eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
Steve Hutt | Shopify and eCommerce Expert
Running a Shopify store? You already know success isn't about finding the right app—it's about knowing which strategies actually work at your specific stage of growth.
I'm Steve Hutt, and I've lived every level of the ecommerce journey. From eBay Power Seller shipping products from my garage, to co-founding and scaling VisionPros.com (an optical DTC startup) through to a successful exit, then spending 6+ years as a Shopify Merchant Success Manager helping 100+ brands from startup to enterprise scale, including working with teams at Tentree, Dr. Squatch, Bulletproof Coffee, Salt & Straw Ice Cream, MUD/WTR, Bokksu, and many more.
Here's what makes this podcast different: I've been on both sides of the table.
6+ years working inside Shopify gave me access to what's coming before most merchants know it exists. Building, scaling, and successfully exiting my own ecommerce businesses taught me what actually works when your money and reputation are on the line. That combination of insider access plus real operator experience gives you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Since 2018, eCommerce Fastlane has delivered over 430 episodes and more than 2 million downloads to ambitious Shopify founders and marketers. Every week, I chat with operators, developers, and experts who share what's actually moving the needle right now—not theory, but patterns I've seen work consistently across dozens of brands at multiple stages.
Whether you're launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, every episode gives you stage-aware strategies you can implement this week. We dig into Shopify apps, digital marketing, retention tactics, AI tools, and the operational stuff that actually reduces overwhelm—while building customer loyalty that lasts.
You'll learn how to leverage emerging tech without losing what makes your brand unique. You'll also hear real founder stories, including lessons from my own journey building and exiting a DTC brand, plus insights from guests across 430+ episodes who've been exactly where you are.
This isn't content for content's sake. It's what you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's built, scaled, and exited—and helped hundreds of others do the same.
Ready to grow smarter, not just faster? Join thousands of founders and marketers in the eCommerce Fastlane community through our podcast, newsletter, blog, and forthcoming book "Thriving with Shopify."
Steve Hutt
DTC Founder | Podcast Host
Find Us Online
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
I'm Steve Hutt, and I've lived every level of the ecommerce journey. From eBay Power Seller shipping products from my garage, to co-founding and scaling VisionPros.com (an optical DTC startup) through to a successful exit, then spending 6+ years as a Shopify Merchant Success Manager helping 100+ brands from startup to enterprise scale, including working with teams at Tentree, Dr. Squatch, Bulletproof Coffee, Salt & Straw Ice Cream, MUD/WTR, Bokksu, and many more.
Here's what makes this podcast different: I've been on both sides of the table.
6+ years working inside Shopify gave me access to what's coming before most merchants know it exists. Building, scaling, and successfully exiting my own ecommerce businesses taught me what actually works when your money and reputation are on the line. That combination of insider access plus real operator experience gives you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Since 2018, eCommerce Fastlane has delivered over 430 episodes and more than 2 million downloads to ambitious Shopify founders and marketers. Every week, I chat with operators, developers, and experts who share what's actually moving the needle right now—not theory, but patterns I've seen work consistently across dozens of brands at multiple stages.
Whether you're launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, every episode gives you stage-aware strategies you can implement this week. We dig into Shopify apps, digital marketing, retention tactics, AI tools, and the operational stuff that actually reduces overwhelm—while building customer loyalty that lasts.
You'll learn how to leverage emerging tech without losing what makes your brand unique. You'll also hear real founder stories, including lessons from my own journey building and exiting a DTC brand, plus insights from guests across 430+ episodes who've been exactly where you are.
This isn't content for content's sake. It's what you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's built, scaled, and exited—and helped hundreds of others do the same.
Ready to grow smarter, not just faster? Join thousands of founders and marketers in the eCommerce Fastlane community through our podcast, newsletter, blog, and forthcoming book "Thriving with Shopify."
