midwest's Director of eCommerce & Digital Marketing, and Eli Cooley, President of Industrial Data Associates, about how manufacturers and distributors can approach fixing their dirty product data.

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian look at site search, and how today's site search solutions meet the needs of B2B eCommerce practitioners.  

Plus, Andy shares some takeaways from the Site Search Combine he conducted, where he looked at the strengths and weaknesses of site search vendors.

For more info on the Combine (and to get a copy of the report), visit ParadigmB2B.com.

When you measure the cost to acquire a customer, should you use narrow measures that only include the direct costs associated with getting a new customer, or should you go broad and include every cost used in your sales and marketing?

In B2B, the customer journey is extremely complex so we'd expect that measuring the cost to acquire a customer to be equally complex.  

This week, Andy & Brian talk about the challenges of getting CAC measured correctly in B2B.

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This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian talk about whether companies should think about their digital transformation as a project (that has a beginning or an end) or a program (which is an ongoing strategy for running the business).

They talk through the main reasons for failure, and how companies can change how they approach digital transformation (hint: for every operational person, you'll need 1 HR person...), plus more ideas for creating successful digital transformation strategies.

For upcoming Master B2B events, visit us at MasterB2B.com.

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian talk through who should sit on the buying committee when the eCommerce team is considering making a new technology purchase.

When we asked our community what they thought, we heard many people say that "everyone" should be on it (which feels like a cop-out) or that the most important member was the operations team.  

But Andy & Brian share why they think finance and sales are underrepresented, and what problems are caused when they're not invited to the table.

Check out the upcoming Master B2B events on...

Andy and Brian wrap up Metrics Month with a look at Customer Lifetime Value, and whether it's the best measure of eCommerce success.  Spoiler alert: there is no one best measure of eCommerce success. 

But there are several best measures, and in this episode they share which ones.

This week on the Friday 15...

Andy and Brian speak with Deidre Peters, Head of Digital eCommerce at Boston Scientific about how they measure the impact of eCommerce on their entire business.  She shares insights in the metrics they look at, and how they were able to tell the full eCommerce story to senior leadership.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian dig into why so many companies rely on digital penetration to measure whether their online initiatives are successful.

Plus, they share ideas from practitioners about why digital penetration doesn't reflect the value of the online business, and other ways they measure whether their digital business is carrying its weight.

Learn more about Master B2B at masterb2b.com.

In our first Friday 15 of the new year, we talk about everyone's favorite beginning-of-the-year topic: budgeting!   Specifically, how do you work with your CFO to get the budget you need.  The CFO's job isn't to tell you "no" - their job is (in part) to manage how cash is spent. As a digital executive, your job starts with understanding how your CFO thinks about the world.  Andy & Brian share ideas about how to build better rapport with your CFO so you can grow your side of the business.

We're sharing the recent Webcast we hosted offering our B2B eCommerce predictions for the coming year.  Plus, we brought some special guests along to help us predict the future of hiring, analytics, CS, and much more!

Download a copy of the 2025 B2B eCommerce Predictions Report here.

We've surveyed B2B practitioners about their priorities for next year, and we wanted to share the results with you...

It's our last Friday 15 podcast of the year, and we can't wait to share more episodes with you in January.

Check out our upcoming events:

http://www.masterb2b.com

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian discuss whether workers are afraid to be honest about their AI usage at work.  We've heard senior team members talk openly about how they're using AI to be more efficient, but are junior employees perceived as lazy if they use these new tools?

The Friday 15 crew is off for Thanksgiving, but we wanted to share our recent Un-Webinar where we discussed who should own Gen AI in the business?

In this Un-Webinar, Master B2B’s Andy Hoar & Brian Beck will debate whether ownership of this new technology belongs with the IT and Tech group or whether it should reside inside the business units.

We’ll hear hard-hitting debates about these questions:

Andy and Brian attended the B2B Online event in Orlando, and they'll catch you up on all the key themes they heard during the event.

They'll touch on AI, also on AI, and maybe even AI. But also tips on how to convince the CFO to invest in digital.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about the advantages and disadvantages of B2B organizations taking a cost-centered approach to investment.  

While there are certainly benefits of focusing on cost (risk reduction, for example), when we polled our community 83% said that a cost-focused approach negatively impacted competitiveness. 

How should companies balance the need for running a predictable business with the need to continue to invest in innovation?

