What does a data engineer do at the Webwinkel Vakdagen?
Webwinkel Vakdagen? As a Data-Pro? Yep. Where there is e-commerce, there is data. And where there is data, there I am. This event at the Jaarbeurs may be a paradise for marketers and webshop gurus, but among all those stands I found an abundance of AI applications, data architectures and open source solutions that make every data heartbeat beat faster.
“Between the webshops, I found my tribe: the people of the data and the open source.”
Smile, you're on camera.
My personal highlight was the meeting with Smile.eu – and no, it was no coincidence. I already had an appointment with the managing director Benelux. A man with flair, vision and a good sense of humor. He effortlessly switches between the question “Where does the money come from? What’s the ROI?’ and a sincere cry as “This is such cool software!” – all in one breath. I understand that you, as a reader, might also be charmed by such a person.
What made the conversation so valuable was the combination of strategic insights and concrete advice. He immediately mentioned a number of organizations in the Netherlands that I should definitely talk to, and indicated that he sees opportunities to use me for Smile projects in the Netherlands. That was, of course, music to the ears – but it was music with content.
We also talked about professional language in French. Spoiler: I'm doing it wrong. But you never learn faster than when you are kindly informed by someone who really knows. A modest reminder that language, like technology, is never finished.
Then there was the open source story. I learned a lot about how open source software is adopted, what the typical barriers are, and which factors are crucial for successful implementation. Think of culture, ownership, and... yes: community. The conversation did not feel like networking, but like an exchange between professional idiots who proudly wear their naughtiness.
“The best collaborations come when you talk to someone who is as enthusiastic about open source as they are about economics – and also knows how to make chocolate out of it.”
AI, data and a rubber duck
In addition to the inspiring people and fascinating tech, I also want to pay tribute to a little yellow boyfriend who went home with me: It's a rubber duck. Everyone in tech knows this: If you can't explain a problem to a rubber duck, you don't understand it well enough yourself. And guess what? It's still working. My duck will be permanently on my desk. And actually I want Skeletor next to it.
“Sometimes the best colleague is just there to listen – and he squeaks when you press him.”
TL;DR – This was worth it
Webwinkel Vakdagen 2025 was much more than a trade fair about webshops. It was a meeting place for data lovers, AI enthusiasts and open source enthusiasts. Whether you came for conversion optimization or Kubernetes deployments, you found your people there. I also found a rubber duck.
“Sometimes you find the best insights where you weren’t looking for them – but where you needed to be.”
English (UK)