Here at Rosie, we let data guide us in our decision making and the best practices we impart on our retailer partners so they can level up their ecommerce business and compete with big chains. But with all of the data we have related to customers, products, shopping behavior, and more, how do we parse out the most important insights and package them in a way that we can share with our retailers? For that, we turn to Business Intelligence Analyst/Developer Axander Wilson, or “X” as we call him. In our latest Employee Spotlight, we chat with X about how he first got interested in data and why it’s important for retailers.
Thinking about your journey to Rosie. What led you to become a part of the Rosie team?
I actually studied economics in undergrad, and I didn’t know it at the time but I was getting into data. From there I started working in QA and decided to get my Master’s in computer information systems. In my next job I had automated most of my responsibilities and needed a bigger challenge. I read about Rosie’s culture and what this person would be doing and it seemed like a growth opportunity and a great match.
As for my favorite thing about Rosie, the nerd in me says I’ve learned so much and grown my technical skills. I had been a Python guy my whole career, but I’ve really enjoyed learning more about SQL and Snowflake during our data migrations. I also love the culture and benefits – unlimited PTO is actually real and a great perk.
Why should retailers care about data analytics?
Data tells you everything. For me, another way of saying “data” is just information and intelligence. It’s like a cheat sheet telling you exactly what you’d want to know about your business. It’s at the heartbeat of understanding any decision you’re going to make to be successful, and retailers are no different.
How does your work contribute to Rosie’s mission to help retailers be successful in ecommerce?
Rosie has a lot of data and insight that is going to help retailers and wholesalers so much, but in its current form, it can be hard to read and understand. Everyday I look at the current structure and come up with what it should look like so retailers and stakeholders can understand and get the most insight. For example, we’re learning about customer shopping behaviors, like “when someone puts this in their cart, they also usually buy that.” I structure the information so we can utilize the rich amount of data to the best of our ability.
Right now this is especially important for our shopper marketing initiatives so we can see how effective the campaigns are at promoting certain products. Also churn rate and retention rate reports are important too for the retailer to understand more about their audience base.
What three items in your Rosie basket?
Tofu always has got to be in there. Then a gallon of spring water, since I’m staying hydrated all throughout the day. Lastly, mixed veggies. A typical meal for me is some rice, veggies, and tofu on the side.
