Inside Commerce: Ecommerce Strategy, CX and Technology Podcast

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  EP364: The Loyalty Playbook Retailers Need Before Black Friday - Tactics That Drive Enrolment, Retention and Higher LTV, With LoyaltyLion CEO Charlie Casey 15.09.2026 43мин

  The Loyalty Playbook for Peak Trading"Engagement in loyalty programmes is highest around BFCM—they drive the greatest share of revenue from existing customers precisely when brands are competing hardest for attention.”tl;dr - why listen?Learn how to protect BFCM margins without depending on deeper discounts.Discover practical loyalty tactics for acquisition, retention and reactivation.Understand how omnichannel rewards can connect customer journeys across online and offline retail.Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is no longer just a customer acquisition opportunity. For ecommerce and omnichannel retailers, peak trading is a critical moment to engage existing loyalty members, acquire valuable new customers and increase revenue without relying solely on blanket discounts.In this episode, James Gurd speaks with Charlie Casey, CEO and founder of LoyaltyLion, about how retailers can get more from their loyalty programmes during peak trading.They explore how loyalty members can become a major source of BFCM revenue, and how brands can use early access, VIP tiers and exclusive product launches to create urgency without unnecessarily sacrificing margin. The discussion also looks at the shift away from generic discounts towards more relevant rewards, including experiences, charitable contributions, product access and incentives linked to customer behaviour.The podcast explains practical ways to segment loyalty members based on spend, engagement, referrals and purchase frequency. Retailers can then tailor rewards more effectively, directing high-value customers towards premium experiences, encouraging at-risk customers to return and using loyalty to promote gateway products, high-margin items or excess stock.Omnichannel loyalty is another key theme. Customers expect to be recognised wherever they shop, whether that’s a brand’s website, physical store, marketplace or retail partner. Receipt uploads, loyalty passes and connected customer data can help retailers create a consistent experience across these channels.Churn prevention is discussed, including challenges, points expiry, reward drops and other tactics that encourage customers to re-engage before and during peak season.Chapters:[00:30] Introduction: The BFCM loyalty playbook[03:35] Why loyalty matters during peak trading[05:00] Moving beyond acquisition and heavy discounting[08:35] Early access, exclusivity and VIP strategies[10:35] Personalised rewards versus blanket discounts[14:05] Acquiring new loyalty members before peak[16:40] Using loyalty to drive LTV and protect margins[18:20] Rewards that reinforce brand values[21:05] Segmenting loyalty members by value and engagement[23:45] Churn prevention and customer reactivation[26:20] Managing points expiry without frustrating customers[28:10] Building an omnichannel loyalty strategy[30:25] Rewarding customers across retail partners and channels[32:20] Loyalty passes, receipt uploads and AI-powered tools[35:40] Validating receipts and preventing loyalty fraud[39:35] Connecting loyalty across stores, marketplaces and resale
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  EP363: The Agent Experience Era - Centra CEO Martin Jensen On Building AI That Gets Real Work Done 09.09.2026 42мин

  This week, we turn our attention once more to Centra's ecommerce platform and recent roadmap activity.Martin Jensen, founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Centra, reveals how agentic AI is moving from “smart intern” to genuine digital colleague, and why the next competitive edge is no longer the code itself, but the tools, playbooks and guardrails built around it.The discussion is framed by the concept of agent experience, whereby developers consider what an agent requires when planning new developments, not just what end users need. The episode explains what this shift means for merchants, agencies and the vendors powering ecommerce. Martin explains why Centra is now designing around the agent experience first, how its agentic AI offering supports hundreds of real-world scenarios and why human teams will increasingly supervise agents across multiple systems rather than just inside one platform.You’ll discover:That whilst shopper behaviour is evolving, a bigger evolution is happening inside brands.How Centra's agentic AI is taking on repeatable ecommerce tasks instead of operations teams.The three layers of guardrails Centra uses to keep agents safe, useful and controlled.Why agencies are becoming more embedded in strategy, not just building solutions.How B2B ecommerce is changing through AI-powered translation, endless-aisle drop shipping and inline analytics.Martin shares key innovations in Centra’s product roadmap, including a curated integration marketplace and customer-facing AI capabilities such as semantic search and next-generation recommendations.The conversation also explores how Centra is expanding its ecosystem, focusing on reliable, battle-tested integrations across payments, CRM, ERP and customer data.For ecommerce businesses, the opportunity is significant: smarter AI tools can help teams automate repetitive work & respond to customers faster, giving employees more time to focus on strategic decisions and relationships. But adoption depends on trust and clear human oversight.Chapters:[00:30] Introduction to Martin Jensen and Centra’s product strategy[03:00] The AI revolution inside ecommerce brands[03:55] Why writing code is no longer a competitive advantage[06:50] Centra’s agentic AI strategy[08:40] Why AI agents need purpose-built tools and MCP access[13:30] Designing for agent experience instead of only user experience[17:35] Guardrails: permissions, controls, and supervisory agents[21:15] AI token costs, pricing, and competition[27:20] Centra’s latest platform innovations[30:10] AI opportunities and adoption challenges in B2B[33:20] Centra’s integration ecosystem and app marketplace[36:15] Centra’s criteria for technology partnerships[40:30] Human handoffs and customer service guardrails
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  EP362: Performance Marketing In 2026 Shifted From "AI-Assisted" To Genuinely Agentic - Find Out What This Means For Ecommerce Brands 01.09.2026 41мин

