When you think of Nespresso, you likely picture sleek coffee machines, perfectly portioned pods, and that signature café-quality coffee at home. But behind the scenes, Nespresso isn’t just selling coffee—it’s transforming how customers experience it. One of the driving forces is YC Eu, Head of E-Business at Nespresso Australia, who has spent the past five years driving the brand’s digital evolution. With a deep passion for customer-centric innovation, YC has helped shift Nespresso from a traditional online retailer to a leader in experiential commerce.
From pioneering pod coffee to driving digital transformation, Nespresso has always been ahead of the curve and in this episode, YC shows us why. She shares how her team is creating immersive digital experiences, maximising existing resources before chasing new tech and keeping customers engaged well beyond their first purchase.
Stop Selling and Start Immersing
For YC and her team, e-commerce isn’t just about selling—it’s about replicating the in-store experience online. That’s why Nespresso has redefined its approach, moving from electronic commerce to experiential commerce. Rather than just making it easy to buy coffee, they’re focused on crafting an engaging, immersive journey that keeps customers coming back.
“Our vision is to deliver that Nespresso experience to you anywhere via your device. It wasn’t so much about foregoing functionality for the sake of being immersive. It was about evolving from something that was mostly transactional to one that was a hybrid.”
One example of this is Nespresso’s Coffee Profiler Quiz, a tool designed to help customers find their perfect blend based on taste preferences. Instead of leaving new customers overwhelmed by choice, the quiz guides them to a selection that suits their flavour profile. But it’s not just for newcomers—loyal customers also use it to explore new blends.
“It works for new customers who are completely new. And then they come onto our site and are like, ‘Oh my God, there’s so many coffees. Where do I start?’…[it] also works for existing customers because…a majority of our customers tell us they don’t order the same thing twice. They switch up their order. They like exploring.”
By taking inspiration from their physical boutiques—where customers can taste, touch, and learn about coffee firsthand—Nespresso is working to create that same level of engagement online.
If you feel like you’re selling, you probably are. Bring it back to authenticity.
Make Every Order Feel Like the First
Rather than pushing customers into a one-size-fits-all shopping experience, Nespresso focuses on personalisation at every stage of the journey. This means using data not just to acquire customers but to keep them engaged over time.
“We pride ourselves on being customer-centric and data-driven. So we’re always looking at whether it’s sales results, how the categories are performing, or we’re looking at engagement stats—conversion rates, abandoned carts, things like that. We’re constantly looking into what customers are saying about us.”
One example of this is Nespresso’s approach to subscriptions. Instead of immediately pushing customers to sign up, they introduce the Coffee Plus subscription service after a few orders—once buyers have settled into their preferences.
“We found that suggesting it during their second or third order, once they learn about the blends that they like and what orders they make, then it’s easier for them to create a reoccurring order and use the subscription service.”
Nespresso also takes a thoughtful approach to personalisation with AI-driven tools. Rather than bombarding customers with generic promotions, they use first-party data to recommend products that are genuinely relevant. By personalising every touchpoint, Nespresso ensures that customers remain engaged well beyond their first purchase.
We don’t just want to say, ‘Here’s a deal.’ We want to say, ‘Here’s something you might actually love.
Sweat the Assets Before Chasing New Tech
With constant advancements in e-commerce tech, it’s tempting to jump onto the latest trend. But for YC, success isn’t about always adding something new—it’s about fully leveraging existing tools first.
“This year, we’re focused on sweating the assets, before chasing new platforms, we ask: Are we using our current ones to their full potential?”
For instance, Nespresso has worked closely with partners like Coveo to refine its onsite search and recommendation engine. By enhancing what was already in place, rather than building from scratch, they’ve created a more intuitive and seamless shopping experience.
“A big shout out to the guys at Coveo…we use them for onsite search. They also have product reco tools that we’re now exploring, you know, their machine learning capabilities—how to then surface products based on user intent.”
This philosophy also applies to content, customer engagement strategies and even internal processes. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Nespresso looks for ways to refine and improve what’s already working. Rather than using agencies and platforms for one thing and then moving on, they are working towards honing in and making sure that they’re optimising and maximising what we already have.
“Sometimes, the best innovation isn’t new—it’s just making what you have work better.”
E-Commerce Success Starts With What You Have
Nespresso’s e-commerce success isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about delivering value in the most efficient and engaging way possible. YC and her team have built a strategy that prioritises long-term customer relationships by focusing on immersive experiences, meaningful personalisation, and optimising what they already have before looking for the next big thing. For brands looking to do the same, the lesson is clear: Don’t just sell—create experiences. Use data to build connections, personalise at every stage, and before you chase the next big thing, make sure you’re fully leveraging what you already have. As YC puts it:
It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being brave, testing, and learning.
