CEO of MIVA and author of Dragonproof Ecommerce Rick Wilson joins me on this episode of “The Commerce Marketer Podcast” to share his perspective on the state of ecommerce and the consumer landscape. Wilson also hosts the “Protecting Your Online Business Podcast,” where he recalls stories and lessons learned from more than 20 years in ecommerce. Wil…

I’m joined by Luke Peters, CEO and founder of NewAir Appliances and host of the Page 1 Podcast, where he shares their blueprint for successfully launching new products. Luke starts by describing his ideal customer (2:15) and why New Air pivoted away from exclusively selling direct-to-consumer (2:50), and then explains how their 50 new product launc…

I’m joined by Carson Finkle, CEO at Tenth Street Hats, to discuss using augmented reality (AR) and 3D product imaging on websites. Carson starts by describing their target audience and why they tested AR on their website (3:00). He explains what the experience looks like for the end-user and why they went with a web-based approach instead of an app…

Bob Hitching, CEO of Playable, joins the podcast to discuss how the time to use video in email marketing has finally arrived. Bob starts by explaining why video is now an effective element of email marketing (2:20), then discusses ways to overcome time and resource constraints of video production (4:30) and use pre-existing video content (6:00). Bo…

In this episode, Greg Zakowicz, senior commerce marketing analyst at Oracle NetSuite, discusses email marketing strategies for the 2019 holiday season. He begins with some of the key takeaways from last year and how they impact this year’s season (1:45), then covers the most appealing discounts and how to integrate them into your email planning (4:…

I’m joined by Nancy Harhut, chief creative officer at HBT Marketing, to discuss how marketers can use behavioral science to nudge their customers and encourage purchase decisions. Nancy starts by covering how “eye magnet” words and the Von Restorff Effect can create more effective email subject lines and headlines (3:40), and then shares which word…

I’m joined by Harry Cunningham, vice president of retail brand experience at Vera Bradley, to discuss what goes into designing modern-day brick-and-mortar stores that appeal to consumers. Harry explains some of the driving forces behind Vera Bradley’s redesign of their storefronts (5:45), and the steps taken when embarking on designing a new store …

I’m joined by Erin Jordan, vice president and partner at Walker Sands Communications, to discuss the key findings of their sixth “Future of Retail” report. Erin discusses the trends the most notable trends and what the report says about consumer convenience and connection (2:00). She breaks down consumers’ expectations of shipping polices (3:00), t…

I’m joined by Erin Hoffman, director of ecommerce at Door County Coffee, to discuss the shifting consumer coffee market and how they use email marketing to engage customers and drive revenue. Erin starts by discussing how the shifting in-home coffee demographic impacted their digital marketing strategy (9:00). She outlines how their email marketing…

I’m joined by Ronald Dod, CMO and co-founder of the ecommerce-focused search marketing agency Visiture, to discuss the current state of SEO, its evolution, and its integration with marketing (1:48). Ron continues with what makes an SEO-friendly title, the role of search intent (3:50), and the impact of dwell time on search results (8:40). He covers…

In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Dennis Kelly, CEO of the direct mail automation company Postalytics, to discuss how to augment digital marketing channels with direct mail. Dennis explains how direct mail has evolved and why its usage is on the rise (2:45). He’ll discuss consumers’ emotional response to direct mail pieces and how to us…

In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Mark Brazil, co-founder of the canvas art company Ikonick, to discuss how he created a multimillion-dollar business in less than two years by combining email, video, social, and influencer marketing. Mark begins by discussing how different social engagement patterns among genders impacted their paid mar…

Jennifer O’Connor of The University of Kansas Bookstore describes the bookstore industry’s evolution (4:30) and how they drive in-store traffic with social media (6:18). She details ways to overcome email segmentation challenges by using other digital marketing channels (13:40) and compete with larger retailers, who can offer larger selections and …

In this episode, co-founder of the influencer marketing agency Viral Nation Joe Gagliese discusses the ins and outs of the billion-dollar influencer marketing industry. Joe sheds light on influencer marketing misconceptions and explains how a brand should determine whether influencer marketing is a good fit for them (9:10). He explains what the pro…