  “AI ad platforms will win by becoming less like ad managers and more like answer engines. Measurement is becoming the strategy, because zero-click behaviour is already changing the funnel.”Performance & brand marketing expert Josh Duggan digs into where AI, search and commerce are actually heading; not in theory, but in the real world of live campaigns and platform shifts.ChatGPT ads are already here, but the platform is still acting like Google Ads 15 years ago. Josh reveals why the current setup is full of irrelevant targeting, weak reporting and click-only optimisation - and what that means for brands trying to get ahead before the real opportunity arrives.You'll discover:Why ChatGPT ads currently feel basic, clunky and dangerously easy to mis-trigger with the wrong intent.The biggest missing pieces in the platform, from negative keywords to search-term visibility and conversion-based optimisation.Why shopping feeds, offline conversion value and customer list matching are likely to matter far more than today’s ad units.How Google is quietly turning paid search into a more automated, more AI-shaped experience.Why AI Overviews, AI Max and dynamic product feeds could reshape how brands win visibility in search.How Meta is changing faster than most marketers realise, with 70% of Instagram content now coming from accounts you do not follow.Why creative diversity, always-on content and dynamic landing pages are becoming the new performance edge.Where TikTok Shop, ShopMy, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube and affiliate channels fit into the next growth cycle.Josh also breaks down the real state of trade, including why UK online spending is still growing, why fashion and footwear are more volatile and why November remains the make-or-break month for many brands. If you want a clear-eyed view of what is hype vs. what is already working and where paid media is heading next, this episode is essential listening.Chapters:[00:30] Introduction and episode overview[02:35] ChatGPT ads: early limitations and potential[12:30] Google search, AI discovery and shopping ads[21:05] Meta’s growth, creative diversity and AI-generated advertising[30:10] Other channels: TikTok Shop, ShopMy, Pinterest, Snapchat and YouTube[35:00] Ecommerce trading outlook, market performance and Q4 priorities[41:10] Closing thoughts
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  EP361: What .Dev Revealed About Shopify’s Strategic Focus, From Leading Shopify Experts At Visualsoft, Shero & Vervaunt 19.08.2026 41мин

  When you spend time with Shopify agencies that live inside the platform every day, the signal gets clear fast: Shopify is no longer just talking about storefronts. It is pushing hard toward being the operating system for commerce.That shift came through clearly in the recent Shopify .dev event in Toronto and in the latest Editions release. In this podcast, you’ll learn what the biggest themes actually were, which updates matter most for merchants.We're joined by highly respected Shopify experts Mike Warwick, Senior Director of Solutions at Shero Commerce, & Liam Quinn, Director of Innovation at Visualsoft.Why listen:Get the real take on Shopify’s direction beyond the hype.Hear which updates actually matter for merchants.Understand why Sidekick and AI are becoming strategically important.The Big Themes:1) Why Shopify Is Moving Beyond the StorefrontShopify is clearly evolving from a storefront platform into a broader commerce operating system. The biggest shift is toward owning more of the merchant workflow; data, operations, reporting, merchandising and AI-assisted tasks. The message from the event was simple: Shopify wants to be the place merchants run their business from, not just where customers check out.2) What Stood Out Most at Shopify .dev TorontoThe move from a one-day to a two-day event made a real difference. It gave attendees more time for sessions, conversations, and partner meetings, which mattered because many talks were oversubscribed. The event felt less like a keynote showcase and more like a chance to dig into what Shopify is actually building and where it’s headed next.3) The sessions that drew the most attentionAI, especially practical applications.Product catalogue work.Sidekick and AI-assisted operations.Retail and POS improvements.Smaller operational updates that are easy to miss but useful in practice.The smaller updates were often the most valuable: improvements to inventory, collections, reporting, and other operational basics. The strongest theme was that Shopify is focusing on practical tools that save merchants time and reduce friction, not just headline features.4) Sidekick Is Becoming More Useful Than People RealiseSidekick came across as one of the most important products in the room. It’s becoming genuinely useful for Shopify-specific questions, reporting and workflow support through Shopify Flow. It’s not perfect, but it’s moving from novelty to real utility. That matters because it could become the main way merchants interact with the platform day to day.
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  EP360: How Ellis Brigham Is Building a Modern Retail Experience Through Technology 11.08.2026 45мин

