eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection

Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane! A fundamental shift is underway in how customers discover and purchase products, and most Shopify merchants are unaware of it.The days of relying solely on Google search are numbered as consumers increasingly turn to AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for buying advice.But here’s the problem: 80-90% of Shopify stores are currently invisible to these AI platforms.Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on this new “AI Commerce” with a true industry insider. My guest is Tanner Larson, CEO of Built to Scale and author of the wildly popular book, E-commerce Evolved. Tanner has spent the last year working behind closed doors in the AI Commerce beta programs for major AI platforms, giving him a front-row seat to the biggest disruption since the smartphone.If you’ve ever wondered why your store isn’t getting recommended by AI, Tanner explains that it’s not an SEO problem—it’s an infrastructure problem. This episode is a masterclass on how to fix that visibility gap and position your brand for the $47.6 billion revenue shift that’s happening right now.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane! If you’re running a Shopify store, you know the pain of email overload, endless internal threads, and the chaos that comes with managing customer conversations across multiple channels.Today, we’re tackling “inbox chaos” head-on with a tool designed to unify your team’s communication, streamline support, and bring true context-awareness to every customer interaction.Joining me is Philippe Lehoux, co-founder and CEO of Missive—a collaborative communication platform trusted by over 25,000 teams worldwide. Philippe’s spent the last decade obsessing over how to break down the silos between internal and external communication, and his platform is now a go-to for Shopify merchants who want to turn their service side from a cost center into a profit center.Whether you’re a solo founder drowning in emails or a fast-growing brand scaling your support team, you’ll hear actionable strategies to reduce context switching, leverage AI for smarter workflows, and create a seamless customer experience that drives loyalty and growth. Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane! Today, we’re diving into the world of challenger brands and what it really takes to break into—and win—in a market dominated by legacy giants.If you’ve ever walked down the cleaning aisle, you know it’s ruled by “Big Clean”—massive CPG players with decades of brand equity. But what happens when a new player, powered by celebrity founders and a mission-driven approach, decides to shake things up? Enter Clean Boss, a botanical cleaning brand co-founded by Joy Mangano (yes, the Miracle Mop inventor and inspiration for the movie “Joy”) and global superstar Pitbull.To unpack their journey, I’m joined by Nevin Jethmalani, Chief Digital Officer. Nevin’s got a front-row seat to what it takes to build a brand from scratch, leverage star power, and scale across DTC, Amazon, Walmart, and beyond. Whether you’re up against entrenched competitors or just looking for ways to stand out in a crowded market, you’ll hear actionable strategies for profitable acquisition, omnichannel growth, and building a business that lasts beyond the celebrity spotlight. Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Ray Reddy, VP of Product for Retail at Shopify, discusses groundbreaking advancements with the Shopify Summer Editions 2025. He unveils the transformative Shopify POS 10, designed to enhance efficiency and unify online and in-store experiences. Reddy explains how this update optimizes customer interactions and streamlines workflows, empowering merchants to thrive in a competitive landscape. With a focus on intuitive design and improving user journeys, he highlights the importance of integrating technology to meet retail challenges head-on.

Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane! I'm Steve Hutt, and today we're diving into something that honestly blew my mind during our conversation.Picture this: 95 million active buyers actively searching for unique products, built-in traffic you don't have to pay for, and a platform where most successful sellers never touch ads. Sounds too good to be true? That's exactly what I thought about Etsy before talking with today's guest.I'm chatting with Dylan Jahraus, who built a million-dollar Etsy shop, then pivoted to teaching others how to do the same. She's the founder of The Ultimate Etsy Ecourse and created etSEO, an AI tool that takes the guesswork out of Etsy SEO. But here's what really caught my attention—Dylan shows Shopify store owners how to use Etsy as their secret weapon for free traffic and customer research.If you've been burning cash on ads or struggling to find new customers, this conversation might just change how you think about growing your business.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Welcome back to eCommerce Fastlane. I'm your host, Steve Hutt. Ever felt like negative Amazon reviews are sabotaging your hard-earned sales, or that your product listings are quietly losing ground without you even knowing?You're not alone. In today's landscape, managing your brand's reputation across both Shopify and Amazon is more critical—and more complex—than ever.I'm excited to welcome Danan Coleman, CEO of eCom Triage, to the show. Danan's been in the trenches since 2010, helping brands crack the code on legitimate Amazon review removal and proactive catalog monitoring. If you've ever wondered whether you can actually get unfair reviews taken down (without breaking Amazon's rules), or how to safeguard your listings from costly, hidden issues, this episode is for you. You'll discover the exact process Danan uses to remove 5-15% of negative reviews and how even a tiny star rating drop can slash your sales by up to 50%.What You'll LearnAmazon Review Removal Secrets: The truth about getting negative reviews removed (yes, it's possible!) and how star rating drops from 4.3 to 4.2 can slash sales by 50%.Bulletproof Listing Strategy: How to build Amazon listings that convert, plus catalog monitoring to catch costly issues before they hurt your bottom line.Real Results & Protection: Case studies of brands that 5x'd sales velocity, plus proactive steps every Shopify merchant should take to defend their brand on Amazon.Amazon Ads Reality Check: Danan's honest take on when (and if) you should invest in Amazon's advertising ecosystem.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Ever wondered how to truly bridge the gap between your Shopify store and your retail locations? Or maybe you’ve heard the term “clienteling” tossed around by big brands and wondered if it’s just for luxury retailers, or if it can actually move the needle for your business, too? If you’re looking to drive more foot traffic, boost repeat purchases, and finally unify your online and offline experiences, today’s episode is for you.I’m thrilled to welcome back Leigh, co-founder of Endear, for a deep dive into the modern world of clienteling. Leigh has been in the trenches since before the pandemic, helping brands like Glossier, Allbirds, and Untuckit unlock the real potential of their retail stores by connecting them with their ecommerce data. Today, we’re unpacking how Endear is reimagining clienteling for the omnichannel era-making it scalable, data-driven, and accessible for every Shopify merchant ready to elevate their customer experience.What You'll LearnClienteling Demystified: What it really means (spoiler: it’s not just for luxury) and how modern brands are using it to drive sales through genuine relationships.The Omnichannel Advantage: Why unifying your online and offline data is the secret sauce for higher conversion rates, lower returns, and raving fans.CRM as Your Retail Superpower: How Endear’s Shopify-native CRM gives your store associates actionable insights-turning every interaction into a revenue opportunity.Automated, Yet Personal: Practical tactics for scaling thank you notes, VIP outreach, and post-purchase campaigns-without losing the human touch.Driving Foot Traffic (and Revenue): Proven strategies to get your online shoppers into your stores and maximize their lifetime value.Attribution That Makes Sense: How to finally track which messages, associates, and campaigns are actually moving the needle-in store and online.Appointments, Reimagined: Why Endear’s new appointments feature is tailor-made for retail, and how it’s driving 90%+ conversion rates for in-store visits.Scaling Smarter: Lessons from brands like Psycho Bunny and Eleventy on building a culture of relationship-driven selling (and how to templatize what works). Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Are tariffs and supply chain chaos keeping you up at night? Not sure how to forecast inventory or manage cash flow when every shipment from China seems to come with a new surprise fee? If you’re a Shopify merchant importing from overseas, you’ve probably felt the sting of trade wars, unpredictable costs, and the pressure to deliver a seamless customer experience-without draining your bank account.You’re definitely not alone. Today’s DTC reality is throwing curveballs at every direct-to-consumer brand, especially those navigating the ever-evolving landscape of tariffs and global fulfillment. That’s why I’m excited to welcome back Izzy Rosenzweig, founder of Portless, for his encore appearance on the show. Izzy has been in the trenches with hundreds of brands, helping them crack the code on cash flow, inventory agility, and tariff mitigation—especially in this turbulent era of trade wars and shifting global manufacturing.What You'll LearnSurviving Tariffs: Why trade wars aren’t forever, but smart brands need to adapt now to thrive later.Delayed Tariffs, Better Cash Flow: How Portless lets you pay import taxes only when you make a sale-unlocking capital and reducing risk.Agile Inventory & Forecasting: Leveraging smaller MOQs and faster restocks to supercharge your inventory turns and avoid costly overstock.Factory-to-Door in Days: How Portless delivers a “local” shipping experience from China, Vietnam, and soon India-delighting customers with 3-6 day delivery times.Returns, Refurbs, and Realities: Practical strategies for handling returns, QC, and resale in a lean, cross-border supply chain.Beyond China: The real pros and cons of shifting manufacturing to Vietnam, India, Mexico, and beyond-and what you need to know before making a move.Global Expansion Playbook: Why brands are shifting marketing dollars to tariff-free countries, and how Portless helps you tap into 55+ markets with local delivery experiences.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Are you drowning in marketing data from too many platforms? Feeling uncertain about where your ad dollars are actually driving results, especially after the iOS 14 tracking shakeup? Maybe you suspect wasted spend but can’t pinpoint exactly where or why?You’re definitely not alone. Many Shopify merchants grapple with fragmented data, inaccurate attribution, and the frustration of making marketing decisions based on guesswork rather than clear insights.That’s why I’m thrilled to have Gurami Tateshvili, co-founder of MyDataNinja, on the show today. As a serial entrepreneur and Harvard Business School alum who built his own e-commerce businesses and digital agency, Gurami experienced these tracking and attribution pains firsthand. He co-founded MyDataNinja specifically to solve this problem, creating a platform that unifies ecommerce metrics into a single, actionable dashboard.What You’ll LearnNavigating Post-iOS 14 Tracking: Understand the ongoing challenges and why standard pixels often fall short.Accurate Attribution: How server-side and cookieless tracking provide a clearer picture of ad performance across channels (Meta, Google, TikTok, Bing).Unified Data Dashboard: The benefits of seeing all your ad spend, revenue, and key metrics in one place, saving time and enabling faster decisions.Calculating True Profitability: Moving beyond blended ROAS to understand net profit per order and ad campaign by incorporating Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).Identifying Wasted Spend: Techniques to spot inefficiencies, including potential bot traffic and underperforming campaigns.Actionable Insights: How to translate unified data into smarter budget allocation, campaign optimization, and scaling strategies.Offline & Complex Sales: Addressing tracking challenges for scenarios like Cash on Delivery (COD) or orders with returns/cancellations.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

Are you feeling like your Shopify brand could be doing more—maybe you’re struggling to connect the dots between your channels, or you know you’re not getting the most out of your existing customers?You’re not alone. So many brands sense there’s untapped growth, but with commerce evolving so quickly, it’s tough to know what to prioritize or how to fill those expertise gaps.That’s why I’m excited to welcome Dennis Yao, co-founder of The Other Group and my former lead at Shopify, to the show. Dennis has spent over 20 years in retail, wholesale, SaaS, and digital marketplaces—he’s helped mid-market and enterprise brands drive billions in revenue, and now he’s on a mission to help omnichannel brands execute smarter and grow faster.What You'll LearnOmnichannel strategy: How to move from buzzwords to practical execution across retail, DTC, wholesale, and marketplaces.Retention as a growth engine: Why nurturing “raving fans” is the smartest way to boost profitability and customer lifetime value.Social vs. video commerce: What’s working now on TikTok Shop and with shoppable video, and how to resource it.Real-world AI adoption: Where Gen AI is actually shifting the game for brands—think content, support, and the future of SEO.Bridging the execution gap: How to spot and fix missing pieces in your tech stack, strategy, or team.Building authentic community: Simple ways to use content and loyalty to create long-term customer value.Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog.