

eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
Steve Hutt | Shopify Expert | eCommerce Expert
Welcome to eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection. I’m Steve Hutt, your experienced guide and host, here to help you unlock real, sustainable growth for your Shopify store by blending the best of automation with the power of authentic customer relationships.
Since 2016, eCommerce Fastlane has been the weekly pit-stop for ambitious DTC founders and marketers. With over 1.5 million downloads and 400+ episodes, this show is your trusted resource for:
- Proven Shopify strategies, apps, and best practices that drive measurable results
- Digital marketing tactics and retention playbooks that balance AI with genuine human touch
- Real-world founder stories and lessons learned from my own journey and 400+ interviews with industry leaders
- Deep dives into emerging tech (AI, AR/VR, automation) and how to use it without losing your brand’s soul
- Operations, logistics, and customer experience solutions that reduce overwhelm and foster loyalty
Each week, I sit down with Shopify partners, marketing experts, and successful store owners who share what’s actually working right now—no fluff, just actionable, battle-tested strategies.
Whether you’re launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, you’ll walk away from every episode with at least one practical idea you can implement immediately.
Ready to thrive in today’s fast-paced ecommerce world—growing smarter, not just faster? Hit subscribe and join thousands of merchants building customer-centric, future-proof brands with eCommerce Fastlane.
Let’s unlock your store’s true potential—together.
Steve Hutt
x-Shopify - DTC Founder - Podcast Host
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
Since 2016, eCommerce Fastlane has been the weekly pit-stop for ambitious DTC founders and marketers. With over 1.5 million downloads and 400+ episodes, this show is your trusted resource for:
- Proven Shopify strategies, apps, and best practices that drive measurable results
- Digital marketing tactics and retention playbooks that balance AI with genuine human touch
- Real-world founder stories and lessons learned from my own journey and 400+ interviews with industry leaders
- Deep dives into emerging tech (AI, AR/VR, automation) and how to use it without losing your brand’s soul
- Operations, logistics, and customer experience solutions that reduce overwhelm and foster loyalty
Each week, I sit down with Shopify partners, marketing experts, and successful store owners who share what’s actually working right now—no fluff, just actionable, battle-tested strategies.
Whether you’re launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, you’ll walk away from every episode with at least one practical idea you can implement immediately.
Ready to thrive in today’s fast-paced ecommerce world—growing smarter, not just faster? Hit subscribe and join thousands of merchants building customer-centric, future-proof brands with eCommerce Fastlane.
Let’s unlock your store’s true potential—together.
Steve Hutt
x-Shopify - DTC Founder - Podcast Host
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 9, 2023 • 47min
The Compounding Effect Of Ecommerce SEO: Building Relevancy And Authority With Josh George Of ClickSlice
In the latest episode of the eCommerceFastlane Podcast, I had the pleasure of having a great discussion with Josh George, founder of ClickSlice. We discussed how to get your Shopify store onto the first page of Google through ecommerce SEO. He shares a success story of a men's shaving products brand that saw a 73% increase in orders and over 60 keywords ranking on the first page after a bespoke SEO campaign.The episode emphasizes the importance of organic traffic, especially as relying solely on paid ads becomes riskier. It also highlights the complexity of the Google algorithm and the necessity of long-term thinking for continued growth.Additionally, Josh shares how his company specializes in complete SEO solutions for e-commerce on Shopify, with a minimum investment of £2000 per month.Discover valuable insights from the latest Shopify podcast to boost your store's profits and optimize revenue. Access the mentioned resources today and take your store's success to the next level.Reach out to us! We welcome any comments or questions about this episode. Connect with us here or through our social media channels — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and business knowledge, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for the most up-to-date strategies and tactics.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 8, 2023 • 40min
How To Use Customer Experience And AI To Drive Retention And Sales With Marcin Stoll Of Tidio
On today's episode of the Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Marcin Stoll, the Chief Product Officer at Tidio.We discuss how their platform helps businesses grow sales through excellent customer service. According to Marto, live chat is the most convenient way to communicate with customers and can often result in sales.Tidio's platform focuses on two main areas: providing excellent customer support and creating and leveraging sales opportunities—their product development centers on understanding visitors' intent and providing proactive communication. Tidio can give context for engagement and personalized experiences by tracking a visitor's journey on a website.But Tidio doesn't stop there. They also help businesses understand where their website traffic is coming from and recognize returning visitors. And while they use AI to automate some repetitive questions and improve response times, they emphasize the importance of maintaining a personalized customer experience.Discover valuable insights from the latest Shopify podcast to boost your store's profits and optimize revenue. Access the mentioned resources today and take your store's success to the next level.Reach out to us! We welcome any comments or questions you may have about our latest episode. Connect with us here or through our social media channels — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and business knowledge, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for the most up-to-date strategies and tactics.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 7, 2023 • 45min
Next Generation Automation Enhances Brand Performance And Conversion With Erik Christiansen Of Justuno
Welcome to eCommerce Fastlane, the podcast where we delve into the world of eCommerce and digital marketing to bring you the latest insights and strategies for success in the online retail space. In this episode, host Steve Hutt is joined by Erik Christiansen, CEO of Justuno, a leading conversion automation platform.Steve and Erik discuss the challenges and opportunities facing digital marketers today, and they explore the power of leveraging consumer data, integrating technology platforms, and creating personalized customer experiences. Tune in as they share their expertise, offer valuable insights, and provide a special discount code for the audience.It’s time to unlock the secrets to optimizing conversion rates and driving profitability in the fast-paced world of eCommerce. 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.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more.