  How Ellis Brigham Is Building a Modern Retail Experience Through Technologytl;dr - what you'll get:Learn how Ellis Brigham approached a major ecommerce platform migration to Centra and the commercial considerations behind the decision.Discover how investments in delivery experience, customer data and personalisation are helping strengthen customer loyalty.Get practical insights into balancing retail heritage with digital innovation, including real-world experiences of adopting AI across ecommerce operations.Summary:In this episode, we speak with Mark Oldham, Head of Operations at Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, about the evolution of one of the UK's best-known outdoor retailers and how the business is modernising its ecommerce ecosystem while staying true to its heritage.The conversation explores the commercial thinking behind Ellis Brigham's move from Magento to Centra, examining the operational challenges that prompted the migration. Mark explains the importance of building a flexible technology stack that supports growth, improves efficiency and delivers a better customer experience.Customer experience is a central theme throughout the podcast, with insights into the implementation of Ingrid to transform delivery choice and customer communication. The discussion highlights why transparent fulfilment and post-purchase experiences have become critical drivers of customer loyalty and lifetime value.We also explore how Ellis Brigham has successfully balanced nearly three decades of retail expertise with the demands of modern digital commerce. Mark shares his perspective on preserving the unique identities of Ellis Brigham, Snowboard Asylum and Outsiders, while ensuring each brand delivers a consistent experience across every customer touchpoint.The conversation then turns to data and personalisation, looking at how Voyado is helping consolidate customer data and unlock more meaningful CRM strategies. From understanding customer intent during product discovery to creating more personalised onsite experiences, the discussion examines how retailers can make better use of the data they already collect.Finally, the episode explores the growing role of artificial intelligence within ecommerce teams. Mark shares how AI is being introduced into day-to-day operations, the efficiencies it can unlock and the practical challenges businesses face when embedding AI into established workflows.Chapters:[0:30] — Intro to Ellis Brigham and the episode topic[1:30] — Mark introduces Ellis Brigham and his role[4:05] — Why the move from Magento and the replatforming drivers[9:15] — Why Centra was the right fit[13:15] — Ingrid / order communication and customer experience[19:35] — Blending store expertise with digital content[25:05] — Omnichannel fulfilment and store operations impact[28:00] — Why Ellis Brigham keeps distinct brand identities[33:30] — Voyado, customer data and intent signals[35:55] — AI adoption across the business[38:30] — AI governance and data controls[42:20] — Dashboards, AI and the future of analytics
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  EP359: Native Apps Vs Mobile Web - When Does A Native App Actually Make Sense For An Ecommerce Brand? 03.08.2026 38мин

  The debate around native apps versus mobile websites has changed significantly. Thanks to Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), improved mobile browsers and advances in web technologies, many capabilities that once required a native app are now available through the mobile web. For most ecommerce brands, the decision is no longer driven by technology limitations but by customer behaviour, retention strategy and commercial return on investment.This podcast explores where native apps still deliver meaningful advantages, including push notifications, deeper integration with mobile devices, offline functionality and richer customer experiences. It also examines which types of retailer genuinely benefit from investing in an app, highlighting examples such as Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein, where apps support loyalty, exclusive product launches and community engagement rather than simply replicating the website.The conversation concludes with a practical framework to help retailers determine whether a mobile website is sufficient or whether a native app can drive higher customer lifetime value through repeat purchasing, personalisation and stronger customer engagement.What you'll get from listening:Understand why the native app versus mobile web debate has fundamentally shifted in the last few years.Learn which capabilities native apps still offer that even modern websites ecannot fully match.Discover why customer lifetime value and retention are now the strongest commercial reasons to build an app.Hear practical examples of how brands including Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein use apps to strengthen loyalty and increase repeat purchases.Understand how push notifications, loyalty programmes and exclusive product launches can transform customer engagement.Learn which retail sectors are most likely to generate a positive return on investment from a native app, and which are unlikely to benefit.Get a practical decision-making framework to help determine whether your business should invest in a native app or continue focusing on delivering the best possible mobile website.
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  EP358: Strategic Affiliate Marketing For Next Level Incrementality, With Gabrielle McLeod & George Whitmore From Vervaunt 30.07.2026 17мин

  Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this panel, leading experts on affiliate marketing explain the current framework for affiliate marketing, exploring how the market has shifted and the mindset and toolkit that marketers need to drive incremental revenue. Gabrielle McLeod & George Whitmore from Vervaunt give expert advice on the following:The strategic market shift.The four levers for effective affiliate marketing.Practical advice for retailers.View ⁠all Pulse panels⁠.About PulsePulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing.FOLLOW US:LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/ 
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  EP357: Next Generation Ecommerce Stack - Discussing The Future of Tech With DEMA, Emfas, Visually & Harper 30.07.2026 19мин

  Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this panel, Shamoli Miah from Vervaunt hosts a discussion with the leadership teams of some of the most innovative and dynamic ecommerce technology vendors in the market. The panel includes Jessika Odling from DEMA, Sarah Young from Harper, Marc Adelman from Visually & Vidar Trojenborg from Emfas.View all Pulse panels.About PulsePulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing.FOLLOW US:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/ 
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  EP356: The Secret To A Heritage Brand’s Digital Rebirth: How John Smedley Used Technology To Modernise Without Losing Its Soul 22.07.2026 44мин

  Replacing An Entire Tech Stack - John Smedley’s Migration Journey From Magento to Centra.Most brands are afraid to overhaul their legacy systems for fear of losing their identity but John Smedley’s story proves that a strategic replatform can elevate a storied heritage brand without diluting its uniqueness. Our guest, Jamie Austen, is the Head of Ecommerce Operations at John Smedley, who has been the driving force for transforming a 240-year-old British heritage icon into a digitally agile, premium experience without sacrificing its timeless appeal.Jamie explains how they navigated the complex journey from Magento to a headless, customer-centric architecture on Centra, building a stronger foundation that drives commercial results and sharpens brand storytelling.Chapters:[00:30] — Intro: John Smedley’s move from Magento to Centra[05:30] — Managing a lean team through a large replatforming project.[09:00] — Building the business case for modernising the tech stack.[12:00] — Working with LimeSharp and phasing the build.[15:15] — Rebuilding the wider tech stack around Centra.[25:10] — Choosing Dato CMS and improving content management.[29:00] — Impact on the internal team after launch.[32:30] — Centra wholesale/B2B plans and adoption considerations.[38:30] — Challenges and lessons from the replatform.[42:45] — Future priorities: loyalty, in-store connection and digital gift cards.What drives a heritage brand like John Smedley to completely rethink its tech stack? Jamie explains how market change, technical debt and the need for agility pushed them to embrace innovation while safeguarding their rich history. You'll discover the key decision points:Shifting to a flexible, headless setup with CentraReplacing legacy platforms with tools like Voyado Elevate and EngageCreating a seamless, multi-channel customer experience that balances tradition with modernity.We discuss the internal dynamics of managing a lean team through a complex transition, the importance of ruthless prioritisation during launch and how a strong partner, both technically and culturally, is essential. Tune in for insights into:Overcoming internal resistanceCentralising the customer experienceBuilding a future-proof stack that supports personal relationships, wholesale channels and international complexity.If you’re contemplating a replatform or curious how strategic tech choices can preserve brand equity while unlocking new opportunities, this conversation offers proven lessons, practical frameworks, and inspiration to move confidently into the future.
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  EP355: Do Targeted, Personalised Campaigns In The Cart & Checkout Really Boost Sales & Margin? Retail Case Studies With Dan Bond from Revlifter 17.07.2026 42мин