With all the changes in how marketers track their digital marketing spend, we wanted to know how B2B marketers are dealing with this issue. In this episode, we speak with Dan Stepchew, the Digital Marketing Director at Zest Dental Solutions, about how he's shifting his digital spend and how he's changed how he tracks the efficacy of his campaigns.

This week on the Friday 15 podcast, Andy & Brian talk about how much channel conflict fears should impact your distribution strategy (in short, it shouldn't.)

They dig into 7 ways to sell direct while managing the conflicts:

- MAP and sales channel agreements

- Public vs private pricing (pricing exposed behind logins or inside custom catalogs)

- Assortment variations by channel

- Being mindful of who is selling

- Taking control in marketplace channels

- Provide digital assets and analytics to channel partners

- Channel...

This week on the Friday 15 podcast...

Andy & Brian discuss whether Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday season more broadly drive sales in B2B.  Andy shares how the season is like the Super Bowl where even if your television network isn't showing the Super Bowl, it's going to impact you in one way or another.

That said, we hear from one practitioner who says that they've tried holiday promotions to no avail.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about the marketing challenge B2B companies have with attracting younger workers, and some of the strategies that have worked.

“The issue is a messaging problem, it’s not a reality problem.  B2B offers many of the things that Gen Z is looking for - B2C talks about it, but B2B actually offers what this generation wants.”

They discuss how companies have tried advertising with NASCAR, building relationships with local colleges, winning "best place to work" awards and more...

On the Friday 15 Podcast, Andy & Brian talk about the challenges B2B companies have hiring junior staff out of college.  

Are B2B companies able to offer the opportunities that Gen Z'ers want?  And if so, why don't members of Gen Z know that?  

This week on the Friday 15...

Andy & Brian talk about the skills necessary for new hires in B2B eCommerce and whether people just coming out of college possess those skills.

Plus, does a software company offer an answer to how you find recent grads who have the skills you need?

This week on the Friday 15 - an All-Breaking-News edition.  Andy & Brian take a look at Amazon's decision to have everyone return to the office 5 days a week and what impact this has on employees and on the business more broadly.  

While executives report improved productivity when they've had employees return full-time to the office, Andy & Brian share some statistics showing that these mandates also cause higher turnover while also disproportionately negatively affecting women in the workplace.

Does the perceived improved productivity outweigh the negatives?

Andy & Brian discuss the challenges of deciding which data to track, and how to use it to make better business decisions.

They offer 6 ways to make analytics more actionable:

1) Collect data in one place and with a holistic view
2) Compare data over time.
3) Know your KPIs - look across channels, not just eCommerce.
4) Set and measure against benchmarks
5) Set and measure against goals, then monitor.
6) Use testing to impact specific KPIs (bounce rate, conversion rate, AOV, etc).

This week on the Friday 15 podcast, Andy & Brian discuss the reasons why it's challenging for B2B eCommerce businesses to build a great user experience.  A few reasons they dig into:

- Because buyers need to make these purchases for work, the interface may matter less than in B2C.

- B2B businesses aren't willing to make the investments necessary to create a great experience.

- The size of many B2B catalogs are orders of magnitude larger than the catalogs of B2C, which makes it much more difficult to build a...

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian discuss whether your eCommerce site can replace some of the work being done by the inside sales team...

The biggest takeaway this week is that the inside sales team brings an enormous amount of efficiency and revenue opportunity when paired with outside sales and when paired well with eCommerce. 

In this episode they'll break down what inside sales does for a living, and whether the growth of eCommerce will impact the success of that role.

The Friday 15 crew is off this week for the long holiday weekend, but we wanted to share a recent Fireside Chat we held with Shannon Zonca, the Senior Director – Contract eCommerce at MillerKnoll, and Rob Richardson, the Senior Digital Product Manager at MillerKnoll, about how a manufacturer can grow its digital business without creating issues around channel conflict.

In this new interview, you’ll hear more about:

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian talk through the pitfalls and best practices when hiring a system integrator.  

They share some of the red flags that SIs say they look out for when working with a client (Biggest?  Inadequate buy-in from senior management).

As well as red flags from practitioners (Biggest? Inadequate experience working with B2B companies.

This week, Andy & Brian talk about whether large, complex, global enterprises should centralize their digital operations, and how to think about that decision.

They dig into 4 areas:

1) To what extent the market is dominated by local preferences and behaviors

2) What are the service components of the business?

3) What are the fulfillment requirements?

4) Where is talent located?

Andy & Brian discuss the pros and cons of B2B companies making their pricing available in online channels.

