Podcast appearances and mentions of kurt elster

"Man, what didn't I get wrong? It's so much harder." Brian Nolan sold his SaaS company Sellbrite to GoDaddy. Then he bought Darren & Phillip, an Australian dog apparel brand built around viral matching dog-and-owner bathrobes, and found out that owning a store is a different beast than building software for stores. The founder was the face of the brand, and she left with the sale. The Google Workspace account was locked to Australian billing. Moving inventory from Australia to the US costs more than shipping it from China. In this episode: what nobody warns you about when buying an 8-year-old brand, how customers with 80+ repeat purchases justify losing money on the first order, and the TikTok creator seeding playbook that works in the hundreds, not the tens of thousands. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Darren & Phillip: darrenandphillip.com Loop Returns (returns & exchanges): loopreturns.com Judge.me (reviews): judge.me Promo Party (Kurt's free gift with purchase app): promoparty.app WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Kurt pulled the agentic sales numbers on a store doing $1.8 million a month. ChatGPT drove $4,200 of it. So he dragooned business partner Paul Reda into an unscripted reaction to Shopify's Editions announcements. No pre-cleared questions, no talking points, just two people who've optimized eight-figure stores for AI search comparing notes on what's actually real. They get into why Universal Commerce Protocol is legitimately impressive tech still waiting for its payday, what the app store review crackdown means for honest developers, and a discovery buried in Shopify's dev docs: a commission-based paid placements program that might finally be the part that makes the money. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS DollScout, Kurt's Universal Commerce Protocol tech demo: dollscout.com Promo Party Pro, Ethercycle's Shopify app: promoparty.app Shopify dev docs, agents/catalog (paid placements developer preview): shopify.dev/docs/agents WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"It's an in-house, ready-to-go agency. Which is free for all merchants." That's how Sachin Malhotra, Shopify's Director of Product for Merchant Marketing, describes Campaign Autopilot, the new AI marketing tool Shopify just announced as part of Editions. It sets up your ad accounts, syncs your catalog, and runs Meta Advantage+ checkout campaigns inside the guardrails you set. You teach it your boundaries, it does the heavy lifting, and you keep oversight the whole way. Sachin walks Kurt through how the "ask me first" controls work, why the tool optimizes across Meta, Microsoft Ads, ChatGPT, and Snap instead of fixating on one channel, and how it stacks with Shop Campaigns and its pay-only-when-you-get-an-order billing. If online advertising has ever felt like yelling into the void, start here. LINKS Campaign Autopilot: shopify.com/blog/introducing-campaign-autopilot Shopify Editions SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"Being on Shopify means you get access to agentic automatically, out of the box." Your store is already selling inside ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and Shop, whether you've noticed or not. Aaron Glazer, Director of Product at Shopify, joins Kurt to explain Agentic Storefronts, the new Admin experience that finally makes that presence visible and controllable. The buyer behavior has already shifted. Shoppers now have long conversations with an AI about a whole use case, a camping trip, a problem, a gift, and arrive at your store already sold. Agentic Storefronts shows you the traffic, sales, and conversions from each AI channel, plus the real queries surfacing your products, so you can see where you rank and where you don't. Aaron and Kurt get into why this is the new SEO, why complete product data is the whole game, how Shopify Catalog structures your catalog for agents, what native checkout in an AI channel actually means, and why you stay the merchant of record with the customer relationship intact. Plus a bonus on Rollouts and SimGem heading into BFCM. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Agentic Storefronts: Shopify Admin > Agentic Storefronts (left nav) Shopify Catalog (for developers): build on the product discovery API Rollouts and SimGem: in Shopify Admin WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Andrew Youderian disappears into a cave for six weeks every year to crunch data from 300+ seven, eight, and nine-figure store owners — and comes back with the most honest read on the state of e-commerce you'll find anywhere. This year's survey has a few takeaways that sting: AI adoption hit 73% but produced zero measurable financial edge in 2025, Amazon has quietly slipped from growth engine to supplemental channel, and the single biggest profit lever isn't a tactic at all. Brett and Andrew dig into what the numbers actually say — and what operators should do about it before everyone else catches on.Inside the episode:Why Amazon's share of revenue has fallen back to 2017 levels even as more brands sell there — and the "build a brand, sell on Amazon second" shift behind itThe 92% vs. 17% gap: how store owners really feel about selling DTC versus Amazon (and why the P&L explains it — 47% COGS vs. 58%)The AI gut-check: 73% of brands "meaningfully adopted" it, so Andrew pulled their actual sales data instead of asking for ROI — here's what he foundThe financial-mastery cliff: going from a 4-out-of-5 to a 5-out-of-5 on financial fluency jumps net margins from 9.7% to 14.3% and net income growth ~50%The warehouse stat that became Andrew's most viral thread: own your warehouse and grow ~4%, lease or 3PL it and grow 30–35%The optimist vs. pessimist breakdown — conversion rate, inventory turns, and fixed overhead — and what separates the two campsWhy the future belongs to "small, durable brands" — and why the days of hacking distribution are over—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters:[00:00] Intro clip — Andrew on treating AI adoption as a growth tool that didn't pan out in the data[00:26] Welcome & introducing Andrew Youderian of eCommerce Fuel[01:31] Backstory — How Brett and Andrew connected, and eCommerce Fuel's origins[03:41] Inside the annual survey — Methodology and respondent profile[05:27] Amazon findings — Declining revenue share, low seller satisfaction, and P&L economics vs D2C[11:22] The Amazon land-grab era ending — 97% of brands now use paid traffic[17:34] CAC, moats, and the Dan Kennedy quote — Spending more to win the long game[20:19] Amazon as a checkout, not a discovery engine — The 40% off-platform sales stat[24:53] AI adoption findings — No financial edge despite 75% adoption[28:26] The nuance on AI — Vibe-coding pitfalls and where AI is actually helping[31:20] Financial intelligence — Why jumping from a 4 to a 5 out of 5 skyrockets margins[39:43] 2026 outlook — Optimists vs. pessimists, and the future of durable small brands—Connect With Brett:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGwWebsite: https://www.omgcommerce.com/Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links:Andrew's LinkedIn: /andrew-youderian-ba74a623/Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"I hear store associates asking people in person for their email all the time, and it always is a little bit awkward." Helen Mou runs product for retail at Shopify, and she just helped rebuild the thing every store runs on. This spring edition is the fastest POS Shopify has shipped. The rebuilt core selling flow saves over a minute on complex transactions, the kind with multiple items, stacked discounts, split shipping, and a customer attached for loyalty. Helen breaks down what actually changed on a busy floor: automatic email capture through the Shop network's 200 million-plus buyers, scannable discount codes that kill the keyboard-smash, multi-select line items, per-line staff attribution, the new POS Hub, and the new Verifone Victa Mobile device for selling shoulder to shoulder instead of stuck behind the counter. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Shopify POS: shopify.com/pos Shopify hardware store (Verifone Victa Mobile pre-orders): shopify.com/hardware Get started: Shopify Admin > POS sales channel WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