  Smarter Ecommerce Promotions with RevlifterKey takeaways:Blanket discounting often reduces profitability and can negatively affect customer experience.Intent-based personalisation enables retailers to engage shoppers with more relevant messages at the right moment.Personalisation isn't only about promotion; it can also support education, reassurance and product discovery.Smarter popup strategies can increase conversions while significantly reducing unnecessary discounts.Premium brands can use behavioural targeting to improve customer experience without relying on discounts.Creative gamification offers opportunities to increase engagement beyond traditional prize wheels.Measuring incrementality through robust testing is essential for understanding the true commercial impact of personalisation.Granular A/B testing and audience segmentation help retailers continuously optimise campaigns and maximise performance.In this episode, we explore how ecommerce brands can move beyond blanket discounting to deliver more relevant, profitable customer experiences. The conversation focuses on why traditional promotional strategies often frustrate shoppers, how intent-based personalisation is changing the way retailers engage customers and how brands can measure the true impact of their campaigns.Our guest is Dan Bond from Revlifter. Revlifter's technology helps retailers personalise onsite marketing campaigns based on real-time customer intent rather than relying on broad promotional tactics.A key theme throughout the episode is the downside of poorly targeted promotions. Irrelevant offers can damage trust and create frustration; for example, when loyal customers are excluded from incentives designed only for new shoppers.We cover (rant about) the common mistakes retailers make, the commercial impact of those decisions and why brands need to create more intelligent promotional strategies.We also discuss the growing importance of customer intent signals. Instead of treating every visitor the same, Dan explains how retailers can identify whether a shopper is actively ready to purchase or still in the discovery phase, allowing brands to tailor messaging and offers accordingly.Moving beyond discounts, the discussion highlights how intent scoring can also power non-promotional experiences, such as providing buying guidance, product advice and reassurance during more complex purchasing journeys. This demonstrates how personalisation can improve customer experience without sacrificing margin.Dan shares a real-world success story from Sportshoes. Discover how a refined popup strategy delivered a 7% uplift in conversions while suppressing more than 2,000 unnecessary discounts, resulting in savings of approximately £25,000. Our attention then turns to premium brands, where discounting is often less appropriate. Using examples such as Radley, we discuss how exit-intent campaigns can be used across product listing pages, product pages and the cart to deliver value through personalised messaging, product recommendations or reassurance rather than price reductions.Another topic is gamification, challenging the assumption that engagement begins and ends with the familiar "spin-to-win" mechanic. The discussion explores alternative campaign formats and creative approaches that ecommerce teams can test to increase engagement and conversion while maintaining brand value.
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  EP354: Ecommerce Technology Vendor of the Year 🏆 Patchworks CEO On Product Strategy & The New AI Studio 08.07.2026 41мин

  👍 What Ecommerce Businesses Can Learn from Patchworks’ Product Strategy & View on Tech TrendsIn this episode, we speak with Jim Herbert, CEO of Patchworks - recent winner of the 🏆 Ecommerce Technology Vendor of the Year award - about the technology trends shaping ecommerce right now. Three reasons to listen:1️⃣ Learn what tech trends are actually affecting ecommerce businesses — from AI search to PIM adoption and integration architecture.2️⃣ Understand how AI can improve operational efficiency — especially by speeding up implementation and reducing repetitive manual work.3️⃣ Hear practical examples of smarter ecommerce problem-solving — including white-label integration, self-healing workflows and scalable connector strategies.The conversation focuses on what’s changing in the ecommerce stack, why product data quality matters more than ever, and how AI is reshaping integrations, operations and discovery.A major theme is the rise of Product Information Management (PIM) for more complex data models, as businesses look to improve data quality, support cross-border commerce and make products more discoverable in AI-driven search. Jim explains why reliable integrations sit at the heart of ecommerce performance, especially when retailers are managing complex systems, large product catalogues and high-volume order flows.The episode also explores Patchworks’ new AI Studio, including how AI can speed up flow building, reduce manual mapping work and help teams launch integrations faster with less technical friction. Jim shares examples of practical automation, including self-healing data workflows and faster implementation timelines.Another important discussion point is partnership strategy. Jim outlines how Patchworks is broadening its ecosystem beyond a single platform dependency, creating more flexibility for retailers and technology partners as the ecommerce landscape continues to shift.Key chapters:[01:00] Intro,, Patchworks overview and why the episode matters[04:15] Tech trends in ecommerce: AI, PIMs, product data quality, discoverability and cross-border commerce.[12:40] Partnerships and ecosystem strategy: Shopify, Acumatica, Epicor, Centra, Scale.[17:20] AI Studio deep dive: implementation agent, mapping agent, connector builder, MCP, and self-healing workflows[28:25] Innovative use cases and edge cases: pricing automation, custom agents, partner-built tools and rapid migration.[33:00] White-label / embedded iPaaS: Blueprints, marketplace integrations and partner-led distribution.[36:30] Future roadmap, what’s next for AI Studio and closing remarks.
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  EP353: The Power Of Agency-Brand Collaboration For Navigating Rapid Ecommerce Technology Changes, With Nudie Jeans & Aino 01.07.2026 41мин