In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Cassidy Stockton and Kevin Irish of Bob’s Red Mill to discuss their use of content, email, social media, and influencer marketing to keep engagement high and drive sales, revealing the strategies that keep their product top of mind with in-store shoppers (7:49). And when it comes to email, they explain …

In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Ben Argov, president of International Wine Accessories (IWA), to discuss how they built their email program from the ground up using lifecycle email marketing to drive nearly half of their 2018 email revenue. We cover the strategies behind triggered campaigns and how to avoid the pitfalls of email fatig…

Whether you’re a B2C or B2B retailer, having a considered Amazon strategy is critical for your business. In this episode of the podcast, B2B & B2C ecommerce strategist, advisor and author, Brian Beck discusses how to create an Amazon strategy that helps you successfully compete on — and even against — Amazon. He also details the B2C and B2B nuances…

Retailers need to build emotional connections with their customers, but too many still rely on marketing tactics designed around transactions, not relationships. In today’s competitive retail environment, this style of marketing and lack of consumer engagement will fail to create loyal customers. In this episode, Steve Deckert, co-founder of Smile.…

As today’s consumers continue to expect fast and free shipping, buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS), also known as click-and-collect, is increasingly becoming a focused strategy for retailers. From pickup lockers and curbside delivery to in-store counters, BOPIS allows consumers to receive their orders quickly while helping keep retailer delivery co…

Did you know that having good email deliverability does not mean your emails reach the inbox? Email deliverability has many components that factor into a message reaching the inbox. Understanding email deliverability is crucial, yet many marketers do not fully understand what goes into it. This episode features Chris Kolbenschlag, Oracle Bronto’s d…

“The landscape has totally changed, and it becomes harder and harder to fight for that real estate in the inbox.” As a retailer, how do you solve this challenge? Kyle Randall and Nate Martin work in a niche industry notorious for email deliverability issues, and they’ve not only overcome these issues, but built an email marketing program that engag…

Whether you’re a seasonal business or not, focusing on the customer experience is a key component of driving repeat and loyal customers. But, if you sell high-quality, made-to-last artificial Christmas trees, how do you generate that repeat business? How do you stay relevant and top-of-mind throughout the non-holiday season? Enter post-purchase ema…

More than 100 million people watch the Super Bowl each year, but the commercials have become the must-see event within the event. At a price tag of more than $5 million for a 30-second commercial, companies are banking on the effectiveness of these ads. In Episode 43 of The Commerce Marketer Podcast, we’ll have a three-person roundtable discussion …

Social media marketing is no longer simply applying a budget and boosting front-facing posts. They’re mostly pay-to-play platforms, and in order to truly get ROI from your targeted audience, you have to implement a deeper strategy with the right data. So what can companies learn from a digital agency that serves the automotive industry, a vertical …

2018 was a great year for The Commerce Marketer Podcast. Over 26 episodes, we covered a variety of digital marketing topics like SEO, paid search, email marketing and segmentation, marketplaces, customer experience, IP infringement, and retail and marketing trends — to name a few. In this “best of” episode, I take a look back at some of my favorite…

Many B2B companies today are making the move into selling direct-to-consumer (D2C). This allows companies to grow revenue, control their branding better, and provide a more personal customer experience. But trying to keep your partners happy while growing your bottom line can be like walking a business tightrope – but while difficult, it can be acc…

Think of the last time you bought flowers online. Chances are it was for a specific occasion. Most retailers selling occasion-based products obsess about driving repeat purchasers while minimizing churn — easier said than done. This is why segmentation and targeting tactics across digital channels is critical for achieving long-term customer loyalt…

Have you ever checked a store’s site to confirm an item is in stock, only to get there and find that it wasn’t? Or maybe went to order something online but found it will take more than one week (gasp!) to reach you? What’s the next move… wait a week or shop elsewhere?Consumers today expect speed and efficiency with online purchases, and inefficient…

During the 2017 holiday season, paid search drove more than 23% of website traffic. It is an important, and, for many, invaluable marketing tactic. But if not done right, it can be costly – too costly! As everything else in digital marketing evolves, paid search is no exception. In this episode of The Commerce Marketer Podcast, I am joined by the f…

