We spoke with speakers, experts and exhibitors about how they are using data to refine their strategies, better understand their customers and drive their business smarter. One thing stood out: the companies making a difference aren't necessarily the biggest - but the ones taking their data seriously.
Data as a driving force
One of those homegrown companies that hold data innovation in high regard is Dille & Kamille, an established name on Dutch high streets for years. For Dille & Kamille, data has long since ceased to be an abstract concept - it is the driving force behind their digital strategy. During their session at the Webwinkel Vakdagen 2025, Luuk Engelberts (Manager ICT & Processes) and Johan Tripp (Product Owner E-commerce) explained how they renewed their IT landscape step-by-step in order to be able to work more flexibly, scalably and data-driven. "We had a lot of customization, but very few standard solutions," Tripp explains. "That was blocking both our growth and our sustainability ambitions"
Backing up claims with data
The transition to a best-of-breed strategy was necessary. Instead of trying to cram everything into one system, we needed to create smart links between specialized tools. The core of that approach? An integration platform that connects data from all those systems - making it unambiguous, reliable and usable. "We wanted to rely fully on the system’s outputs," says Tripp. "If we make a claim toward the customer, for example about sustainable delivery, we have to be able to back that up 100% with data. Legally as well."
Data as a guide
That approach is paying off. Since the restructuring, conversion on the website has almost doubled. This is not only due to better content, but mainly due to content that appears at the right time, with the right target group, in the right place. "We have become much more targeted. Data is our guide in that," Tripp said.
Another key focus is the data warehouse. With every new project phase or tool rolled out, data linking is a regular feature. "That has actually become standard," Tripp says. "Whatever we do - whether it's an ERP, CRM or PIM - there will always be a link to the data warehouse. That makes the insights reusable and consistent, across all layers of the organization."
"Data enables us to grow sustainably, without compromising on experience or reliability."
- Johan Tripp, Product Owner E-commerce, Dille & Kamille
Underpinning strategic choices with data
At Dille & Kamille, data not only supports daily operations, but also strategic choices. For example, they use data to analyze return behavior per country, recognize differences in customer behavior, and even tailor assortments to local preferences. A product that sells well in the Netherlands may flop in Germany - something that only becomes visible if you look deep enough. "Three hours drive east and the customer is totally different," Engelberts said.
One notable detail is how the company handles user participation in data projects. Employees who work with systems on a daily basis are involved in projects and choices from the beginning. This not only generates more support, but also ensures that insights and feedback flow directly back into the data system. "The people on the floor often know best where the gaps are," says Engelberts. "And you want to capture those signals and feed them back into your dashboards."
So for Dille & Kamille, data is not an endpoint, but a continuous interaction between systems, people and processes. The digital foundations have been laid, the insights grow with it. And that is no superfluous luxury in a world where consumer expectations - as well as those of regulators - are only increasing. Tripp aptly sums it up: "Data enables us to grow sustainably, without compromising on experience or reliability."
Droppery: data as the connecting link between retailer and supplier
For Droppery, a platform that links suppliers and retailers and automates their collaboration, data is not just support-it is the core of their business model. "We automate product data, inventory and orders between suppliers and retailers," CEO Marco Mulder explained in a conversation on the show floor. "And we make sure they find each other through our matchmaking solution."
In recent years, Droppery has seen the data needs in e-commerce grow rapidly. Where a simple product description used to suffice, retailers today expect comprehensive product information, from HS codes to import tariffs and origins. "The demands are getting higher, and rightly so," says Mulder. "You can only have efficient and scalable collaboration if your data is in order."
AI is also playing a growing role in this. Droppery uses it for automatic enrichment and translation of product data, without the user noticing. "It just has to work. Set it up once and it's done." Mulder's tip to other companies? "Don't see tools and automation as a threat, but as an opportunity to improve your services. The fruits are there now to be picked."
Soccer club N.E.C: Using data for a rock-solid relationship with supporters
That data is crucial across the board, and not just within e-commerce, is proven by soccer club N.E.C. In an interesting lecture, Commercial Manager Robin Faber elaborated on how the soccer club manages to reach and connect with their entire fan base.
"That goes far beyond the supporters sitting in the stadium," Faber explained. "By really getting to know your fan you connect the fan with the club, and you can build a rock-solid relationship with the supporters. For us, that first meant: choosing the right data foundation. We created a smart data architecture in which we capture and connect all the touch points of our target groups."
360-degree customer view
In practice, this came down - in a nutshell - to the following. "It all starts with cookie consent. About seventy percent of our visitors consent to cookies. That enables us to store and enrich their data. All that data goes to the Customer Data Platform, the central point. We try to really get to know the fan. Who is his or her favorite player? When was the last time they bought something in the fan shop? We call this a 360-degree customer view."
Through this approach, N.E.C. accomplished a true data-driven transformation. The club went from 10 million to 20 million in value. So by properly leveraging data, the club's commercial value increased significantly.
The future is data-driven
What is striking is that more and more companies are betting on data-driven strategies. Dille & Kamille showed how a cleverly organized data landscape can almost double conversion rates. Droppery is all about streamlined product data and automation between suppliers and retailers. Finally, N.E.C. showed how efficient use of customer data can increase a company's commercial value in a short period of time.
What connects them is a shared insight: if you want to win in e-commerce today, you not only have to have data, but above all you have to know what to do with it. The future is data-driven - and it starts now. Ready to discover how to turn data into smart strategies and take your e-commerce growth to the next level? Experience it firsthand at Webwinkel Vakdagen 2026 and claim your free tickets.