  🔥 Navigating Ecommerce InnovationIn this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of ecommerce, technology and strategic partnerships through an insightful conversation with Melker Lindström, Technical Ecommerce Operations lead from Nudie Jeans and David Hellsing, founder of their agency partner Aino. We explore how brands and agencies can collaborate effectively in a rapidly changing digital environment, and a balanced view on the role of AI and agentic storefronts in shaping the future of retail ecommerce.************Key Topics:************1️⃣ Impact of emerging tech trends like AI on ecommerce strategy.2️⃣ How long-term agency-client relationships foster innovation and agility.3️⃣ The role of brand websites versus agentic storefronts.4️⃣ The importance of unbiased, prototyped tech assessments for future investments.5️⃣ Evolving roles of developers in an AI-enabled world.6️⃣ How strategic partnerships and aligned understanding boost project efficiency.7️⃣ The future of AI-powered customer interactions and brand messaging control.************Chapters:************[01:00] - Guest introductions: Melker from Nudie Jeans, David from Aino.[04:00] - Tech and customer trends influencing ecommerce strategies.[05:30] - Balancing trend awareness with strategic focus in tech adoption.[08:55] - Long-term brand website roles and agentic storefronts.[11:30] - Building strategic agency-brand partnerships.[14:20] - The evolution of agency roles from project-based to strategic partners.[17:15] - Expectations and future features of ecommerce platforms.[21:00] - Leveraging data and AI to enhance user experience and personalisation.[27:40] - Embedding AI tools into user journeys without disjointing the brand experience.[31:05] - Using AI internally for support.[37:25] - Approaching technology roadmaps—assessment, integration, and collaboration.
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  EP352: Navigating The Future Of Search With Aleyda Solis - GEO, Discovery and AI Visibility 25.06.2026 22мин

  "You need to invest to try to establish your authority and your presence across the whole customer journey. What matters is the context that you can give around your products.”Tune in for expert advice from Aleyda Solis, an award-winning international SEO and AI search optimisation consultant, author and speaker.What you'll get from this podcast:Understand where GEO and AI search are actually heading.Learn how discovery is changing across channels, not just Google.Practical tactics for improving AI visibility and crawlability.Understand why product feeds and contextual data matter.Get a clearer view of measurement in a zero-click world.Episode summary:This episode explores how GEO is reshaping discovery as consumers move beyond traditional search engines and into fragmented AI-led journeys across platforms like ChatGPT, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and marketplaces. Aleyda breaks down why this shift is more than hype: AI is changing not just where people search, but how they decide, compare and buy.The discussion covers the key differences between classic SEO and GEO, including the move from deterministic clicks to synthesised answers, recommendation layers and zero-click discovery. Aleyda also explains why GEO is becoming both a performance channel and a branding channel, and why measurement is now one of the biggest challenges in the space.The episode gets practical fast, with advice on technical foundations, crawlability, product feeds, contextual data, UGC, digital PR and why authority-building content like guides and FAQs matters more than ever. About our Pulse SeriesPulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing. It takes place over 2 days every year in London, UK, with its sister New York event in September.Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 Pulse event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.Visit ⁠insidecommerce.fm⁠ to access the full Pulse panel series.
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  EP351: How To Handle Hype Moments In Ecommerce - The Hidden Complexity Of Fast Growth Brands with Fanatics Director of Ecommerce Chris Sheard 23.06.2026 46мин