Have you ever bought something on Amazon that had a 1-star rating – or no ratings at all? Me neither. Have you ever bought something on Amazon that you liked, but did not review it? Guilty as charged! Customer reviews can be critical to product success, especially when it comes to the first 10. But collecting them can be difficult. In this episode …

Retailer Vat19 has taken a video-first approach to marketing. With over 1,200 YouTube videos, and the majority of website traffic and sales originating from the channel, they have become dependent on YouTube videos to drive sales. But what happens when YouTube changes their algorithms, sending site traffic and sales plummeting? What happens when co…

When you think of marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay, do you think friend, foe, or frenemy? Selling on marketplaces is no longer as easy as throwing up a product listing and watching it sell. In today’s competitive environment, it takes consideration at every step of the process, from marketing and selling to fulfillment. In this episode o…

Candy may be fun, but business can be hard. Viewers of the TV show The Profit witnessed this when Sweet Pete’s Candy was front and center. Sweet Pete’s was a small candy shop faced with many business challenges: Marketing a business with no built-in foot traffic, creating an exceptional customer experience, and growing a business while being under-…

From on-demand grocery delivery to rideshare drivers delivering dinner, the on-demand economy is continuing to evolve and disrupt traditional services and retail. I’m joined by Scot Wingo, founder of the on-demand car care service Spiffy. We’ll discuss how the on-demand economy has changed over the past several years, reasons why on-demand companie…

Loyalty programs are created to encourage repeat customers, build brand advocates, and drive loyalty. But in today’s age, how consumers respond to and engage with retailer loyalty programs is changing. Monetarily incentivizing customers in order to move them from one tier to the next is not a recipe for long-term loyalty. I am joined by Chris Becht…

I'm joined by Jamie Schreter, Chief Strategy Officer at the ecommerce agency diff, for a wide-ranging conversation covering topics like CRO, website testing, UX design, email marketing and more. Jamie will share examples of website tests, results and lessons learned, websites changes that caused cart abandonment rates to drop, and the hidden danger…

Something’s brewing on this episode of the podcast. I sat down with David Spengler, co-founder and owner of Vagabund Brauerei, to discuss how three American ex-pats learned to brew beer by watching YouTube – and then started their own brewery in beer’s own backyard, Germany. We’ll talk about entrepreneurship, how to grow at scale, the customer expe…

Over the past 15 years, the tactics used to improve SEO have continued to evolve. And with the increase of non-traditional “search engines”, like Amazon and social media sites, focusing on improving all aspects of your SEO has never been more critical. So which strategies is the juice worth the squeeze?In this episode I sat down with Ronald Dod, Co…

This podcast is about to get rocked! What do John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, and the Rolling Stones have to do with pop-up shops? You’re about to find out! Pop-up shops have grown in popularity over the years, but one company focused on classic rock not only made a business out of it but did it so well they were asked to “p…

As digital-natives enter the workforce and become the primary B2B buyers, their expectation of convenient ordering processes has accompanied them. B2B companies are now faced with two questions: Whether to create an Ecommerce site for their B2B customers and if going to direct-to-consumer (D2C) is right for them.In this episode, I sat down with Chl…

Images are visual punctuations that help tell a story. For consumers, the more authentic the imagery, the better. From email marketing and website imagery to Instagram and Snapchat, we live in an image-driven online world, and brands have had to jump on board to keep up. But while social influencers and UGC can help with these efforts for more auth…

Digitally-native consumers have raised the stakes for how retailers connect and engage with them. No one knows this more than dorm décor brand Dormify. After all, their consumers are digital-native Gen Zers.In this episode, I sat down with Nicole Gardner, current consultant and former COO at Dormify, to discuss how Dormify engaged their digitally-n…

For retailers, the holidays and other peak seasons are a critical time. For many, hiring part-time help is a necessity, but it comes with a number of challenges. These seasonal team members quickly become the face of your brand, and the service they provide can truly make or break a customer relationship. In this episode, I sat down with Stefanie F…

Social media is becoming more ingrained in every aspect of retail. How should retailers approach social media, measure its success and determine which types of content to use in their social marketing?In this episode, I sat down with Bridget Saroff, social media manager at Raymour & Flanigan, to discuss how they approach social media, incorporate U…