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From Discovery to Delivery: Why CX is the New Battleground in E-Commerce

India Claydon

April 09, 2025

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4m

In 2025, it’s not enough to have a beautiful website or great products. If you want to win in e-commerce, you have to win on customer experience (CX) — and that goes way beyond checkout. We're talking about the full journey: discovery, personalisation, delivery, returns, and everything in between. The brands that are standing out right now? They're the ones who treat experience as a product in itself — and invest in making it seamless, responsive, and distinctly “them”. At Tom&Co, we’re lucky to work with some of the most forward-thinking brands in e-commerce. Here’s what they’re doing right — and what others can learn from them.
Discovery is everything
Search bars and filters are useful — but they’re not the whole story. Modern shoppers expect your site to guide them: smart recommendations, editorial-style content, curated collections, and yes, a search that actually understands what they mean.

Take LeMieux, for example. They’ve created a discovery experience that speaks directly to their audience — from helpful sizing guides to colour-matched product bundles. They’re not just selling riding gear; they’re creating a space where equestrian customers feel understood.

Pro tip: Look beyond traditional navigation. Consider AI-driven recommendations, content-commerce integrations, and search that adapts to user behaviour.
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Your site needs to feel like your brand
You can spot an Oliver Bonas product a mile off — and their website has the same distinctive vibe. From the playful typography to the editorial content and smooth UX, the site brings their in-store energy online.

That cohesion builds trust, loyalty, and makes the digital experience just as memorable as browsing in-store.

Similarly, Biscuiteers delivers joy from the first click. Every part of their experience — from unboxing to gifting options — feels crafted and considered. And let’s be honest, a biscuit boutique should feel special, right?

Pro tip: Consistency is king. Fonts, photography, tone of voice — it all adds up. Make sure your brand DNA runs through every interaction.
Operational excellence = better experience
Behind every smooth shopping journey is a well-oiled backend. That means smart stock control, fast site speeds, real-time delivery updates, and painless returns.

Topps Tiles is a great example. Tiles aren’t the easiest thing to shop for online — but they’ve invested in tools that make it work: visualisers, sampling options, and a slick B2B experience for trade customers.It’s not just about selling products; it’s about removing friction for different types of shoppers.

Pro tip: Great UX isn’t just about design. It’s about operations. Work with your dev team to bridge the gap between what looks good and what actually works.
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Personalisation is moving from buzzword to baseline
The days of “people who bought this also bought...” are over. In a world of AI and real-time data, shoppers expect sites to know them — and tailor the experience accordingly.

More and more of our clients are leaning into this, using Adobe Commerce to drive personalised journeys, offers, and content. Whether it’s returning customers getting curated product drops or new shoppers receiving onboarding journeys that don’t feel robotic, smart brands are treating personalisation as standard.

Pro tip: Start small. Tailor homepage banners based on user behaviour. Personalise email flows. Track what content people engage with — and surface more of it.
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Post-purchase is part of the journey
Here’s where a lot of brands lose steam. The customer has clicked “Buy” — and then the experience falls flat. But the post-purchase journey is full of opportunity: branded tracking, useful content while they wait, and thoughtful unboxing moments.

LeMieux, for instance, nails this with beautifully presented packages, thoughtful follow-ups, and loyalty incentives. It’s not just good service — it’s a reason to come back.

Pro tip: Map your customer journey after checkout. Where are the moments that could surprise or delight? Automate where you can, personalise where it matters.
Our final thoughts
Customer experience isn’t a “nice to have” anymore — it’s the reason people buy, return, and recommend. And while there’s no one-size-fits-all formula, the brands that are winning right now are doing three things consistently:

Putting customers first in every decision

Investing in platforms like Adobe Commerce to scale intelligently

Working with specialists and developers who know how to bring it all to life


 If you're thinking about levelling up your e-commerce CX — whether that’s through replatforming, optimisation, or rethinking your UX — we're always up for a chat.
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Want to know how we could help you? Call us on 0207 351 3521, or fill in our contact form and someone from our team will get in touch!