E-commerce has never had as many technological resources available as it does now. From solutions based on artificial intelligence to marketing automation, through chatbots, real-time data analysis and intelligent logistics systems. The sector is experiencing a moment of accelerated evolution. And the data proves: according to Nuvei, e-commerce sales are expected to jump from US$ 26.6 billion from 2024 to US$ 51.2 billion in 2027 – an increase of 92.5% in the period, which is driven for the advancement of digital transformation and the growing desire for personalization in the purchase journey.
But in the face of so many options, the inevitable question arises: which tools are really worth the investment? In times of tight margins, marketing, technology or innovation directors should adopt a profit-centered view. That is, the priority is to protect the bottom line — that last line of the financial statement that reveals the company’s profit. In this sense, the choice of new technologies must be directly linked to the measurable impact they generate on the business.
Many companies make the mistake of investing in tools that do not align with their operational reality or that are implemented in a hasty and unplanned way. the result? Overloaded teams, decentralized data and a series of stuck processes that make decision-making difficult. Therefore, a more effective way — especially for small and medium-sized companies — is to scale with a strategy: to adopt one technology at a time, with a focus on solving real and specific problems..
This approach allows you to accurately monitor the impact of each solution, making adjustments whenever necessary. In addition to preserving resources, this strategy favors an increase in the return on investment (ROI) and reduces the risk of waste.
Another important point is the adequacy of the tools to the local context. It is common for Brazilian companies to adopt solutions recommended by international matrices that, although globally consolidated, do not fit into Brazil’s regulatory and operational processes. This generates high costs in dollars, with no proportional return. In these cases, the local manager needs to assume a more active role and demonstrate that solutions developed by national companies can be more effective, faster and more financially viable.
It is important to highlight that seeking efficiency does not mean giving up innovation. Chatbots, for example, are proven solutions in reducing service costs, with the potential to cut up to 30% of these expenses. However, automation should be used with balance — excess can lead to the dehumanization of the customer experience. Therefore, planning is as essential as the tool itself.
In the same reasoning, the architecture model composable, which allows you to combine different tools to create customized solutions, is extremely promising — as long as it is accompanied by clarity in the objectives and digital maturity. Following this logic, the ideal is to seek solutions that meet multiple needs with the fewest possible contracts. This reduces integration effort, simplifies management and improves operational efficiency. Customer experience solutions — such as marketing automation and automation platforms — often deliver faster returns. More robust technologies, such as predictive analytics and logistics optimization systems, can be adopted at later stages, as the business matures.
In short, technology should be a lever for growth, not a financial or operational burden. The secret is to make conscious choices, based on data, clear objectives and the actual operation of each company. Not everything that is available on the market is applicable to all businesses. The important thing is to identify what really moves the indicators and, from that, grow with intelligence.