They're mostly aligned with the common wisdom that pricing should be transparent, but they offer 4 reasons why it may make sense to hide some prices:

1) Withholding prices gives the seller pricing power.

2) Making the customer call for price raises their commitment to complete the buying journey.

3) The “price available upon request” notice carries an aura of exclusivity and status.

4) Withholding prices selectively pushed the customer to certain items and away...

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian discuss:

- How will Amazon react to being deemed a "distributor" by the US government, and will that make them liable for the products third-party sellers put on the platform?

- Does digital investment necessarily lead to improved profitability?

- 3 steps to improving your digital profitability.

This week, Andy & Brian talk about why frontline employees and executives have such different views on the state of their businesses:

- What's the "purpose gap" and is there a way to reduce it?

- How can companies ensure they're allowing their staff to make forward progress on their projects?

- Is having differing views on the customer the biggest disconnect between executives and rank-and-file staff?

This week on the podcast Andy & Brian discuss:

- How B2C promotions (like Prime Day) impact B2B sales

- Why internal challenges are the reason why digital strategies fail

- 5 strategies for fixing internal challenges

This week on the podcast, Andy and Brian talk through the 6 characteristics of a great culture and how to implement them in your company...

1) Build your culture based on real-world dilemmas

2) Move your culture from abstraction to action

3) Pain your culture in full color

4) Hire the right people, and they will build the right culture

5) Make sure the culture drives the strategy

6) Don't be a purist

The Friday 15 podcast is off this week for the July 4th holiday, but we wanted to share a recent webcast we hosted about how companies have accelerated their digital maturity.

Join Andy, Brian and expert practitioners including Zoro.com’s CTO Andy Goodfellow, Theresa Kuske from medical device marketplace Chamfr, and Steve Baruch, formerly of MSC, on this special Webcast as they walk through how they overcame obstacles to speed up digital transformation in their organizations.

Master B2B has just released a research report titled Accelerating Your Digital Vision to offer companies a roadmap for...

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian provide a template for getting and sustaining buy-in for digital initiatives, including:

1) How you build the business case.
2) How you measure value.
3) How you sustain alignment.

This week Andy & Brian take a look at why the hype behind first-party marketplaces has cooled, and whether we'll ever see the promise of the model fulfilled.

This week Andy & Brian share some of what they learned while hosting the Master B2B Summit in Chicago, including:

- Who owns the customer experience at different companies?

- Where should your next budget dollar be spent?

- Who should be the next hire on your team?

Plus answers to those questions and more...

In this week's episode, Andy & Brian give a preview of Master B2B's State of eCommerce Report, which will be released in July.  But we didn't want to wait to share some of the key findings about how both B2B buyers and sellers have changed their behaviors over the past year.

This week on the Master B2B Friday 15 podcast, Andy & Brian talk about how to accelerate your digital maturity in 2024.  The discussion centers around a new report Master B2B published in association with commercetools called, "Accelerating Your Digital Vision" that's digs into how organizations can quickly speed up their digital maturity.

You can download the free report here.

On this week's Friday 15 podcast, Andy & Brian talk about whether brands should sell on Amazon, even if they don't get access to customer data.  The resounding answer is, "yes," but with some caveats:

- Brian believes the Amazon 3P Seller Central approach makes more sense than the 1P approach...so why do brands still sell to Amazon directly?

- Don't discount the value of Amazon as an awareness tool.

- Brian shared a survey of companies that don't sell on Amazon and the number one reason why they don't is that they don't h...

Andy & Brian give a recap of their experience at the B2B Online conference in Chicago.  

Plus, they discuss what the latest Forrester Wave of Commerce platforms means for industry.

And would you rather work with Gen Z or Gen X co-workers?

In this week's Master B2B Friday 15, Andy & Brian discuss:

- What the unemployment numbers mean for digital investments.

- Why personalization is so much more challenging in B2B than in B2C.

- How you define "the customer" in B2B will define what types of personalization you actually need.

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian discuss:

- Does it make sense for an online marketplace to have brick and mortar locations?

- Should you buy a PIM early in your digital journey, or once you've built up a sizable amount of product data?

- A PIM won't solve your data problem, but it will force discipline on your organization around product data.  So why doesn't everyone have one?

This week on the Friday 15, Andy & Brian tackle:

- Is Amazon being unethical when they started selling on other marketplaces to gain intel?

- Do you need to bring in outsiders to help you revisit a digital strategy?