#978 What if the simplest, scrappiest tactics could unlock massive success online? In this episode, host Kirsten Tyrrel chats with Kurt Elster, founder of Ethercycle and host of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, about how he built a thriving agency helping e-commerce brands scale on Shopify. Kurt shares how handwritten letters under shop doors turned into multimillion-dollar opportunities, why niching down is the key to standing out, and how building relationships and showing up consistently built his authority in the Shopify space. They also dig into the power of positioning, the psychology behind great website design, and why doing the uncomfortable things — like showing up, sharing your knowledge, and saying yes to new challenges — creates “luck” in business! (Original Air Date - 11/4/25) What we discuss with Kurt: + Building a business around Shopify + How handwritten letters led to clients + The power of niching down + Turning expertise into authority + Creating “luck” through visibility + Lessons from early entrepreneurship + Why consistency compounds success + Common e-commerce design mistakes + Importance of copy and clarity + Building audience before launching Thank you, Kurt! Check out Kurt Elster at ⁠KurtElster.com⁠. Check out Ethercycle at ⁠Ethercycle.com⁠. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MillionaireUniversity.com/training⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bgrJVYiDQKc "If I don't see that purple button at checkout, bye-bye." That's what Shop's buyers tell Kenny Cohen, and it's a clue to why Shop has quietly become one of the most valuable channels a Shopify merchant has. Kenny runs product for Shop, and in this spring edition he walks Kurt through three updates. Agentic Shop Search now understands a buyer's taste from their real purchase history, not generic web guesses. Posts let you auto cross-post your Instagram reels into a feed where people actually came to shop. And a new retail integration lets buyers check local inventory and start a return in the app to finish it in store. The throughline: Shop already has hundreds of millions of buyers interacting with your brand for free, mostly through order tracking. The merchants who win are the ones who show up with Posts and a dialed-in storefront instead of leaving that attention on the table. SPONSORS Swym — Wishlists, back-in-stock alerts, and moregetswym.com/kurt Zipify — Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURT LINKS Shop: shop.app Set up Posts: Shopify Admin > Shop sales channel > Posts tab Check your search placement: Shopify Admin > Agentic sales channel Sign in with Shop on the Catalog API (for developers) WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Most brands treat their subscriber portal like a settings page. Turns out, it's actually their highest-risk revenue moment — 70% of subscribers who log in are there to cancel, skip, or bail. Piyush Jain, CEO of Loop Subscriptions, has the data from 1,900+ D2C brands to prove it, and the playbook to stop it.Inside the episode:How OSEA Malibu cut churn from 10% to 5% without offering a single discount — using a free travel kit timed to the exact order where most subscribers were dropping offThe "Mystery Reward" pop-up that intercepts high-intent cancellations in real time — and reduces churn by another 23% for brands using itWhy 20–25% of cancellations happen within days of your upcoming order email — and how Four Sigmatic engineered a 40% save rate on their cancellation flowHow Good Protein drives 25% of total subscription revenue from upsells — and why second-order subscribers are worth 2x more than first-order onesNon-traditional subscription plays for brands outside consumables: from air purifier filter programs to digital membership add-ons—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: [00:00] Intro — Mystery Rewards & The Portal Churn Problem[00:22] Show Introduction & Guest Welcome — Piyush Jain of Loop Subscriptions[02:29] Why 70% of Portal Visitors Want to Cancel or Skip[04:09] Case Study: OSEA Malibu Cuts Churn in Half With Gift Rewards[06:59] Mystery Rewards — Gamifying the Portal for High-Risk Subscribers[10:55] Streaks & Loyalty Gamification — The Duolingo-Inspired Approach[14:22] Zero-Day Churn — When Customers Subscribe Just for the Discount[19:43] Cancellation Flows — How FourSigmatic Saves 40% of Cancellations[21:42] Increasing Product Consumption to Reduce Churn[25:03] Second-Order Subscribers — Why They're 2X More Valuable[29:13] Upselling as a Zero-CAC Revenue Channel — The Good Protein Story[34:20] Non-Traditional Subscriptions — Air Purifiers, Shoes & Digital Memberships[39:07] How to Increase Subscription Take Rate on the PDP[42:42] Wrap-Up & How to Connect With Loop Subscriptions—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links: Piyush's LinkedIn: /piyush-jn/Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

VP of Product Vanessa Lee joins Kurt to break down the 2026 "Everywhere" edition and the years of quiet groundwork behind it: taxonomy, attributes, clustering, and a universal product identifier that now power a search catalog of billions of products. The payoff for merchants is strange and good. You're already enrolled in agentic commerce by default. One real store is doing $60K a month through it. Inside this episode: why the catalog plus UCP makes every Shopify store callable by any AI app, how to use Agentic Storefronts to see exactly where you rank and what data to fix, and why Vanessa says not to sleep on Shopify retail in 2026. SPONSORS Swym — Wishlists, back-in-stock alerts, and moregetswym.com/kurt Ecommerce Alley — The Meta Ads System 400+ Brands Use to Scale Special offer: ecommercealley.com/kurt Zipify — Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURT LINKS Shopify Spring 2026 "Everywhere" Edition: shopify.com/editions/spring2026 What is Shopify Catalog (merchant explainer): shopify.com/blog/what-is-shopify-catalog Shopify Engineering blog, product taxonomy at scale: shopify.engineering/product-taxonomy-at-scale Shopify Engineering blog, catalog clustering: shopify.engineering/catalog-clustering Shopify Catalog API + dev dashboard: shopify.dev Agentic Storefronts: in your Shopify admin sales channels Vanessa Lee on X: x.com/vlaurenlee WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"I made a landing page that made a million dollars in an hour." Montana Knife Company was finally releasing its first folding knife, a $400 piece their fans had been begging for, and they wanted an announcement page worthy of the moment. Apple-style scroll animations. Exploding diagrams. Every element on screen doing something. The catch: you couldn't buy anything from it. The entire page existed to justify the price, build the hype, and capture emails before the drop. Then it had to survive launch day. Paul Reda walks through the build that crashed Safari before it sold out in minutes: why video was the obvious answer and the wrong one, how a canvas-based flipbook moved 40MB without killing phones, where "French developer Claude" wrote every line of GSAP, and the one rule that made it all possible. Content leads design, or you don't get the dinner. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Montana Knife Company: montanaknifecompany.com The Montana (the folding knife landing page): montanaknifecompany.com GSAP (animation library): gsap.com Prior MKC episodes with Brandon [Horejsi]: search the feed for Montana Knife Company WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Most e-commerce brands pour everything into getting customers to checkout — and then hand them a generic, one-size-fits-all experience that quietly kills the sale. Avi Moskowitz, co-founder of PDQ, has processed millions of checkouts across top Shopify brands (including Jones Road Beauty), and his diagnosis is blunt: cart abandonment isn't a technical problem. It's an emotional one. And it's leaving $270 billion on the table every year.Inside the episode:Why your checkout is the one place segmentation goes to die — and how personalizing it by customer type (first-time, returning, high-value) can drive an 18% AOV lift or double-digit conversion jumpsThe "WISMO problem": why more than 50% of order-related support tickets arrive the same day the order was placed — and what it tells you about the trust gap you're creating at checkoutThe free shipping threshold mistake almost every brand is making (hint: they copied a competitor who also just guessed)Surprising checkout wins from PDQ's testing: why moving the economy shipping option down one slot meaningfully increased revenue per