The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Brandon Horoho, co-founder of Montana Knife Company, shares how they achieved a staggering $1.7 million over Black Friday without discounts. He reveals the secret sauce: five targeted product drops for distinct buyer personas and an aggressive email cadence. Surprisingly, he's excited when his repeat customer rate dips, highlighting his focus on attracting new buyers. Brandon also discusses VIP gifts that delight customers and the unique marketing strategies that set them apart, like curated gift boxes and rapid product launches.

Aaron Glazer, Product Lead at Shopify, shares insights on two groundbreaking features for merchants: Rollouts and SimGym. Rollouts allows for native split testing directly in the Shopify admin, empowering merchants with data-driven decisions. SimGym employs AI to simulate shopper behavior, identifying usability issues before they impact real customers. Glazer emphasizes the importance of bold testing and offers practical advice on how to leverage these tools for effective store optimization.

Shopify's latest updates are game-changers for store owners. Native A/B testing now allows for easy split testing and scheduling changes. The new SimGym can simulate user behavior to enhance conversion. Excitingly, the Product Network lets users earn commissions easily, with one earning $1,400 in just 30 days. Plus, the Shop App has soared in popularity, ranking #1 over BFCM. Learn how to leverage these tools for your business success and make the most out of the latest features.

Nehal Kazim, Founder and CEO of Ad Pros, is a seasoned performance marketer with a knack for profitability-first acquisition strategies. In this discussion, Nehal dives into the chaos sparked by Meta's Andromeda update, highlighting the costly trend of overproducing creatives. He shares insights on tracking daily new-customer margins and matching creative output to budget, emphasizing smart acquisition strategies. Plus, he reveals why focusing on high-LTV customer cohorts can optimize profits and challenges businesses to align their actions with true customer acquisition goals.

Kate Assaraf, founder of DIP Haircare and former beauty industry veteran, shares her remarkable journey of creating a million-dollar, plastic-free shampoo bar business. She discusses her decision to avoid Amazon and influencer marketing in favor of building strong local retail partnerships. Kate reveals how she built her own manufacturing facility after a partner went under, all while focusing on sustainable practices. Her unique approach highlights the power of community and ethical decision-making in a market driven by growth hacks.

Cara Marin, an e-commerce product expert at Seguno, shares groundbreaking insights from analyzing 162,000 discount code sets. She reveals that successful brands discount more intelligently with unique codes and segmentation, preserving their value while boosting sales. Surprisingly, a 10% discount can be almost as effective as 20%. Cara also discusses strategies like gift-with-purchase offers, avoiding public discounts, and the power of unique codes for tracking affiliate success. Her data-driven approach turns traditional discount strategies on their head, making this a must-listen for retailers.

Bora Celik, a seasoned software engineer and founder of Agentic, dives into the revolutionary world of AI agents that automate influencer outreach without human intervention. He argues that SaaS is dead, and shares how brands like Harney & Sons Tea utilize AI to find creators, negotiate deals, and manage campaigns effortlessly. Bora also discusses the power of vector databases for matching creators and the high-impact potential of agents in customer service. Discover where to start with these tools and learn about limitations to consider!

Celia Hatch, the dynamic founder of Buff Clucks and a serial entrepreneur, shares the extraordinary journey from a dream about chicken supplements to running a seven-figure business. She discusses how her son's school project sparked the idea and how she scaled it using Meta ads and innovative marketing strategies. Celia reveals insights on the booming backyard chicken market, the importance of educating customers through content, and the clever 'sneeze warning' that set her brand apart. Tune in for tips on scaling, subscriptions, and her wish for an improved Shopify store!

Shopify has dramatically increased the variant limit to 2,048, but beware of a sneaky 250 soft limit that can disrupt themes. Developers are buzzing about the new VS Code-based theme editor, while merchants express their frustration. The new unlisted product status offers a clever way to hide gifts and private sales. Plus, Shopify Plus now supports ACH payments for B2B transactions. The hosts explore how follow-up emails and the Shop app boost reviews, and they share tips for optimizing homepage design.

Kurt and Filip break down buy-two-get-two offers that crush percentage discounts, why five emails on Black Friday is actually conservative, and the three-week framework 8-figure brands use to win Q4. If you're planning to send a couple emails on Cyber Monday and call it done, this episode will make you rethink everything.SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & moregetswym.com/kurtCleverific - Smart order editing for Shopifycleverific.comZipify - Build high-converting sales funnelszipify.com/KURTLINKSFilip Pejic on X: https://x.com/BallinFilBedford Marketing: https://www.bedfordmarketing.co/The Paper Boy Newsletter: https://thepaperboy.beehiiv.com/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.