- How do you prioritize the changes you want to make to your digital strategy?

This week in the Master B2B Friday 15 Podcast, Andy and Brian talk about the balance between sticking to a plan, and reacting to external factors - and how do you know when to make a change to your plan.

Andy talked about the difference between the 3 year vision, the 18 month strategy, and the constantly evolving tactics.

This week Andy & Brian talk about:

- Amazon's bigger investment in Anthropic and what it means for the future of eCommerce

- A new AI chatbot tool called Hume and how it's going to affect first-line customer service workers in the future.  Plus, Andy shares and example of an interaction he had with Hume...

This week, Andy & Brian talk about:

- Home Depot's $18 billion purchase of roofing distributor SRS Distribution, and how that will impact Home Depot's strategy moving forward.

- Who should own customer experience? Master B2B recently held an executive roundtable in Atlanta and asked this question and the answers were all over the map.  The guys discuss where they think customer experience should live in an organization, and why that matters.

This week, Andy & Brian talk about Honeywell's digital transformation, and whether their CEO's decision to be incredibly hands-on is what made that transformation successful.

You can read more about that story in this HBR article:
https://hbr.org/2024/03/the-chair-of-honeywell-on-bringing-an-industrial-business-into-the-digital-age

This week on the Friday 15:

- Fast food chain Wendy's faced a PR debacle after they talked about their dynamic pricing initiatives.  As Brian said, "don't raise the price of my Frosty!"

- Is dynamic pricing coming to B2B?  Or is it already here?

In this week's Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about the role marketplaces play in alleviating (or causing) channel conflict.

The big takeaway is that manufacturers need to accept that they simply need to be where their buyers buy, and that they can no longer push buyers into the channels that the manufacturer wants to use.

This week on the podcast, Andy & Brian discuss:

- Sora, the new generative AI text-to-video tool

- The demise of Amazon product aggregator Thrasio

- The changes in how B2B practitioners find job nowadays.

In this week's Friday 15, Andy & Brian discuss:

- A new dating app based on people's credit scores (and what that has to do with B2B)

- The next generation of conversational commerce.

- The Affiliated Distributors Marketing Summit and all of the buzz around AI.

In this week's Friday 15, Andy & Brian talk about:

-Owens Corning buying doormaker Masonrite for $3 billion

-The initial feedback from the Beta group testing Microsoft's co-pilot AI tool

-Whether online revenue is just shifting revenue from the offline channel to the online channel

Learn more at masterb2b.com

This week, Andy & Brian discuss whether a recent court case means Amazon will be treated like a distributor and be responsible for the quality of the products it sells.  

Then they dig into the new Amazon AI chatbot called Rufus, and whether Rufus will put the salesperson out of business.

This week Andy & Brian talk about recent studies looking at remote work.  Are in-office workers getting more promotions than those who work remotely?  Are people who work in the office actually more productive than those who work at home?  And does that distinction even matter?

This week Andy & Brian talk about:

- StitchFix's perplexing decision to open a digital transformation office

- The concept of a "post-digital enterprise"

- How much you need to budget for change management during a digital transformation

Andy & Brian take a look at the state of industry conferences and discuss the results of a recent survey on conferences.

Andy & Brian look at where Amazon is cutting back, what Maersk's layoffs suggest about the state of supply chains, and whether B2B companies are actually preparing for a worst case scenario in 2024.

Andy and Brian wrap up the year in B2B...

- What's the biggest story of the year?

- What's the most surprising fact?

- What's the most disruptive trend?

- Henry Schein is hit with a cyberattack that impacted $150 million in revenues.

- C-level executives are (not surprisingly) concerned about AI in 2024.

- But when we actually heard from B2B eCommerce executives, they had more worries about the economy and having enough budget to follow through on their initiatives.

This week:

- Amazon is the largest delivery company (by number of packages in the US)

- Home Depot acquires International Designs Group, and what that means for B2B services.

- Cyber Monday has an impact for mid-market B2B companies, though Black Friday does not.

Listen as Andy, Brian and their special guests gaze deeply into our crystal ball to see what the future holds for B2B eCommerce practitioners.

Download a copy of the report here.

Today on the Master B2B Friday 15:

- Amazon Business' State of Procurement Report finds that 95% of decision makers say there's room for improvement in the procurement process.

- Amazon will sell Hyundai's cars.

- If the vast majority of B2B eCommerce practitioners acknowledge that they're not measuring the right things, why doesn't that change?