What does it take to turn customer clicks, frustrations, and rare high-stakes purchases into better digital experiences? Julia Paulsen, Director of eCommerce at Elkjøp Nordic, shares practical insights from the front lines of modern retail.
“What you can’t measure doesn’t exist.” This motto defines the approach of Julia Paulsen, Director of eCommerce at Elkjøp Nordic, who joins the upcoming Data Innovation Summit to discuss the unvarnished reality of digital transformation. Julia lives by a relentless “Always Be Testing” (ABT) philosophy-basing every decision on hard data and constant iteration rather than safe assumptions.
In a retail landscape often blinded by hype, she believes that technology is only 10% of the innovation battle; the real work lies in the organizational culture, data hygiene, and the “nitty-gritty” of the customer journey.
How has your “Always Be Testing” mindset evolved across your different roles in the digital space?
Julia Paulsen: It has taught me that regardless of the industry, success is about the customer and the data. We have over 60 years of history and 430 stores where human interaction is the gold standard. For a long time, online was seen as a “necessity”- the annoying little brother taking things from your room. But preferences have shifted and things are really happening now. Online is the engine driving growth. My role is to ensure we take customer data as seriously as we take in-store service, using it to improve every interaction because, in electronics, those interactions are rare.
Some electronics are high-investment, low-frequency purchases. How does that reality shape your digital strategy? 
Julia Paulsen: For a usual consumer, you might only need something from an electronics branch once or twice a year-it’s not like fashion where people are constantly browsing. Whether it is a washing machine every ten years or a new iPhone, these are higher investments where you spend more time considering the best product. Because of that, it is really important that when we have that interaction, we really succeed. We have worked on being a “trusted advisor” online, using data to find out why customers are frustrated or bouncing so we can support those high-stakes decisions.
How do you translate digital behavior-like “clicks and bounces”-into actual customer feedback?
Julia Paulsen: The customers are trying to talk to us all the time through all their clicks, their bounces, and their frustrations-we just need to listen. If you have the data, you can actually find out why they are frustrated. We need to gather the right data and improve accordingly. I really like this thinking of NPS driving EBITDA, but also looking beyond that into behavior data to see how we can improve the full journey and the interaction between online research and the in-store expert.
Digital pop-ups are a major friction point. How can data turn that “noise” into actual value?
Julia Paulsen: In a store, a question about a subscription isn’t noise-it’s a service. Online, people hate pop-ups. It becomes interesting how you can use data so you aren’t “puking” random information that isn’t relevant. If we know you are a “safety first” customer, we shouldn’t show you random accessories; we should show you the best insurance deal. When the data makes the interaction relevant, the customer feels cared for rather than interrupted.
Since profit margins on hardware are increasingly slim, where does the strategic value of e-commerce lie?
Julia Paulsen: The golden days of hardware profit are over. Today, value is in the “full package.” If you buy an iPhone but aren’t told you need a charger, or a washing machine without the mounting feet, you’ve failed the customer. E-commerce becomes a strategic priority when it stops chasing margin and starts ensuring the customer actually has everything they need to use the product the day it arrives.
What is the organizational reality of trying to achieve a “360-degree” view of the customer?
Julia Paulsen: Every organization claims to have broken the silos, but almost no one truly sees 360 yet. People still think in terms of their own channel. To make it work, you have to get people to understand the data structure and use that same data throughout-not just in-store and online, but across all digital channels. We’ve overhauled almost our entire tech stack to move toward true personalization, but it is an ongoing journey.
Looking toward the future of Agentic AI, why is “data hygiene” more important than the technology itself?
Julia Paulsen: You can have a fantastic website journey, but it boils down to hygiene: your stock, your availability, and your services. When virtual assistants come, they look for the best reviews and the fastest delivery. They don’t have feelings. If your fundamental retail service is bad, the best AI in the world won’t save you. You’re gone.
How does the ABT mindset specifically prepare a retail organization for the shift toward generative AI?
Julia Paulsen: Everything is moving too fast for a “set it and forget it” strategy. We’ve created an internal AI forum to share expertise and we are already looking at traffic development from virtual assistants to understand how relevant we are in those searches. You have to be open to piloting things that are completely different. Success won’t come from one big purchase; it comes from small, constant iterations based on what actually matters to the customer.
Since technology is only a small part of the innovation challenge, where should organizations be focusing their energy?
Julia Paulsen: Technology is maybe 5% or 10% of the entire challenge. The rest is the business and the organization. You can be technologically ready to innovate with data and AI, but you have to structure the organization to work together. It’s about getting the whole team enthusiastic about what future technologies can do and not being afraid to pilot things. Don’t try to do everything at once. Focus on what brings customer value, because that is what drives business results. It’s the small iterations that bring success.
To see Julia’s “Always Be Testing” philosophy in action, join her at the Retail, E-commerce & Logistics Stage at the upcoming Data Innovation Summit. She’ll be breaking down concrete examples of how Elkjøp Nordic uses data to move past the hype and deliver a truly seamless, high-stakes customer experience.