session — without a single new ad or productHow to think about every order as its own P&L — factoring in CAC, COGS, fulfillm—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters:[00:00] Intro — The $270B checkout abandonment problem[00:22] Welcome & Guest Introduction: Avi Moskowitz, Co-Founder of PDQ[01:52] Avi's Background: From Craft Beer to SaaS Founder[03:23] COVID Timing & The eCommerce Wake-Up Call[05:09] The Root Cause of Cart Abandonment: Trust, Not Technology[07:27] How PDQ Solves the Checkout Confidence Gap[14:30] Reducing Friction: Shipping, Delivery Dates & Upsells[23:00] Free Shipping Thresholds & AOV Optimization[34:00] Building a Checkout That Converts Like Amazon[43:24] Thinking in Mini P&Ls: Per-Order Profit Optimization[46:26] Personalized Checkout Logic at the Customer Level[48:24] Where to Find PDQ & Get Your Free Checkout Audit—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links: Avi's LinkedIn: /moskowitzaviPast guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Also available on YouTube "It was a mind and body brokenness. I'll just say like depression." By 39, Chris Lang was running 10 businesses and falling apart. He killed most of them and bet everything on Fresh Chile, his bootstrapped Shopify chili brand from Hatch, New Mexico. It cracked the top 1% of Shopify and 8 figures in revenue, but didn't turn a profit until Q1 of year six. Inside: why he started publishing his real ROAS on LinkedIn when the numbers were ugly, the 80% Meta cut that finally flipped him profitable, and how a 250K-follower organic community out-engages Heinz, Tabasco, and Sriracha combined. SPONSORS Swym — Wishlists, back-in-stock alerts, and moregetswym.com/kurt Ecommerce Alley — Is it your ads, or is Meta having a bad day? Check it atecommercealley.com/bad Zipify — Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURT LINKS Fresh Chile: https://freshchileco.com/ Chris Lang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislangsocial/ Chris Lang on X: https://x.com/chrislangsocial WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Chris Hall — the Ecom Cowboy, former All-American offensive lineman at UT Austin, and the guy who scaled Bruce Bolt to one of Shopify's fastest-growing stores as a team of one — is as entertaining as he is tactical. But underneath the hat and the accent is a marketer who has been thinking hard about what separates the people who survive this AI moment from the ones who don't. His take: the button-pushers are already gone. The marketers who build and manage agents — and who also make bold analog bets — are the ones who get more valuable every quarter.Inside the episode:Why the "team of one" marketer is actually more viable than ever — and the Claude-powered workflow Chris used to handle ads, email, SMS, reporting, and organic social simultaneously at Bruce BoltHow BattleBox turned Whatnot into their #2 revenue channel (surpassing Amazon) — with net-new customers, not cannibalized .com sales — and why most DTC brands are still completely asleep on itThe AI stack Chris is actually using: Claude for strategy and execution, Wideframe for agentic video editing, Kive for AI product imagery so clean that seven-figure brands are running it as their entire Instagram feedWhy "get sweaty on camera" is one of the highest-leverage moves a marketer can make right now — and the skill it builds that AI literally cannot replicateThe two anti-AI bets Chris thinks every brand and operator needs to make in 2026 — and why they work because of AI, not in spite of it—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today!—‍Chapters:[0:00] Welcome & Introducing the Ecom Cowboy[1:53] Origin of the Ecom Cowboy Brand & Name[2:17] Chris Hall's Football Career at UT & Blocking Von Miller[4:43] From the NFL to Nonprofits to E-Commerce[6:45] Inside Bruce Bolt: One of Shopify's Fastest Growing Stores[9:07] The Future of Marketing Jobs in an AI World[14:26] What Marketers Must Do to Stay Relevant in 2026[17:32] Getting Claude-Pilled: Building Your Agentic Workforce[21:44] Running an Entire Marketing Team with AI Agents[27:34] Chris Hall's Full AI Stack (Wideframe, Higgsfield & More)[31:36] AI Productivity Hacks: Daily Reports, WhisperFlow & Skills[36:40] The Anti-AI Bet: Live Streaming & IRL Activations[39:11] Why Every Brand Should Be on Whatnot Right Now[47:29] Wrapping Up & How to Find Chris Hall Daily—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links: Chris' LinkedIn: /chrislukehallPast guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"You would probably prefer to take money from Tony Soprano." Jeremy Horowitz has spent a decade in the Shopify ecosystem, scaled brands at Gorgias, and now runs a PE fund that's reviewed nearly 500 deals. He acquired a WhatsApp marketing app called Coco AI and he's still hunting for his next Shopify brand in the $10-100M range. We get into what actually makes a business sellable (and what kills a deal instantly), how earnouts and seller notes really work, why DTC as we knew it is dead, and his scorching take on why Shopify Capital loans are worse than credit card debt at 40% effective interest. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Jeremy Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyhorowitz1/ Coco AI (WhatsApp Marketing for Shopify): https://my-coco.ai/ WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Most D2C brands have tried YouTube ads. Almost none of them are getting credit for what those ads are actually doing. Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce and the guy behind YouTube growth for brands like Native, Arctic, and Dude Wipes, makes the case that in-platform reporting is under-counting YouTube's real impact by roughly 70% — and that the brands leaning in right now are about to widen the gap on everyone still dabbling.This one goes deep: incrementality testing, omnichannel attribution, creative frameworks, and why your Meta winners almost certainly won't survive on YouTube.Inside the episode:Why a 1.0 in-platform ROAS on YouTube is probably a 3.4 in reality — and the 190-test incrementality study behind that numberHow Arctic drove a 25% Walmart sales lift (and 230% branded search lift) by running YouTube in select markets — measured scientifically against matched control marketsThe three creative types that actually work on YouTube: hero/brand films, single-creator UGC, and the specific criteria your Meta winners need to meet before you bother testing themHow to diagnose a broken YouTube ad using just three metrics: view rate, click-through rate, and average watch time per impression — and what each one tells you to fixWhy campaign structure for retail lift looks completely different than for D2C sales — and how to set up for both at once—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact and request your FREE strategy session today!—‍Chapters:[0:00] Introduction: Why Most Brands Still Suck at YouTube[1:51] Audience Poll: Who's Actually Winning on YouTube?[3:15] The Core Problem: Bringing a Meta Mindset to YouTube[4:05] YouTube as Trust: Creators, TV, and Time Spent[8:14] Incrementality 101: Measuring the Real Impact of Your Ads[11:22] How Incremental Is YouTube? The 3.4x ROAS Reality[15:28] Going Omnichannel: Using YouTube to Drive Retail and Amazon Sales[19:13] Arctic Case Study: Measuring YouTube's Impact on Walmart Sales[24:09] Creative Diversity: The Essential Elements of a YouTube Ad[27:16] Creative Breakdown: Single Influencer, Hero, and Mashup Ad Examples[38:05] Creative Story Arc: How to Hook Viewers and Drive Action[40:24] Creative Feedback Loops: What Data to Watch and Why[46:09] Campaign Structure: How to Buy Media Based on Your Goals[51:56] Measure, Model, Maximize: The Trifecta of YouTube Measurement—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQmbMwBW8LYDfFAqNqlgTGw Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactPast guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"I shipped the bike and a couple of weeks later, the real credit card holder got a statement, said I didn't place that order, filed a chargeback, and then the money was gone." John Murphy's first-ever Shopify sale was a total scam. Two weeks into launching, he wired a $5,000 e-bike to a guy putting on an old man's voice over the phone. That single chargeback kicked off an eight-year obsession with not getting burned again. He grew eBike Generation into a $3M store and pieced together a fraud detection stack that didn't eat his razor-thin drop shipping margins. Now he runs FRIQ Labs, productizing the system he built for himself. We covered the trifecta of red flags that almost always mean fraud, why you should never auto-capture payments on Shopify, and how being curious about a single weird order can save you thousands. