Adapt or Die: How GQ & Journal Boutique Use D2C & Loyalty CRM to Outsmart the Market

Adapt or Die: How GQ & Journal Boutique Use D2C & Loyalty CRM to Outsmart the Market

Adapt or Die: How GQ & Journal Boutique Use D2C & Loyalty CRM to Outsmart the Market 

Key highlights from the panel discussion

“Adapt or Die: How GQ & Journal Boutique Transform Their Business with D2C and Loyalty CRM”

at MarTech Expo 2026

Moderated by

Veer Sirasunthorn (CEO of PRIMO)

Featuring insights from

  • George Hartel (GQ Thailand)
  • Thananya Sutheerachai (Journal)
  • Sujin Jeong (Shopify)

Amid today’s highly competitive e-commerce price battlefield

the panel clearly emphasized that

data ownership and
direct customer relationships

are the foundation of sustainable growth

Key Insights from the Panel

1. Data Ownership: From “Tenant” to “Homeowner”

Relying solely on marketplaces creates risk when platform rules change

Building a Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) channel allows brands to own first-party data

which is the most valuable asset for communicating with customers directly and precisely

2. Storytelling & User Experience: Designing Superior Experiences

Thananya (Journal):

Fragrance products are driven by emotion

Having a D2C platform allows brands to communicate storytelling and ingredient identity far more deeply than the limited space available on marketplaces

George (GQ):

Focused on using data to analyze website behavior in detail

allowing the team to continuously improve customer journey and experience

with speed and precision

3. Hyper-Personalization: The Power of CRM and Loyalty Systems Connected to D2C

When brands own their data

customer engagement evolves into personalized experience

For example:

  • sending fragrance samples customers prefer together with their purchases
  • implementing omni-channel loyalty point systems

allowing store staff to immediately recognize customer preferences upon arrival

For example, Shopify, as a D2C platform, connects directly with PRIMOLoyalty (Loyalty CRM) via Open API

enabling customers to

  • place orders
  • earn loyalty points in real time
  • receive personalized promotions and privileges

instantly

4. Scalability & Speed: Infrastructure Built for Growth

Sujin (Shopify) shared perspectives on leveraging global platforms

that support

  • multiple languages
  • multiple currencies
  • global shipping systems

allowing Thai brands to expand internationally with global scalability

combined with modern AI technology

that enables brands to launch D2C strategies

with

  • faster speed to market
  • higher operational efficiency

Leadership Vision from the Panel

The three executives emphasized that

success does not come from simply following trends

but from investing in

their own data ecosystem

to create long-term value and maintain meaningful customer relationships sustainably

#PRIMO #MarTechExpo2026 #D2C #LoyaltyCRM #DataStrategy #PanelDiscussion #DigitalTransformation #Shopify #LoyaltyProgram 🚀