The AI-powered future of B2C is here: 10 takeaways from K:BOS 2025

The future of B2C is being built right here in Boston—powered by AI, connected across every channel, and grounded in human connection. That was the main takeaway from K:BOS 2025. 

From live product debuts to honest conversations with the founders and marketers behind some of today’s fastest-growing brands, this year’s event wasn’t just about what’s possible in B2C. It was about what’s already happening.

The city buzzed with energy as attendees packed into sessions, swapped ideas in hallways, and witnessed firsthand how AI and data are reshaping the way brands serve their customers. The excitement was palpable, the strategies actionable, and the vision clear.

Here are 10 takeaways from the keynote, breakout sessions, and customer panels that will define how marketers grow in 2025 and the years ahead.

1. The keynote redefined what it means to “work with AI”

Klaviyo co-founder and CEO Andrew Bialecki opened with a bold message: the future isn’t AI versus people, it’s AI with people.

The debut of K:AI and two new AI agents, K:AI Marketing Agent and K:AI Customer Agent, showed how teams can move from doing work to directing it—whether that’s spinning up campaigns in minutes, or resolving service tickets before they even hit the inbox.

We also learned that consumers are already AI-native: 77% say they’ve bought an item because an AI assistant made it easier, and 60% have switched brands for a better AI experience. 

Brands that embrace AI as a copilot—not a bolt-on tool—are already seeing higher LTV, lower unsubscribes, and faster campaign velocity in K:AI betas. Now, these agents are available to any customer using Klaviyo. 

Takeaway: Stop worrying about AI replacing roles. Start asking: how can we redirect human creativity and customer empathy into the areas that drive the most impact? 

2. Fashion brands are blending culture, data, and zero-party insights

In Beyond the Rack: Style Meets Data, leaders from Princess Polly, Barstool Sports, ThirdLove, and Castore shared how they’re winning in one of the most competitive industries.

• Princess Polly is bridging online and offline data to make the customer journey seamless.
• ThirdLove’s fitting room quiz proves that zero-party data can be both valuable and delightful.
• Barstool shows that cultural moments—like big sports events—can fuel community and retention when tied to the right offers.

Takeaway: Creative will always matter in fashion and merchandise, but the brands breaking out are those that combine creativity with first- and zero-party data. Personalization and experience lead the pack––and the Klaviyo AI suite of personalization tools is here to help. 

3. Food & beverage brands are creating crave-worthy journeys

At From Sip to Sale, BIGFACE Coffee, Graza, and Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits revealed how they’re blending automation and authenticity.

• BIGFACE is using pop-ups and retail shops as cultural connection points.
• Callie’s is layering education—recipes, stories, handwritten notes—to deepen loyalty.
• Graza is staying true to brand identity while expanding categories and rewarding subscribers with surprise gifts.

Takeaway: In food and beverage, education and tradition are just as powerful as discounts. Every touchpoint should feel like part of a bigger ritual. And now, brands can speed up the production of content and assets to educate and engage with K:AI Marketing Agent. Let it scrape your site and leverage the data in your Klaviyo account to create custom campaigns in minutes.

4. Winning BFCM starts with the right offer strategy

The breakout session Create the Right BFCM Offer Strategy with Kulani Kinis showed why not all discounts are created equal.

Their advice:

• Anchor in your goal (AOV, traffic, subscriptions).
• Keep it simple—complex, tiered offers confuse both teams and customers.
• Layer in moments of surprise (daily product drops, gift-with-purchase) to sustain momentum.

Takeaway: Don’t just discount. Design offers that spark urgency and joy—and leave room for creativity in your messaging. And remember, while consumers are on the lookout for discounts during BFCM, you shouldn’t use a single sweeping strategy. Tier your discounts by new customers versus repeat, by AOV and even channel. 

5. Segmentation can 3x your ROI

In 3x Your ROI with a Targeted Segmentation Strategy, Klaviyo experts and Filson’s Head of Retention showed how advanced segmentation is the secret weapon for holiday and year-round performance.

By ramping sending volume gradually, protecting deliverability, and isolating “opportunity audiences” (like window shoppers), brands are personalizing with precision from first onboarding with Klaviyo through nurturing lifelong customers across every channel.

Takeaway: Stop blasting your list. Invest in exclusions, sunsetting flows, and predictive segments to maximize ROI. Owned marketing with the B2C CRM is layered, especially as you grow and learn more about your customer through first- and zero-party data. Don’t just collect that information. Use it to create more personalized experiences that drive more revenue. 

6. Paid ads work harder when powered by your data

In Grow Your Audience and Retarget with Paid Ads, Loop Earplugs showed how they use Klaviyo segments to fuel lookalike audiences that actually convert.

• 47% of BFCM sales come from existing customers—but the other 53%? That’s where lookalike audiences come in.
• Social proof (UGC, reviews) is becoming the #1 growth lever for ad creative.

Takeaway: Your CRM is your best ad platform. If your ads aren’t informed by Klaviyo segments, you’re overspending. 

7. Analytics are becoming the marketer’s superpower

The Behind the Innovation: Marketing Analytics session pulled back the curtain on how RFM analysis, predictive insights, and new attribution models are changing the game.

From Dollar Shave Club’s personalization playbook to 2xist’s 61% lift in ROAS using RFM-based audiences, the message was clear: data doesn’t just describe the past anymore—it predicts the next best move.

Takeaway: Don’t fly blind. Adopt multi-touch and omnichannel attribution now to protect your 2025 budgets.

8. Email + SMS: better together

In A Powerful Partnership for Targeted Messaging, Castore showed how they orchestrate email and SMS to maximize reach and impact.

• Emails carry the storytelling and visuals.
• SMS drives urgency and action.
• Together, they create sequential experiences that boost conversions.

Takeaway: Map intent to channel. Use email for depth, SMS for immediacy, and let AI handle the sequencing. 

9. Loyalty and community beat discounts every time

Whether it was Barstool’s focus on relevance over price cuts, Graza’s founder letters, or Castore’s sports partnerships, the best-performing brands at K:BOS showed that belonging is a stronger lever than bargains.

Takeaway: Discounts can create a spike. Community creates compounding returns.

10. The future of B2C is omnichannel, autonomous, and human-centered

Across every session, the throughline was clear: the brands that will win are those who embrace AI to automate complexity, use data to personalize every touchpoint, and lean into the very human side of service and community.

K:BOS 2025 wasn’t just an event. It was a roadmap for the next decade of B2C.

The marketers and service leaders in Boston saw it firsthand. If you missed it, the good news is that the playbook is already here: unify your channels, embrace AI as your copilot, and make every customer interaction feel like it was made just for them.