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT Promo Party - We built an app!https://promoparty.app/ LINKS FRIQ Labs: https://friqlabs.com Drop Ship Breakthrough: https://dropshipbreakthrough.com Ben Knegendorf's episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/ben-knegendorf-dropships-FLGufeLE Ekata: https://ekata.com Shopify Protect: https://shopify.com/protect WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"70% of stuff never goes sold. So you have to be prepared to interact with that level of rejection." David Hooker is the brand director for both Printify and Printful, which merged in late 2024 to form FYUL. He's got access to the data behind millions of print on demand sellers, and what he's learned is both humbling and useful. The top 1% aren't more talented. They're more consistent. We get into AI-generated mockups that actually look real, why email marketing is still a "print money button," and how community-driven niche selling beats paid ads for customer acquisition in 2025. Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ppYhfdota7k SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Printify: printify.com Printful: printful.com David Hooker on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidhooker/ David Hooker's TEDx Talk on Visual Literacy: ted.com/talks/david_hooker_the_importance_of_visual_literacy WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

YouTube ads veteran Brett Curry (OMG Commerce) and TikTok Shop expert Jordan West (Social Commerce Club) went back and forth live on what's actually moving the needle for D2C brands right now — and some of their takes are going to sting. Most brands are still treating Google spend as a given, measuring YouTube with click-based attribution that was never built for it, and ignoring a TikTok Shop launch strategy that flips the creator dynamic entirely.Inside the episode:The YouTube Shorts formula that's working in 2026 — why Brett reversed his position, and the 4 things a video must have (including minimum length) before you waste money testing itThe Blitz methodology explained — how Social Commerce Club seeds hundreds of creators in a 24–48 hour window to manufacture momentum and make big creators come to you instead of the other way aroundWhy Jordan thinks most Google spend is a non-incremental tax — and the channel hierarchy he'd use for every D2C brand over $10MThe TikTok Shop–to–Shopify halo effect — the data Jordan's team is seeing that almost nobody is talking about yet"My brand is too premium for TikTok Shop" — Jordan's reframe on why that objection is almost always wrong, and what to ask insteadSponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!Chapters:[0:00] Introduction: Brett Curry & Jordan West Swap Podcasts[1:09] Why YouTube CPMs Are the Most Underpriced in the Industry[5:00] What's Working on YouTube Shorts: The Framework for Winning Creative[7:57] TikTok Shop Deep Dive: Jordan's Obsession with Demand Generation[10:01] Like, Know, and Trust: Why YouTube Is the Ultimate Brand-Building Platform[11:28] Ad Break: OMG Commerce Omnichannel Growth[12:37] The Blitz Methodology: How Social Commerce Club Concentrates Creator Signal[16:46] Moments vs. Blitzes Explained: Definitions and How They Drive Momentum[19:42] How Far Can Brands Actually Scale on YouTube?[21:53] Why MTA Tools Underreport YouTube: The Case for Incrementality Testing[22:58] The Problem with Multi-Touch Attribution: Jordan's New Halo Tracking Concept[25:17] Incrementality Explained with a Retail Store Analogy[28:43] Rapid Fire YouTube Questions: Mashup Creatives and Repurposing Creator Content[30:53] YouTube Targeting Strategy: Why You Still Need to Feed the Algorithm Signal[32:22] Which Brands Should Be on YouTube But Aren't?[33:09] Hot Take: The Right Ad Spend Hierarchy for D2C Brands[34:43] YouTube vs. Meta by Product Type: Apparel, Problem-Solution, and Omnichannel[37:15] If TV Works, YouTube Should Work: The CTV and Linear TV Connection[38:10] Is Your Brand Too Premium for TikTok Shop? Jordan's Answer[39:42] Why TikTok Shop Is a Fundamentally Different Beast Than TikTok Ads[41:05] Wrap-Up: Where to Find Brett and JordanConnect With Brett:LinkedIn: / thebrettcurryYouTube: / @omgcommerceWebsite: https://www.omgcommerce.com/Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links: Jordan's LinkedIn: jordan-west-marketer/ ‍Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"If your product sucks, you're never going to succeed. A lot of people are trying to solve product problems with marketing spend." Chase Clymer runs Electric Eye, a Shopify agency deep in CRO, redesigns, and migrations. He also hits about one industry event a month, which means he's got a real read on how merchants and partners actually feel right now. Not the Twitter version. The hallway version. We got into the real state of ecom in 2026: Facebook CPMs nearly doubling since the pandemic, why most brands under $5M shouldn't be split testing at all, how agencies are using AI tools like Claude and Nano Banana to skip hours of busywork, and Chase's bold prediction that Shopify is about to overhaul its partner program after a failed enterprise bet. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Electric Eye: https://electriceye.io/ Honest Ecommerce podcast: https://honestecommerce.com/ Fathom (sales call recording): https://fathom.video/ Nano Banana / Gemini image generation: https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation/ Figma Make: https://www.figma.com/ WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Denis Dyli has spent 13 years building Shopify stores for the businesses nobody wants to talk about: industrial suppliers, janitorial distributors, pipe manufacturers. The unsexy stuff. He's now a Shopify Platinum Partner, and he's turning all that pain into an AI-powered deal room that converts messy email RFQs into structured quotes in minutes, not weeks. We get into why B2B and wholesale are fundamentally different buying experiences, how mid-market manufacturers ($20M-$100M) are the most underserved segment in ecommerce, and why your B2B quoting process probably still feels like 1997. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Uncap: https://uncap.com Denis Dyli on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/denisdyli WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Most DTC brands are making million-dollar channel decisions based on attribution data that's fundamentally wrong. Olivia Kory — CSO of Haus and the incrementality expert Brett references on stage more than almost anyone — breaks down what it actually takes to know if your ads are working. Spoiler: if you've been writing off YouTube based on MTA, you owe yourself a retest.Inside the episode:Why YouTube's true ROAS is 3.4X what the platform reports — and how Haus's 190-test study across 74 brands proved it (plus why your D2C numbers alone are only half the picture)The right time to start incrementality testing — it's not when you're huge, it's when your business gets complicated enough that turning off ads won't give you a clean answerHow StockX went from barely spending on YouTube to making it their #2 acquisition channel — by running geo holdout tests and acting on the resultsWhy Meta's optimization might be too good — and how brands like Jones Road are improving their iROAS by making changes that look worse in-platformThe surprise winner: AppLovin — Olivia came in skeptical of mobile game ad inventory and got data she didn't expectHaus's new DTC Basics tier — a lower-cost entry point so more brands can stop guessing which channels are actually driving growth Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today! Chapters: [00:00] Intro clip — Olivia on treating incrementality as a report card vs. a growth tool[00:22] Introductions & background — Olivia's path from Starcom → TubeMogul → Netflix → Quibi → Sonos → Haus[06:55] What is incrementality? — The randomized controlled trial analogy; geo holdouts vs. click-based attribution[10:45] When should a brand start using incrementality? — The low-to-mid 8-figure inflection point; multi-channel complexity as the signal[15:34] Native platform lift studies (Meta & Google) — Are they worth it? Signal loss, CAPI, iOS 