  "Scaling ecommerce fast means moving from heroics to systems — otherwise growth just exposes every weakness you’ve been carrying. Once you hit hyper-growth, the small process gaps stop being small. They become the things that break the business.”This episode explores the hidden challenges brands face turning high-pressure moments into commercial opportunity, while also building the operational discipline needed to scale.Our guest is Chris Sheard, Director or Ecommerce at sports brand Fanatics. Chris has an interesting background, having previously been Ecommerce Director for Castore and Head of Ecommerce at CurrentBody during its rapid growth from £5 million online revenue to £50 million plus.We cover three key growth topics:Key learnings from managing hype cycles around major sporting events like World CupsFrom £5m to £100m: what breaks when ecommerce scales & how do you handle this effectively?The ecommerce team nobody sees: how to build an operating rhythm that actually drives revenue.And of course, AI is mentioned 🙂Fanatics operates a vertical commerce model. By controlling everything from exclusive manufacturing to direct sales, they have transformed from a traditional sports retailer into a multifaceted digital sports empire.They use real-time supply chains to turn sudden sports moments, like championship wins, into merchandise within hours. This "hot market" strategy captures sales at peak emotional engagement and reduces excess inventory risk.We get into the reality of managing hype cycles around big fixtures, finals and player moments; they create huge spikes in demand but not all brands are ready to act fast. Chris explains that when the emotion disappears, the opportunity can vanish in seconds, so success depends on having the right stock, content, approvals and trading actions lined up in advance.Chris was previously Head of Ecommerce at CurrentBody when they went through rapid growth. We discuss the hidden complexity of fast growth, including what breaks as businesses move from £5m to £50m and beyond. Chris highlights why systems, data quality, guardrails and clear decision-making become essential as complexity rises. A major theme is the shift from hero-led growth to repeatable execution: at smaller stages, a few strong individuals can carry the business, but at scale the organisation needs robust processes, strong accountability and a clear operating rhythm.We also delve into managing and maintaining teams through that change by setting transparent KPIs, running focused trading meetings, keeping communication candid and creating a culture where people understand both the numbers and the wider commercial context.The episode also reflects on recruitment and cultural fit, stressing that the right people need to be adaptable, commercially minded and able to thrive in a fast-changing environment.In the obligatory nod to AI, we focus on AI as an enabler of better operations rather than a replacement for people, using it to remove repetitive tasks, improve analysis and help teams focus on higher-value work.
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  EP350: Marketing Measurement In The Age of AI - What Shopify Brands Need To Know, With Grind Coffee & Omni 22.06.2026 21мин

  "Make sure customer touchpoints are cohesive and the data is clean. The average brand has 20+ apps and there's a lot of noise in that data. Removing that noise avoids wasted ad spend and drives more revenue."Episode summary:The major networks including Google & Meta are investing heavily in AI to automate campaign creative and targeting. As the capabilities accelerate, brands need to understand the role AI plays in marketing strategy.In this panel discussion, the CEO of Shopify datalayer specialist Littledata and marketing leaders from the brands using it, discuss the pre-requisites for using AI in marketing.The conversation covers:How to improve the quality of signal you're feeding the algorithms.What data matters most when enabling AI in marketing.Focusing on keeping data clean, reducing the noise from the apps and 3rd parties generating data points.Sensible adoption of AI in marketing, retaining a careful control on quality of execution.The panelists:Edward Upton, CEO at Littledata.Teddy Robinson, Chief of Staff at Grind Coffee.Dan Eales, Head of Growth at Omni.
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  EP349: Are Agentic Storefronts The Future of Ecommerce? Manors Golf Co-Founder On Investing In Agentic & The Transformative Impact It Is Having On Customer Experience 16.06.2026 28мин

  Agentic storefronts attract divided opinions. From early adopters convinced they're an innovative way to service online customers who need a deeper level of assistance, akin to an in-store sales assistant, to cynics who see this as a distraction from fixing your main website.That's why we invited Jojo Regan, co-founder at Manors Golf, to join us and explain how & why they've launched an agentic storefront to complement the main website. As a self-confessed early adopter of technology, Jojo offers an interesting perspective on the role agentic storefronts can play within an ecommerce strategy.In Jojo's opinion, some brands are missing a huge opportunity by sticking to static, traditional ecommerce experiences. We explore how leveraging AI-driven, conversation-based storefronts can transform customer engagement and boost sales.His vision is for a golf apparel brand that lets customers chat, discover and personalise their shopping journey in real-time, without the limitations of static pages. Jojo explains how Manners Golf is pioneering this shift by integrating an agentic storefront powered by large language models (LLMs). He discusses the strategic thinking behind enhancing traditional online stores with dynamic, interactive experiences that mimic walking into a physical shop, where personalised recommendations and discovery happen naturally.Tune in for the following:The way early adoption of innovative tech like agentic storefronts keeps Manors ahead of the curve in ecommerce.The impact of conversational experiences on key metric, such as a 54% reduction in return rate.The future of AI-enabled shopping: personalisedand highly engaging environments that anticipate consumer expectations.Why early investment in these technologies positions brands as industry leaders in the coming AI-driven retail landscape.How Manors Golf employs a team with creative and technical expertise to produce viral content that drives a top-of-funnel strategy without heavy paid marketing.It's still very early days for agentic storefronts, so real-world case studies will help you build your understanding of what is possible, and what is relevant.
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  EP348: From Cult Brand To Global Business - Axel Arigato CEO Albin Johansson On The Importance of Authenticity For Building A Brand 11.06.2026 22мин

