Happy New Year from the DXP360 team! We hope 2024 is a terrific year for everyone.

2023 was a great year for Optimizely, and it ended well, too, as the DXP vendor was recognized by Forrester in its DXP Wave Report and by IDC MarketScape. They plan to continue that momentum into 2024 by announcing the 2023 Optimizely Partner Award winners, honoring the top agency partners that helped them succeed in the North America and EMEA regions. 

Elsewhere, Bloomreach and Marionnaud partner up; composable commerce is tipped to be one of the four retail trends to grow in 2024, and Umbraco is poised to have a big year

Featured Stories

• Bloomreach and Marionnaud Grow Their Partnership to Expand Personalized E-Commerce Search Across Central Europe: “We look forward to seeing the results Marionnaud will achieve as our technology empowers them to connect even more customers with exactly the right product at exactly the right time.”

• Introducing Dropsolid as the Inaugural Provider for the Official Mautic Trials: “We enthusiastically enter this partnership with Dropsolid, certain that this alliance will offer unparalleled trial experiences for our prospective users.”

• Optimizely Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Enterprise B2B Digital Commerce Applications: “For us, this recognition from the IDC MarketScape indicates what we've always known – that Optimizely Configured Commerce is expertly designed to address all of the complexities that B2B ecommerce managers need to create digital experiences.”

• Designmc Ltd Works With Harley Academy to Elevate Aesthetics Education With the Launch of a Cutting-Edge Headless CMS Website: “Harley Academy's commitment to elevating the standards and shaping the future of aesthetics training is inspirational and, it has been a genuine pleasure to work with a client that embraces new thinking and innovation.”

New RFPs From DXP360

• [RFP Value: Undisclosed] UK Health Charity Seeking Website Design and Development Agency: The UK Health Charity is inviting agencies specializing in website design, development, and branding for the creation and execution of a health-focused web project.

• [RFP Value: $315,000] UK Tourism Board Seeking CMS Agency: The UK Tourism Board is inviting web development agencies specializing in CMS for the development and implementation of a tourism-focused portal.

• [RFP Value: $22,000] Norway Kindergarten Seeks Web App Developer: Norwegian educational authorities are inviting proposals from web development agencies experienced in creating interactive and user-friendly web applications for kindergartens.

• [RFP Value: $15,000] UAE Real Estate Portal Seeking CMS Expertise: The UAE is seeking web development agencies specializing in CMS for the development and execution of a real estate-focused online portal.

Stories that caught our eye

1. AI Advancing Digital Asset Management: A look at the impact AI could have on DAM solutions.

2. 2023 Global CMS Trends Report: ResearchAndMarkets.com highlights the digital trends impacting the CMS market.

3. Four Trends That Will Impact Retail in 2024: Composable commerce is among them.

4. Adobe Set for Sustained Growth: A look at the factors driving Adobe’s growth, including its strength as a DX solution.

5. Umbraco CMS: 10 Key Updates: Several product enhancements in 2023 have set Umbraco up for a strong 2024.

6. Kentico Tops Winter 2024 G2: Kentico was recognized as DXP leader in G2 Winter 2024 report, excelling in customer satisfaction and market presence.

7. Assessing the Forrester DXP Wave 2023: Some commentary on how to assess analyst reports.

The word on the street…

1. [LinkedIn]: Is MACH the key to agile innovation?: Thomas Mulreid explains why brands are adopting MACH principles.

2. [LinkedIn]: Dream big from day 1: Vue Storefront co-founder/CTO Filip Rakowski shares why choosing the right name for your business matters. 

3. [Reddit]: What's your favorite headless CMS and why? The best option for a business that includes a store and blog.