14.5 limitations[17:25] Geo holdout vs. user-level testing — Why Haus was "born out of the ashes of iOS 14.5" and went all-in on geo[19:37] How a Haus geo holdout test actually works — Data ingestion, experiment design, market matching, results[23:20] Actioning on incrementality data — Coaching leadership, making reallocation decisions, improving channel performance over time[26:02] How long should you run a test? — Why 2-week YouTube tests fail; 4–6 week minimums and the role of consideration cycles[27:19] Incrementality as an optimization loop, not a report card — Connor from Ridge, Cody from Jones Road Beauty, and the StockX story[30:42] Key metrics defined — iROAS, iCPA, incrementality factor, and why in-platform ROAS can mislead you[32:47] Branded search — Is it incremental? Simple Modern's 5% read, when Amazon bidding on your terms changes the math[35:57] Treatment window & post-treatment window (PTW) — How Haus structures tests for YouTube, Meta, and CTV; lagged effects explained[39:36] Consideration cycles & post-purchase surveys — Why your path-to-purchase report is probably shorter than reality[41:00] Halo effects: Amazon & retail — Why omnichannel brands that only measure D2C are understating YouTube's impact[41:58] The Haus YouTube study findings — The 3.42x incrementality factor; halo effects that doubled lift when Amazon/retail pulled in; Demand Gen vindicated[44:10] YouTube vs. Meta: how the channels differ incrementally — Meta's short payback window, the "too good at intent" problem, and why YouTube wins on halo effects[46:53] Surprises from the data — YouTube (not surprising to Olivia), AppLovin (very surprising), and why TV results swing wildly based on inventory type[50:16] The biggest levers to improve incrementality — Creative first (30–50% wins), then account structure, traffic composition, and spend level[51:46] A DemandGen campaign running on Gmail — A real audit story and why traffic composition can make a channel look broken when it isn't[53:13] Haus's new DTC Basics tier — A lower-cost entry point to measure D2C and Amazon across core ad channels[54:54] Wrap-up & where to find Olivia — Part two teased around the next Haus YouTube report Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: / thebrettcurry YouTube: / @omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links: Olivia's LinkedIn: /olivia-kory-50230812 Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"It sucks to lose a customer not because of the product, but because of the mechanism in which they get the product." Jay Myers has spent a decade building one of the biggest subscription apps on Shopify. Now he's telling you subscriptions are broken. Bold's data backs it up: 82% of cancellations happen because customers have too much or too little product, not because they stopped wanting it. And 76% of those who cancel never come back. His fix is rePete, an AI-powered reorder concierge that predicts when each customer needs a refill and sends a one-click nudge at exactly the right time. We talked about the subscription death curve, why reorder revenue can 3-5x your business valuation, and the beta results that made me a believer. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS rePete by Bold: https://repeat.me Bold Commerce: https://boldcommerce.com Built Bar: https://built.com WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"Succeeding with paid was not about how good your ROAS was. What the paid experts did so well was they had built a business model structurally that allowed them to put as much money as they possible into that paid engine." Andrew Youderian surveyed 300 store owners representing $3.5 billion in revenue for the sixth annual eComFuel Trends Report, and the data broke four things Shopify merchants have been told were true. AI adoption is at 72% and producing zero financial edge. Non-AI adopters are growing profits faster than adopters. Amazon's share of revenue is back to 2017 levels while more brands than ever are selling on it. Gross margins hit an all-time high the same year net margins hit an all-time low. In this episode we dig into the paid traffic reversal that changed Andrew's own mind, why 97% of stores now run paid ads, the P&L math that separates winners from losers, and the financial literacy stat that moves net margins by 50%. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS eComFuel 2026 Trends Report: https://www.ecommercefuel.com Financial Mastery for Ecom Store Owners (free course): https://www.ecommercefuel.com/mastery/ WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Recorded live at Smart Marketer Mentor Tables in Nashville, this is Kurt's full talk on why most people are bad at AI and what to do about it. The pitch was that AI would let you do less work and produce better output. What actually happened: everyone is producing more slop, faster. Inside: the RTF framework that fixes any prompt in 30 seconds, the 10 AI tools Kurt actually uses every day (not the ones he gets paid to recommend), and why Claude Cowork is the single tool worth your attention in 2026. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Smart Marketer: https://smartmarketer.com Microsoft Clarity: https://clarity.microsoft.com Topaz Labs: https://www.topazlabs.com Adobe Enhance: https://podcast.adobe.com WhisperFlow: https://wisprflow.ai Whisper Transcription (Mac app): https://goodsnooze.gumroad.com/l/whisper-transcription Adobe Firefly: https://firefly.adobe.com Nano Banana (Google): https://gemini.google.com Grok: https://grok.com Claude Code: https://claude.com/claude-code Claude Cowork: https://claude.com Crisp Chat: https://crisp.chat Tidio: https://www.tidio.com Matrixify: https://matrixify.app WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Scaling an eCommerce brand isn't just about ads, creatives, or new channels.Often, the biggest growth unlock comes from how you treat customers after the purchase.In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Kristin Keys, VP of Customer Experience at Baseball Lifestyle 101, to break down how CX can become a true growth engine.From empowering support teams to turning angry customers into loyal advocates, Kristin shares how great customer experience drives retention, increases LTV, and fuels word-of-mouth growth.If you're struggling with churn, negative reviews, or rising CAC, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you turn CX into a competitive advantage.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters:(00:00) Introduction: CX as a Growth Engine with Kristin Keys(03:12) Why Good CX Drives Retention, LTV & Word of Mouth(07:00) The Baseball Lifestyle 101 Origin Story(14:02) Reducing Refunds, Chargebacks & Negative Reviews(20:04) Empowering Your Team to Resolve Issues on the Spot(24:10) Going Above & Beyond: Community Stories & Surprise Moments(30:51) Key Metrics: Return Rate, Repeat Purchases & Sales from Support(36:50) Biggest CX Mistakes D2C Brands Make(41:46) Parting Advice: Build a CX Team That Loves Your Brand—Connect With Brett:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerceWebsite: https://www.omgcommerce.com/Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contactRelevant Links:Kristin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinkeyes23Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Shopify just opened up its foundational B2B features to all paid plans, not just Plus. Samir Pradhan, VP of Product at Shopify, joins the show to break down what merchants actually get: company profiles, up to three custom catalogs, quantity rules, ACH payments, vaulted credit cards, and 50+ features total, at no additional cost. We walk through the setup, talk about what stays Plus-only, and dig into why B2B was consistently a top three merchant request. Plus, 96% GMV growth for merchants already using these tools. If you've been avoiding wholesale or duct-taping workarounds, this is the episode. LINKS Shopify B2B Newsroom Post: https://www.shopify.com/news/b2b-for-all Shopify B2B Help Docs: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b Samir Pradhan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-pradhan-71978120 SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"I don't have any really relevant credentials or qualifications when it comes to this sort of thing." Noam Sugarman got fed up trying to find a stereo system that looked good, sounded good, and didn't require an engineering degree to buy. So he built his own. With no audio background, he launched Dum Audio, raised $75K on Indiegogo, then ditched crowdfunding platforms entirely to run pre-order campaigns on his own Shopify store, where he saw better return on ad spend. Five years and $300K+ in sales later, he's shipping hi-fi turntables, speakers, and amps direct to consumer. We talk about pricing in a market where a stereo can cost $100 or $100,000, why his self-run Shopify campaign outperformed Indiegogo, and how 60% of his crowdfunding buyers added a subwoofer upsell he only expected a third to take. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Dum Audio: https://dumaudio.com/ Design Momentum (industrial design): https://designmomentum.com/ WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"There were three or four years straight where we were like, if it doesn't go the way we need it to go, we'll close it down at the end of the year -- and then year end comes and we're just like, close enough to keep going." Ethan Haber was a college sophomore with a studio art degree, a hamster named Mooksy, and a problem: the hamster ball hadn't been improved since the 1970s. So he invented a better one. Then came COVID, molds stuck at the Port of Long Beach, a packaging supplier who switched materials without telling him, four years of unprofitability, and social media backlash from people who don't even own hamsters. 2026 is his first profitable year. We talked about how he got to 750 retail locations, why he quit Meta ads and tripled Amazon sales, and the cold LinkedIn DM that landed him the founder of PetSmart as a mentor. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Happy Habitats (Shopify store): https://www.happyhabitats.net Happy Habitats on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com (search Happy Habitats) Happy Habitats on Chewy: https://www.chewy.com (search Happy Habitats) Happy Habitats on Walmart: https://www.walmart.com (search Happy Habitats) Ethan's plush work (Instagram): @HaberPlushProductions Jim Dougherty (PetSmart founder) book: "The Pet Project" -- search on Amazon P9 Design (Ethan's design partner): https://www.p9design.com Shopify Collective (free app): https://www.shopify.com/collective Mark Knology (marketplace management): [URL not provided in episode] Trover Saves the Universe (Squatch Games): https://troverthegame.com WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupKurt Elster is back to talk about what Shopify brands should actually be doing right now as AI starts influencing search, product discovery, and ecommerce workflows.For Shopify operators, DTC founders, and ecommerce marketers trying to stay ahead of rising CAC and AI-driven product discovery.This episode covers the stuff that's easy to ignore until it's suddenly important: Shopify category fields, structured data, AI referrals, TikTok Shop growth, and how vibe coding is already changing the SaaS and app ecosystem.We get into:Why Shopify category fields and category metafields matter more than most merchants realizeWhat ChatGPT referral traffic looks like todayHow structured data can help brands show up in answer enginesWhy TikTok Shop is becoming a real growth channel for some brandsWhat AI means for app sprawl, custom builds, and leaner ecommerce teamsKurt's thinking on free gift with purchase and the app he built, Promo Party ProTimestamps:00:00 Ads Feel Broken Right Now (Here's Why)01:17 The Shopify Feature Everyone Ignored02:14 This Powers AI Shopping (No One Realized)05:08 Why In-App Checkout Keeps Failing07:05 The Easiest Growth Lever You're Missing09:28 SEO Is Dead. This Replaces It12:22 How AI Chooses Which Products Win16:15 The AI Mistake Breaking Your Builds26:01 Why CAC Keeps Getting Worse28:22 The Real TikTok Shop PlaybookSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletter

Scaling paid ads isn't just about better creatives or media buying tweaks.Often, the real unlock is what happens after the click.In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Paddy McLarnon, founder of PM Digital Designs, to break down full funnel CRO; from advertorial landing pages to value stacking to subscription optimization.If your CAC is creeping up, your conversion rate feels capped, or your subscription churn is eating margin, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you scale profitably.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Introduction(05:01) The Biggest CRO Mistakes Brands Make(07:42) Ad-to-Lander Congruency(09:36) Advertorials & Listicles: Real Examples(16:56) Offer Stacking & Value Perception(19:55) Using Customer Surveys to Build Better Copy(25:13) Why Conversion Rate Can Mislead You(29:27) How to Hit a 72% Subscription Take Rate(36:48) Subscription Offer Breakdown: Real Examples(46:10) Buy Box Optimization & Pricing Psychology(50:13) Email, SMS & Follow-Up Flows—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links:Paddy's LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/paddy-mclarnon-cro-for-shopify-brands-2055ba124Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"I think this is a revival of SEO, a little bit of a resurrection." SEO expert Patrick Rice is back, and this time he brought receipts. His agency got a Shopify brand to show up in ChatGPT recommendations 60-70% of the time and in Google AI Overviews 86% of the time, with a 35-40% sustained increase in branded search. All in six months. We dig into the exact GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) tactics that made it happen: web consensus through listicle outreach, structured data, Reddit strategy, and why the AI search land grab looks a lot like early SEO, before the filters catch up. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Patrick Rice Co.: https://patrickriceco.com AI Visibility Audits: https://patrickriceco.com/ai BBC Future article: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260218-i-hacked-chatgpt-and-googles-ai-and-it-only-took-20-minutes Rand Fishkin / SparkToro study on AI brand consensus JSON-LD for SEO (Shopify app by Alana Davis) SEO Gets: https://seogets.com Screaming Frog: https://screamingfrog.co.uk Matrixify (Shopify app) Patrick Rice's first episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/patrick-rice-advanced-seo-cA2PDVhP WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

AI in eCommerce marketing isn't about “better prompts” anymore, it's about better systems. Brett sits down with returning guest Russ Henneberry (TheClick.ai, co-author of Digital Marketing for Dummies) to unpack what's new and what's next: Claude Cowork, agentic workflows, skills that “self-improve,” and what happens when your AI can actually use your files, tools, and data — not just chat about it.If you're a DTC founder, CMO, or operator trying to scale performance without scaling headcount, this episode is a blueprint for how modern teams are building repeatable AI routines for content, reporting, and decision-making.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Intro(02:05) What Cowork is: agentic plans, local files, and “skills”(05:20) Skills that self-improve, plus persona + offer as core context(08:10) Cowork as a “brain” with version control, shared across workflows(10:10) Connected sources: Notion transcripts, Zoom notes, and MCP-style integrations(15:10) Parallel agents and context windows: why this runs faster than chatbots(18:05) Skill marketplaces, sharing zips, and the security caution(23:10) OpenClaw/Open-source talk: the 4 “levels” (chatbot → cowork → code → open source)(28:05) Hardware reality: Mac Minis, Apple silicon, and “processing power” as leverage(31:05) Content system: Source → Structure → Format → Polish (newsletter example)(38:30) Click.ai membership, team training, and closing thoughts on revenue/employee—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links:Russ's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russhenneberrytheCLICK: https://theclick.ai/Digital Marketing for Dummies: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Marketing-Dummies-Business-Personal/dp/1119235596Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Amanda Engelman is the Director of Product at Shopify leading advertising and channel expansion. She built the Shopify Product Network, a free app that lets other Shopify merchants' products appear on your store. You earn commission on every sale, you keep the customer, and you get category expansion insights without carrying a single unit of inventory. One store earned over $3,000 in commissions in just two months. We dig into how SPN decides what products to show (and how they're solving the "taste" problem), the checkout engineering that makes multi-merchant transactions seamless, and why this might be the lowest-risk growth lever available to Shopify merchants right now. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Shopify Product Network App: Shopify App Store Shop Campaigns: Shop Campaigns Amanda Engelman on LinkedIn: Amanda Engelman WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"Even if it ends up being something that ends the universe, it at least will have been a fun ride. So let's do it." That's what Karl Meisterheim said when Kurt pitched him on building a Shopify app. Over a year later, Promo Party Pro is live, and the journey from "this should be easy" to "why is the cart API doing that" was anything but smooth. Kurt, Paul Reda, and Karl sit down to talk through the whole thing: why free gift with purchase is Kurt's favorite promo, the edge cases that nearly broke them, the popup cooldown debate that consumed days, and what it actually takes to ship a polished app on Shopify in 2025. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Promo Party Pro: https://promoparty.app/ Crowdfunder App: https://apps.shopify.com/crowdfunder Ethercycle: https://ethercycle.com WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Creative volume isn't the unlock. Better messaging is.In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Nate Lagos (CMO of Adapt Naturals, former Head of Growth at Original Grain) to break down how great storytelling drives real performance.From selling wooden watches through emotional positioning… to increasing AOV by reframing gift messaging… to building ads that scale without “fatigue” — this episode is a masterclass in understanding why customers actually buy.If you're a DTC founder, CMO, or operator tired of launching more ads without improving results, this conversation will recalibrate how you think about copy, positioning, and brand personality.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Intro(05:05) Nate's origin story, and why storytelling became a “performance lever”(07:40) Selling the story behind the materials (10:30) Customer motivation deep dive: status, identity, and gift-giving (15:05) Creative quantity vs quality(19:05) Finding the real “why”: research methods (23:10) Brand as “personality”(30:10) Testing surprises + valence/intensity framework(37:15) Practical frameworks: adjective formula—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links:Nate's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagosAdapt Naturals: https://adaptnaturals.comOriginal Grain: https://www.originalgrain.com/Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"Nobody wants to get rich slowly." Nick Mertz started Pins and Aces with $6,000 and zero outside capital. Today, his golf lifestyle brand does $25 million a year, employs over 40 people, and ships every order from their own warehouse outside Denver. But with customer acquisition costs through the roof, Nick stopped fighting the ad auction and built an omnichannel machine instead. We break down how live selling on Whatnot and TikTok became a serious revenue channel ($400K in December alone on TikTok Shop), why licensing collabs with Coca-Cola and South Park actually boost brand legitimacy, and how wholesale is flipping from 10% to 40% of revenue. Plus: the grab bag strategy that went nuclear, and why Nick runs his family business like a sports team. SPONSORS Swym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKS Pins and Aces: https://pinsandaces.com Nick Mertz on Instagram: https://instagram.com/nvmertz Pins and Aces on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pinsandaces Nick's first episode (June 2023): https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/[LINK-TO-ORIGINAL-EPISODE] Whatnot: https://whatnot.com TikTok Shop: https://shop.tiktok.com WORK WITH KURT Apply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"I kinda told myself I need to take a step back from e-commerce. When I took a step back, e-commerce said no and put me back in."Amer Grozdanic burned out running paid media for brands. The results were good — but never good enough. So he walked away, rebuilt his agency around what he could actually control, and landed clients like MVMT Watches and Billie Eilish without spending a dollar on ads. Today, Praella works with brands up to $400M in revenue, and Amer's seen the same blind spots in almost every store.We dig into the Shopify features most merchants ignore (B2B, Markets, Flows, Collective), why BattlBox's Whatnot channel converts 10X better than TikTok Shop, and the one question you should ask any agency before signing a retainer.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/J3QTUEVulFcPraella: praella.comAmer on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amergrozdanicWhatnot: whatnot.comBattlBox: battlbox.comShoplift (A/B testing): shoplift.comIntelligems (A/B testing): intelligems.ioShopify Collective: shopify.com/collectiveShopify B2B: shopify.com/plus/b2bShopify Flow: shopify.com/flowWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

For most direct-to-consumer brands, the term "ERP" evokes dread. Six-month implementations. Six-figure costs. Software built for factories, not Shopify stores. Kyle Hency experienced that pain firsthand. He scaled Chubbies Shorts past $100 million in revenue, and along the way, his "sophisticated" spreadsheet system (built by a former banker) completely fell apart. The breaking point? When Nordstrom called wanting to stock Chubbies, and his team realized they had no infrastructure to even accept the order. That painful lesson led Hency to raise $13.5 million for GoodDay Software, an ERP designed from day one for Shopify merchants. In this episode, we demystify what an ERP actually is, identify the warning signs that a brand has outgrown spreadsheets, and explore why the traditional barriers to operational infrastructure are finally falling for smaller businesses. Hency makes the case that it doesn't have to be this hard anymore.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSGoodDay Software: https://gooddaysoftware.comKyle on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kylehencyThe Normal Brand case study: https://bit.ly/4bzwcFMWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Here's something most merchants don't realize: you can run paid ads through an influencer's handle instead of your own. It's called whitelisting, and it converts about 15% better. Brad Hoos, CEO of Outloud Group and owner of Shopify store MuskOx Flannels, has been doing influencer marketing since YouTube was mostly cat videos. In this episode, he breaks down how whitelisting works step by step, why he thinks of creators as "decentralized media companies," and what most brands overthink when they're just getting started.SPONSORSSwym — Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific — Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify — Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTPromo Party — Kurt's new app for free gift with purchase promotionspromoparty.appLINKSOutloud Group: https://outloudgroup.comMuskOx Flannels: https://gomuskox.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

In this episode, host Brett Curry discusses seven essential habits that successful brands adopt, which struggling brands often overlook. He dives deep into the importance of measuring actionable metrics, respecting momentum in business growth, balancing brand and performance marketing, and understanding the dynamics of demand generation versus demand capture. Listen in and discover the timeless principles of marketing that remain relevant in today's fast-paced environment. An episode packed with actionable insights to enhance your e-commerce strategies for 2026.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Intro(03:08) Measuring Actionable Metrics(07:55) The Importance of Momentum in Business(11:00) Balancing Brand and Performance(14:47) Demand Capture vs. Demand Generation(17:24) Recover hidden Amazon revenue with Threecolts(18:20) Incrementality in Marketing Measurement(23:34) Creative Rhythms and Diversity(26:56) Timeless Marketing Principles for Modern Success(31:55) We Want to Help You Grow—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links:Join us in LA for Scale with YouTube Ads Live: omgcommerce.com/laeventSponsor Offer | Threecolts: https://threecolts.comPast guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