Steve Hutt
DTC Founder | Podcast Host
Find Us Online
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jan 27, 2026 • 38min
Why Alibaba Shows You The Wrong Suppliers First (And What Top Brands Do Instead)
Alibaba makes 90% of revenue from supplier advertising—meaning the factories you see first simply paid the most to rank there.In this episode, discover:Why Alibaba's pay-to-rank model keeps premium suppliers (like those manufacturing for Lululemon and Calvin Klein) off directories, and how customs data from Vietnam, Mexico, India, and China reveals actual factory qualityThe compliance risk that cost brands hundreds of thousands: how US DNA testing on Xinjiang cotton caught unsuspecting brands, and why sanction screening prevents customs seizuresSourceReady's AI workflow consolidating trend research, product redesign, supplier discovery, and quote automation—replacing weeks of email ping-pong with verified manufacturer dataRicky Ho is founder of SourceReady and third-generation manufacturing family. He raised venture capital from Sequoia and GGV, earning Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-444/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Jan 20, 2026 • 38min
162,000 Discount Codes Analyzed: The Unique Strategy That's Secretly Driving Shopify's Top Brands
Most Shopify stores are bleeding margin with generic discount codes that get scraped, shared, and abused—while missing the strategic segmentation that actually drives conversions.In this episode, discover:How switching from "WELCOME10" to unique codes prevents coupon abuse while enabling targeted offers for new subscribers, win-back campaigns, and VIP segments—without the CFO panic about unlimited liabilityWhy 46% of distributed codes expire unused (revealing hidden opportunities in your customer data) and how brands like Viore and Allbirds use this intelligence to optimize discount strategies across 20,000+ merchant benchmarksThe personalization shift happening right now: moving from blanket discounts to behavior-based offers that make customers feel valued while protecting margins—especially critical after Shopify's 20x variant limit increaseCara Marin is Product Owner for Bulk Discount Codebot at Seguno. Her team analyzed 162,000 discount code sets to create the industry's first comprehensive benchmarking report on strategic discounting.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-443/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Jan 13, 2026 • 32min
Why Shopify Brands Need a Data Layer (Not Just Better Tracking)
Ed Upton, CEO and founder of Littledata, dives into the complexities of tracking data accuracy for Shopify brands. He discusses the discrepancies in revenue reporting between platforms like Facebook, Google, and Shopify. Ed reveals how server-side tracking can bridge the 20-30% revenue gap and the power of a unified data layer for enhanced customer insights. He also explores how accurate data feeds improve ad performance across Meta and Google, and how Littledata optimizes email flows on Klaviyo. Actionable tips await brands of all sizes!
Jan 6, 2026 • 32min
The Hidden Nexus Trap Costing Shopify Sellers Thousands
Most Shopify sellers have no idea they're breaking tax laws until it's too late—and the penalties are brutal.In this episode, discover:Four types of nexus that trigger tax obligations beyond economic thresholds: physical locations, affiliate commissions, click-through traffic, and even trade show attendance create instant compliance requirementsWhy Amazon FBA sellers get blindsided when launching Shopify stores—Amazon handles sales tax automatically while Shopify puts the burden entirely on you, creating massive compliance gaps2025's aggressive tax changes: Illinois eliminating transaction thresholds, California charging $800 minimum just to store one product, and states adding new service taxes monthlyReuben Mattinson is CEO of RJM Tax Exemption, serving 4,000+ e-commerce businesses as the #1 rated tax compliance firm on TrustPilot in the Shopify ecosystem.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-441/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Dec 30, 2025 • 50min
Why Conversion Rate Is a Vanity Metric (And the 4 Numbers That Actually Matter)
Most CRO agencies chase test velocity while your conversion problems go undiagnosed—here's the research framework that changes everything.In this episode, discover:Why 80% of optimization work should happen before you launch a single test, using research to understand customer psychology instead of copying competitorsThe Intrasite Funnel diagnostic framework that reveals the four critical metrics Shopify's analytics completely miss (including the product discovery gap)How conversion rate is actually a vanity metric—95% influenced by ad spend and traffic source changes, not your button colors or layoutsAnthony Morgan is Founder and CEO of Enavi. He's built a reputation as a contrarian in the CRO space, pioneering "human-obsessed CRO" that prioritizes customer research over rapid-fire testing.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-440/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Dec 23, 2025 • 40min
