1WorldSync is a leader in Product Content Orchestration. And the company simplifies the creation and distribution of impactful content that’s accurate, consistent and relevant everywhere commerce happens. Pulse 2.0 interviewed 1WorldSync chief product officer Randy Mercer to learn more.
Randy Mercer’s Background
What is Mercer’s background? Mercer said:
“I’ve been in the product information management space for nearly two decades, specifically in retail, e-commerce and food service. In college, I studied computer science and worked as a developer practically until I joined 1WorldSync. My first role with the company was as its technology partner, building and co-selling a product information management tool that we now own and sell.”
“Now, as 1WorldSync’s CPO, I lead our global product management and solution architecture teams, ensuring our company portfolio meets customer needs and emerging market trends. More recently, I have led initiatives to expand and improve capabilities in existing products, the ideation of new functionality and the identification of complementary acquisitions.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Mercer reflected:
“In 2019, 1WorldSync was acquired by private equity. I said then that this event would prove to be one of the best things to happen to our company. Now, four years later, that has absolutely been the case, as we’ve been able to evolve 1WorldSync in ways that we were previously unable to. So, looking back, I’ll always remember that event as an inflection point for us and, of course, a fond memory.”
Value Proposition
What is 1WorldSync’s core value proposition? Mercer explained:
“We simplify the creation and distribution of impactful content that’s accurate, consistent and relevant everywhere commerce happens.”
Challenges Faced
What recent hurdles has the retail industry faced lately? Mercer acknowledged:
“An ongoing hurdle for the retail industry is adapting to new technologies. One example in particular is the global supply chain’s ongoing adoption of two-dimensional (2D) barcodes (commonly called QR codes). The GS1 US Sunrise 2027 initiative released a plan to ensure that any retail point-of-sale system (POS) can scan and process 2D barcodes by the end of 2027.”
“Because this adoption will significantly impact how consumers look at packages and access information, retailers must examine their systems and make process changes to adapt to the technology. Such changes will reap massive benefits for retailers. 2D barcodes essentially have an unlimited data capacity, which retail brands can use to enable conversion in ways that UPCs can’t. Instead of just linking to an informational website, 2D barcodes can direct consumers to dynamic product detail pages with everything from AR/VR to ratings and reviews.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant recent milestones? Mercer cited:
“We acquired three companies in 2023 to help brands and retailers fuel online sales with user-generated content (UGC), strengthen our ecommerce analytics capabilities and expand our global footprint:
1.) PowerReviews: A leading SaaS provider of user-generated ratings, reviews and other content.
2.) atrify: A wholly owned subsidiary of GS1 Germany and Europe’s largest GS1 certified product content technology and consulting partner.
3.) Webáta: An e-commerce technology and analytics company that helps clients unlock sales growth through key areas like keywords and rankings, Product Detail Page (PDP) content scores, store-level item publishing and in-stock compliance, and store-level competitive intelligence.
We also released our third annual Product Content Benchmark Survey, which features insights collected from 1,500 shoppers across the U.S. and Canada. The report unveiled how the boundaries between digital and physical retail channels are dissolving, giving rise to a phygital shopping era. We found that nearly 90% of shoppers use their smartphone to research a product while in-store, looking at price comparisons, customer reviews and detailed product descriptions. Understanding these nuanced behaviors and expectations of today’s digital consumer is vital for brands.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Mercer assessed:
“With 1WorldSync’s expanded portfolio of solutions, our target market has expanded significantly. Today, we consider our TAM to be in the realm of $8 billion, covering all aspects of product content creation, management and proliferation.”
Customer Success Stories
After asking Mercer about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“Red Gold was having difficulties managing product data. Their old manual solution introduced too many data inaccuracies and wasted time for their teams, which had to track down and fix errors. Red Gold implemented our Product Information Management (PIM) solution and Digital Catalog to improve internal processes.”
“The company implemented our PIM solution to streamline data for its 3,500 Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) straight from its internal system to 1WorldSync and remove 1,600 obsolete GTINs. This new process significantly reduced internal workloads by eliminating manual entry and increasing Red Gold’s data accuracy and efficiency. These company benefits also improved the customer experience, with an average 10% increase in satisfaction across customer scorecards.”
Changes In Consumer Shopping Habits
How are consumer shopping habits changing? How does this affect retailers? Mercer pointed out:
“Rapidly evolving consumer habits remain a hurdle for brands and retailers unwilling to adapt. The lines between digital and physical shopping continue to blur. Consumers increasingly rely on digital product content (reviews, nutritional data, specifications) both online and in stores. In fact, nearly 85% of consumers value product content over brand recognition.”
“Retailers must connect their in-store experiences to their online presence, delivering consistent and compelling content across channels. We’ll see an increase in 2D barcodes and digital shelf tags. Because digital shelf tags connect to the internet, they’re more efficient and versatile than traditional paper tags. Retailers can display product information like prices, discounts and inventory levels in real-time, allowing for dynamic pricing strategies and increased conversion.”
Opinion About Customer Reviews
How do customer reviews play into consumer buying behavior? Mercer concluded:
“Over 60% of consumers say the number and quality of customer reviews positively impact their purchase decisions. When paired with seller-provided content, user-generated content (UGC) serves as a roadmap to identify quality products that not only meet customers’ needs but exceed their expectations. Tapping into social proof gives consumers the power to make informed purchase decisions aligned with their values and preferences — and reduce how often they must return a purchase.”