"You can't control tariffs. You can't control the weather. But you can control what's happening within your business."Salena Knight has audited thousands of retail businesses since 2007 and found that 4 out of 5 seven-figure stores share the same blind spot—and it's not marketing. It's money. We talked about why inventory is secretly taxable cash sitting on your shelves, how one brand increased profit margins 30% by auditing their pick-and-pack costs, and why running a 30% off sale on luxury products got zero orders.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTPromo Party Pro - Boost sales with promotional campaignspromoparty.appLINKSBringing Business to Retail Podcast: https://salenaknight.com/podcastSalena Knight: https://salenaknight.comThe Retail Academy: https://theretailacademy.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"I would have invested 100% of all of the money that we raised into Meta. I would have done nothing else but secure that one channel first."After launching Troop, a functional mushroom gummy brand, Jake Mellman discovered that community events and sampling don't pay the bills. What does: Meta ads, a 76% contribution margin, and defaulting customers to quarterly subscriptions. Now he's applied those lessons to Psilly Goose, a functional beverage targeting the 46% of American adults who've stopped drinking. The challenge: THC restrictions, heavy shipping costs, and a farm bill that could shut him down by November.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSTroop Mushroom Gummies: https://trytroop.comPsilly Goose: https://drinkpsillygoose.comPrevious episode with Jake & Stephanie: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/jake-mellman-stephanie-moyalBreeze (Aaron Nosbish episode): https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/aaron-nosbish-breezeWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"Shop has this amazing opportunity to convert shoppers into people that are being entertained by shoppable content."Bill Staley built the first Shop Mini to launch on Shopify's Shop app. Food Social brings 10,000+ shoppable recipes to 200 million potential users. We dig into why Shop is Shopify's most underrated channel, how personalization matches recipes to purchase history, and why intent-based shopping beats interruption marketing every time.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSFood Social: https://foodsocial.ioFood Social App (iOS & Android): Search "Food Social" in app storesEmail Bill: bill@foodsocial.ioWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Dana Roberts spent years watching fifth-grade girls panic through their first periods with ill-fitting products and no preparation. The period care aisle hadn't changed in decades. Same brands. Same sizing that was never designed for a 10-year-old's body. When she pitched the idea to her god-sister, Dr. Monica Williams, she got a polite brush-off. Years later, Monica's own daughter started showing signs of puberty, and suddenly the problem wasn't theoretical anymore.What followed was a brutal education in bootstrapping: churning through agencies, surviving iOS 14.5, and funding an entire company through pitch competitions because traditional VCs wouldn't write checks. Last year, a three-minute pitch won them $1 million from Pharrell Williams. Then Ulta told them to change their name if they wanted shelf space. They did it in 90 days.Now Scarlet by RedDrop is in almost 400 stores trying to fix something the industry ignored for generations. We talked about all of it, including the part where Monica says she wishes she'd never bootstrapped at all.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSScarlet by RedDrop: tryreddrop.comUlta product page: ulta.com/brand/scarlet-by-reddropBlack Ambition Prize: blackambitionprize.comKlaviyo: klaviyo.comSmart Marketer: smartmarketer.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"We were close to closing the company two or three times. Every winter was like, okay, that's it. Goodbye company."Chris Erthel built Meller sunglasses from a Spanish side project into a brand that sells a pair every 28 seconds. Along the way, he helped scale HelloBody from €30M to €107M as fractional CMO before its €330M exit to Henkel. We talked about why US brands fail in Europe, the cultural quirks that kill conversions in Germany, and why Italy requires cash on delivery or you're dead on arrival. He's run 3,500+ A/B tests and shares counterintuitive findings that challenge everything you think you know about landing pages and ad creative.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSMeller Brand: https://mellerbrand.com/Weavy AI: https://www.weavy.ai/Rory Flynn (AI Content): https://www.instagram.com/_roryflynn_/Chris Erthel LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/chriserthelDiscount Code: CHRISERTHEL (highest discount ever at Meller)WORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Montana Knife Company pulled in $1.7 million over Black Friday weekend without discounting a single knife. Co-founder Brandon Horoho explains how: five targeted product drops, one for each customer persona. An email cadence so aggressive he was watching unsubscribe rates like a hawk. And a VIP program where the reward shows up unannounced in your mailbox. It's a story about knowing exactly who your customer is and giving them what they want before they ask. Also: why Brandon actually high-fives when his repeat customer rate goes down.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSMontana Knife Company: https://montanaknifecompany.comMKC on Instagram: https://instagram.com/montanaknifecompanyBrandon's first episode: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/montana-knife-companyWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"It's really about helping merchants become more informed, helping them make more bold decisions."Aaron Glazer, Product Lead at Shopify, reveals two features from Winter '26 Edition that change how merchants test and optimize their stores. Rollouts brings native split testing directly into the admin. SimGym deploys AI agents trained on billions of purchases to find what's broken before real customers do.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSRollouts: Access via Markets tab in Shopify adminSimGym App: Search "SimGym" in Shopify App StoreWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

Shopify just dropped their "Renaissance Edition" with 150+ product updates. We cut through the noise. Sidekick finally works—I use it daily now for reports, segments, and Flow automations. Native A/B testing arrives with Rollouts and SimGym. The new Product Network let one early adopter earn $1,400 in commission in 30 days. And Shop App? #1 in the App Store over BFCM. Here's what actually matters for store owners.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSShopify Editions Winter '26: https://www.shopify.com/editions/winter2026SimGym App: https://apps.shopify.com/simgymShopify Product Network App: https://apps.shopify.com/product-networkProduct Network Blog Post: https://www.shopify.com/blog/shopify-product-networkWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

"Do you care enough about new customer acquisition? What you care about shows up based off of your actions, not your thoughts or your words."Meta's Andromeda update broke everyone's brain and most brands still haven't recovered. Nehal Kazim, CEO of Ad Pros, argues that the industry overcorrected by wildly overproducing content, burning through budgets on concepts that never receive meaningful spend. His math: you're paying $250-500 per asset for creatives that never get tested. Kazim has spent 13 years running campaigns for brands like Canada Goose and DTC companies doing $10-16 million a month. His solution is a profitability-first framework that tracks new customer contribution margin daily and calibrates creative output to what your budget can actually support. Also discussed: why Meta told him to stop hook testing, and the $25K Cardi B ad he hated that completely crushed.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSAd Pros: https://adpros.comNehal on Instagram: instagram.com/nehalkazimNehal on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nehalkazimWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Helpethercycle.com/applySee Our Resultsethercycle.com/workFree Newsletterkurtelster.comThe Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.