Why 56% of Searches Now Skip Your Store—And How to Show Up in AI Answers
AI is reshaping customer discovery, and if you're not showing up in ChatGPT or Perplexity recommendations, you're invisible.In this episode, discover:Why Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) matters now—AI recommendations convert 5x better than Google clicks while 56% of searches result in zero clicksThe revenue optimization framework that helped brands scale past 8 figures: converting just 3 more customers per 100 visitors doubles your ability to buy market shareHow to diagnose revenue leaks through funnel metrics (add-to-cart → checkout → completion) rather than chasing vanity metrics like overall conversion rateMatt Stafford is Managing Director at Build Grow Scale. He's optimized over $1 billion in cart transactions and specializes in helping DTC brands scale profitably through data-driven optimization.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-439/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Dec 16, 2025 • 31min
Inside BFCM 2025: What ShipBob Saw Across Millions Of Orders (And What Brands Need to Know for 2026)
Shopify merchants generated $14 billion over BFCM weekend—but the real test starts now with fulfillment execution and operational strategy.In this episode, discover:Why apparel, beauty, and toys grew 20-40% YoY while you're strategically timing inventory to avoid cash pressure (the inbound spike happened one week later than last year)How international markets exploded with Canada up 400% and Australia 250%, creating immediate expansion opportunities you can execute this quarterThe exact moment to transition from self-fulfillment to 3PL—and why focusing on your core competency beats operational heroics at any revenue stageJames Solier is Senior Vice President of Central Operations at ShipBob. He oversees fulfillment operations serving thousands of DTC brands from startup to household names.Whether you're doing $50K months or $5M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-438/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Dec 10, 2025 • 28min
1-Hour Delivery Meets Bulletproof Hardware: Shopify Winter Editions 2026
Bluetooth scanners failing during your busiest checkout rush is about to become a problem of the past.In this episode, discover:How Shopify's new POS Hub eliminates the wireless peripheral failures that generate most retail support tickets—using wired connections that work with legacy hardware worth thousandsWhy 1-hour local delivery via Uber Direct integration matters more in the final December week (retail's biggest) than during Black Friday weekendHow to enroll in-store customers into subscriptions and manage stock counts natively on POS across multiple global marketsRay Reddy is VP of Retail at Shopify. He leads the team behind POS innovations for brick-and-mortar brands operating from single locations to global retail chains.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-437/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Dec 4, 2025 • 36min
The $250K Problem Hiding In Your Warehouse Corner
Most DTC brands lose 15-30% of their margin to return processing mistakes they don't even know they're making.In this episode, discover:Why the "chaos corner" in your warehouse costs more than the actual refunds—from restocking delays to inventory write-offs that silently destroy profit marginsHow 50-500% return volume spikes in January-February create your biggest hidden opportunity to recover margin (not just process faster)The 5-minute Shopify integration that turns return data into actionable P&L insights before your next BFCM wave hitsKyle Bertin is Co-founder and CEO of Two Boxes, a returns processing platform. His work touring major fulfillment centers at Outrider revealed the same problem everywhere: billion-dollar logistics operations with returns sections stuck 30 years in the past.Whether you're doing $10K months or $1M months, this conversation delivers actionable insights you can implement this week.📝 Full show notes, strategic takeaways, and resources: https://ecommercefastlane.com/podcast/episode-436/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
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Dec 2, 2025 • 42min
AI Agents That Actually Work: How DTC Brands Save 200+ Hours Monthly (Without Engineers)
Ibby Syed, co-founder of Cotera and a former data scientist at Peloton, shares insights on leveraging AI-driven autonomous agents for DTC brands. He explains how these agents save time by automating repetitive tasks without the need for constant oversight. Discover a real-world example where a fitness brand quickly identified influencers from top customers, a task that once took months. Ibby also discusses bridging the gap between data teams and marketers, emphasizing the strategic advantages of adopting AI in e-commerce.