Apr 9, 2023 • 43min
Improve Your Shopify Store Paid Social Performance With Dave Bunce Of HawkeAI
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Dave Bunce, the President of Hawke.aiHawkeAI provides comprehensive, easy-to-read dashboards that compile and transform your marketing data for more efficient analysis and insight. It can identify potential issues and provide benchmarking statistics, ensuring you can address problems before they escalate.With HawkeAI's powerful analysis tools, you can save time and make informed, intelligent decisions - optimizing spend between platforms, benchmarking performance, and reviewing automated suggestions.Enjoy the benefits of today's ecommerce podcast and learn how to increase your Shopify store's revenue and maximize your profits. Unlock the power of this essential information and resources to give your store the boost it needs!Reach out to us! We welcome any comments or questions you may have about our latest episode. Connect with us here or through our social media channels — your feedback is always welcome.TwitterLinkedInFacebookFor more ecommerce, marketing, and business knowledge, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for the most up-to-date strategies and tactics.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 5, 2023 • 44min
Create The Ultimate Unboxing Experience Through Custom Eco-Friendly Packaging With Phil Akhzar Of Arka
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Phillip Akhzar, the Founder and CEO of Arka.Phil Akhzar learned about the importance of eco-friendly packaging through his work in supply chain logistics and industrial engineering. He discovered how important it was to have sustainable packaging that was accessible and affordable, to make sure the impression a customer received was consistent with the brand ethos. He was determined to make sustainable packaging accessible to all businesses and ensure his customers had a guilt-free checkout experience. Through hard work and dedication, Phil achieved his goal and provided a high-quality product to his customers.According to a recent study, 85% of consumers globally have indicated that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years. This is the time to invest in eco-friendly packaging for your business to meet the growing customer demand and combat climate change.You can use the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, please get in touch with us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookWe love your feedback!Are you hungry for continued knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 26, 2023 • 57min
Marketing Attribution Is Broken For Shopify Stores. Here’s How To Fix It With Pavel Petrinich Of SegmentStream
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Pavel Petrinich the Co-Founder and CRO of SegmentStream.SegmentStream is a Conversion Modelling Platform that helps e-commerce & D2C brands drive more sales by providing them with real-time marketing attribution insights. Marketers rely on attribution data to make informed budget allocation decisions, while ad platforms like Google and Facebook Ads use this information to optimize their auto-bidding and targeting algorithms. However, current analytics tools can no longer provide accurate and timely attribution insights due to modern cookie restrictions and complex customer journeys that involve multiple browsers and devices. SegmentStream stands out from other tools by utilizing its proprietary Conversion Modeling technology to accurately measure the incremental value of each website visit into future, predicted conversions, rather than past conversions. This ensures that each traffic source receives the proper value, even if the actual conversion occurs from another device, browser, or cookie. By evaluating website visits in real-time, marketing teams can identify growth opportunities, and ad platforms receive crucial real-time feedback on the incremental value of each ad click. SegmentStream is an official partner of Meta and Google, as well as trusted by L'Oreal, KitchenAid, Omnicom Media Group, and more than 50 other e-commerce brands and agencies.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with implementing high-converting pages to maximize your revenue.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 46min
Supercharge Your Shopify Store Through High-Converting Landing Pages With Yuxin Zhu Of Replo
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Yuxin Zhu the Co-founder of Replo.Replo is a visual web development platform that allows teams to create beautiful high-performance landing pages on Shopify, without the need for developers. They are light years ahead of other page builders when it comes to customization and page speed. They have a library of hundreds of proven landing pages and sections that anyone can use, as well as certified Experts who can help build new pages in just a few days.Design is a constant experiment and you have to be always testing and iterating to find the perfect balance between form and function for maximum conversion. Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with implementing high-converting pages to maximize your revenue.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 30min
Gain A Competitive Edge With Conversational AI Shopping Experiences With Yoav Oz Of Rep AI
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Yoav Oz, the Co-founder and CEO of Rep AI.Rep is a conversational AI “sales closer” for Shopify ecommerce stores.They enable merchants to maximize their marketing budget by saving soon-to-be-lost traffic and turning them into customers.It automatically finds disengaged customers and provides them with a guided conversational customer experience, helping the site visitor with whatever they need to increase the chance for conversion by 25%.Customers can browse, get recommendations, get product-related information and check out via conversations 24/7.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with improving conversion rate and AOV.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 39min
Validate And Optimize Paid Media Investments Through Incrementality Experiments With Trevor Testwuide Of Measured
Trevor Testwuide, Co-founder and CEO of Measured, shares his insights on incrementality intelligence for media optimization. He explains the importance of measuring the true impact of advertising through controlled experiments. The conversation dives into the challenges of traditional attribution methods and highlights how cohort-based methodologies adapt to privacy regulations. Testwuide emphasizes the need for ongoing experiments in paid media on platforms like Facebook and TikTok to optimize marketing strategies and improve outcomes for brands.

Feb 12, 2023 • 48min
Drive Significant Incremental Revenue By Expanding Your Product Mix With Sina Djafari Of Duoplane
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Sina Djafari from Duoplane.Duoplane is an order management platform for Shopify merchants who drop ship or work with multiple fulfillment partners. They help ecommerce merchants to manage and automate their dropship and 3PL workflow by automating order processing, inventory syncing, and vendor payments. Merchants that use distributed fulfilments can scale their business and lower costs but it can be difficult to manage. That’s where Duoplane comes in. They simplify and streamline the whole process of syncing inventory, processing orders, and paying vendors.Unlike other apps, Duoplane is highly configurable and works with all kinds of vendors and workflows.They have extremely fast implementation and a high dedication to great service. There’s never been a better time to implement an order management app as distributed fulfillment is becoming more available with a growing number of vendors wanting to dropship.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience,Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.