  "I think it's very important to stand for something. If I die today or tomorrow, will I be missed? And if the answer is no, what am I doing here? I need to change what I'm doing. I want to be liked. And that's the same for us as a brand."Episode summaryOur Pulse Special series features the hottest content from the UK's leading ecommerce event, including panel discussions with respected brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this episode, Axel Arigato’s CEO & co-founder, Albin Johansson, shares the ambitious steps he took to transform a small Swedish label into a worldwide phenomenon, from launching the “drop of the week” strategy to opening stores in London, New York and Dubai.Most brands chase fleeting attention; Axel Arigato’s story proves that a sustained focus on authenticity, community and physical presence can turn a niche brand into a global icon.Discover how they built their brand on the principles of genuine connection and staying true to their roots, despite scaling in a noisy, distracted digital world.We break down the importance of “top of mind” thinking, the power of physical spaces in a digital era, and why authenticity beats superficial trends every time. You’ll learn how Axel Arigato navigated turning a risky brick-and-mortar expansion into a success, and why their deliberate, community-focused approach keeps them relevant, even after more than a decade of growth.If you’re wondering how to stand out without sacrificing your core values, this episode will inspire you to get back to basics. Albin's journey is proof that genuine, purposeful brand building can cut through the noise and create a lasting global footprint.Podcast HighlightsBuilding with Intent: Albin discusses the importance of authenticity and being genuine in brand building, emphasizing the need to own something unique in the market.From Digital to Physical: The transition from a 100% digital brand to opening physical stores, highlighting the importance of meeting customers in person and presenting the brand's universe.Lessons Learned: Albin reflects on the mistakes made during rapid scaling, emphasizing the need to return to the brand's core values and not accept mediocrity.Community and Authenticity: The focus on building and inspiring a community, and the challenges of maintaining authenticity in a crowded market.
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  EP347: The Operational Strategies Driving Cross-Border Ecommerce Growth For Rat & Boa + Studio Nicholson 10.06.2026 20мин

  Our Pulse Special series features the hottest content from the UK's leading ecommerce event, including panel discussions with respected brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this panel, ecommerce leaders discuss the operational capabilities that are critical to global commerce success.Panelists:Alister Hewitt, Director of Technology & Operations at Rat & BoaSara Gomes, Ecommerce Manager at Studio NicholsonRoss Allsop, Global Brand Advisor, Swap Commerce.Key discussion points:Maintaining brand integrity as you expand globally.Managing growth in the US through turbulent times.Strategies to smooth operations for handling returns.How operational inputs can improve the front-end customer experience.Keeping brand control & authenticity across agentic journeys.View all Pulse panels.About PulsePulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing. It takes place over 2 days every year in London, UK, with its sister New York event in September.FOLLOW US:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/ 
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  EP346: Sportsshoes Doesn't Just Run Promotional Offers; They Make Every One Count with Senior Performance Marketing Manage Sian Wells 09.06.2026 17мин

  Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this panel,  Dan Bond of Revlifter & Sian Wells, Senior Performance Marketing Manager at Sportsshoes, explain the challenges of using promotions strategically to drive positive results and minimise unnecessary margin erosion.Key discussion points:Understanding the damage promotions can have on brandsKnowing when a promotion should be used & whyUsing data to improve targetingPersonalisation in performance marketing - using promotions more effectivelyVisit insidecommerce.fm to access the full Pulse panel series.About PulsePulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing. It takes place over 2 days every year in London, UK, with its sister New York event in September.
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  EP345: What Gymshark's Ex CEO Learned About The Economics Of Scale Going From £5m to £500m+ 05.06.2026 20мин

  Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.In this panel, ex Gymshark CEO Steve Hewitt, now founder of Whanau Advisory, talks about the economics of scale. Steve joined Gymshark when it was at £5 million revenue, and oversaw its rapid growth to £500 million +, leading the business through investment and a £1 billion+ valuation. He talks about their four buckets for success:1. What's the brand's purpose?2. Who does it exist for?3. What is the brand's value set?4. What is the business model and how scalable is it?He explores the dynamics of investment and how investors evaluate the investment potential for ecommerce brands.It's an incredible opportunity to get expert advice from a seasoned ecommerce executive who understands the commercial dynamics of growth and investment.About PulsePulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing.It takes place over 2 days every year in London, UK, with it sister New York event in September.