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 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
8 snips
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.
Nov 25, 2025 • 47min
The $20 Billion Affiliate Mistake: Stop Paying for Customers Who Were Already Buying
You're paying affiliate commissions on customers who were already buying from you—Josh Kennedy calls this the "$20 billion mistake."In this episode, discover:Why 2/3 of affiliate partnerships drain profit instead of driving growth—loyalty platforms and coupon sites intercept checkout without creating valueThe search-first framework that generated $10M in real revenue—reverse-engineer where customers already look for solutions, then build direct creator relationshipsHow to audit your top 10 partners for cannibalization—switching from last-click to multi-touch attribution reveals who actually influences decisions versus who games the systemJosh Kennedy is Founder of Imagine Marketing. He's generated over $10 million in documented affiliate revenue by focusing on upper-funnel content partnerships that drive new customers instead of intercepting existing ones.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-434/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Nov 18, 2025 • 39min
Customer Acquisition Costs Keep Rising—The Multi-Channel Fix Most Brands Are Missing
The customer acquisition playbook that built your business three years ago is actively bleeding money today.In this episode, discover:Why single-channel strategies are crushing margins as CPMs creep up year over year—and the integrated SEO + paid media approach that's reducing customer acquisition costs by treating channels as complementary systems, not competing budgetsHow to extract actionable BFCM insights within 1-2 weeks while you still have Q4 runway to capitalize on Christmas traffic, gift card redemptions, and January clearanceThe "messy middle" reality where customers hit 6-8 touchpoints in 15 minutes—and why brand recall now drives transactions before they reach your cartRuss Macumber is Co-Founder & Managing Director at Impressive Digital. He's worked with e-commerce brands from $2 million to $500 million+ in revenue since 1999, navigating the entire evolution from traditional marketing through today's multi-channel reality.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-433/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
Nov 11, 2025 • 34min
The 2 Discount Types Every Shopify Merchant Needs for BFCM (+ Why Most Are Using the Wrong One)
Here's what most brands get wrong about discounting: they launch site-wide sales that spike orders for a few days, then train customers to never buy at full price again.In this episode, discover:Why quantity-based discounting ("buy more, save more") doesn't condition customers to wait for promotions and can be a permanent offer that protects margins while lifting AOV by 30-40%.The critical difference between bulk tiered pricing and volume bundles—and how to match discount structures to how customers actually want to buy your products instead of just copying competitors.How to use strategic discounting to offset rising CAC from Google algorithm changes, with frameworks that work whether you're spending $500 or $50K monthly on ads.Katie Keith is the Founder and CEO of Barn2, serving 100,000+ stores with insights backed by millions of transactions across the WooCommerce ecosystem, now bringing that expertise to Shopify.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-432/Connect with us:🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevenhutt💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shutt/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrivingwithshopify
