Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome two fantastic guests: Lauren Livak Gilbert, Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute, and Jon Harding, SVP and Global CIO at Conair.

They’re here to share insights from a recent report they released in partnership with MikMak—a practical guide to managing technology change across the business, specifically how to leverage IT teams to accomplish transformational growth.

Tune in to find out more!

 

📙 RESOURCES

Download the Bridging Gaps and Breaking Silos [https://www.digitalshelfinstitute.org/report-dsi-mikmak-breaking-silos] report from the Digital Shelf Institute.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Lauren, and Jon discuss:

 * The Evolving Role of IT: How IT has become the “nervous system” of modern consumer brands, with technology playing a bigger role in driving business outcomes, particularly as sales and marketing become increasingly tech-reliant.

 * Increasing Complexity and Collaboration: The rise in technology tools (especially in digital commerce), the necessity of integrating multiple systems, and how IT and commercial teams can work together more effectively.

 * Successful Cross-Functional Partnerships: Strategies for engaging IT early in business initiatives, overcoming past tensions between IT and marketing, and why collaboration leads to faster and more successful project outcomes.

 * Agile and Nimble Planning: Why annual planning is no longer enough—Quarterly or even monthly reviews help teams stay agile and responsive in a fast-changing industry.

 * Showcasing IT Wins: Insights on the importance of IT teams communicating their successes and impact to the wider business, including tactics like internal newsletters.

 * Prioritizing Technology Initiatives: How to make sure business cases for new technology are clear, prioritized, and tied to measurable business value—especially when competing with critical back-office projects.

 * Organizational Models for IT-Business Alignment: A look at different structures (shared services, embedded partners, PMO) and the critical need for shared goals and metrics between IT and other teams.

 * The Future with AI: Predictions around the next wave of AI adoption—both top-down from enterprise platforms and bottom-up from grassroots productivity tools—and the transformative potential for digital commerce and omnichannel organizations.

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Connect with Lauren Livak [https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenlivak/], Executive Director of the Digital Shelf Institute.

Connect with Jon Harding [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonrharding/], SVP and Global CIO at Conair.

Download the Bridging Gaps and Breaking Silos [https://www.digitalshelfinstitute.org/report-dsi-mikmak-breaking-silos] report.

Connect with our host, Julie Spear [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-spear-a90b948/].

Connect with our host, Jordan Ri [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-ripley/]

Bridging Gaps and Breaking Silos - How IT Drives Growth with Lauren Livak Gilbert & Jon Harding - Episode 389

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today we’re bringing back our very own Director of Retail Marketplace Strategy, Pat Petriello, to discuss how the savviest brands are balancing the needs of brand vs. performance marketing, how to avoid a life sentence in ROAS Jail, and the all-important 95/5 rule. 

Tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Pat discuss:

 * Introduction to ROAS Jail: Pat Patriello explains the concept of "ROAS jail," where marketers focus solely on Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS), leading to inefficiencies and short-term growth strategies.

 * The 95-5 Rule: Only 5% of consumers are in the market for any given product at any time. The focus should be on brand building for the 95% who are not currently shopping.

 * 60-40 Rule: Introduced by Pat as a guideline, suggesting a budget allocation of 60% towards brand-building and 40% towards performance marketing. This ratio helps balance short-term sales goals with long-term brand equity.

 * Brand vs. Performance Marketing: Discussion on how these strategies differ and the importance of emotional connection through branding to attract long-term customers.

 * Amazon's Role: Insight into how Amazon is transitioning to accommodate brand building alongside its historical strength in direct sales and conversion.

 * Practical Recommendations: Tips for business leaders on how to integrate brand marketing into existing performance-focused strategies without necessarily increasing overall spending.

 * Examples of Effective Brand Building: Brands like Patagonia are highlighted as successfully creating emotional connections that lead consumers directly to their products, bypassing competitive marketplace auctions.

Moving From the 5% to the 95% - The Principles of Demand Generation With Pat Petriello - Episode 388

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re joined by two of the sharpest minds at Acadia—experts who live and breathe Amazon. Whether it’s diving deep into AI advancements, crafting and optimizing product listings, or navigating the ever-evolving customer journey, these two are on the front lines, ensuring our brands are set up for long-term organic success.

First up, we have Julian Galindo, Senior Account Manager on our Retail Team—a recognized authority and proud self-proclaimed nerd when it comes to AI-driven content optimization.

Joining him is Predrag Vetnic, Retail Strategist with a specialty in high-impact copywriting for ecommerce. If you’ve shopped on Amazon recently, chances are you’ve come across his work without even realizing it.

We’re thrilled to have them both on the show! Tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Predrag, and Julian discuss:

 * Amazon's AI Advancements

    * Introduction to Rufus, Amazon's AI shopping assistant, which helps customers by suggesting products based on their needs and queries.
   
    * Cosmo, the AI system powering Rufus, aims to understand the "why" behind shopping behaviors to offer more personalized results.

 * Optimization Practices for AI

    * Transition from keyword-based search optimization to a focus on natural language and user intent.
   
    * Importance of tailoring product detail pages (PDPs) for Rufus, not only using keywords but targeting customer needs and relevant questions.

 * SEO Strategy Evolution

    * Emphasizing human-like interaction while optimizing e-commerce content for AI.
   
    * Leveraging footprint data from user interactions to inform and refine search experiences.

 * Testing and Measuring Impact

    * Methods for testing the effectiveness of AI-focused optimization strategies.
   
    * Importance of monitoring conversion rates, organic share of voice, and search rankings.

 * Future of AI in E-commerce

    * Speculation on the integration of AI-driven search with traditional methods.
   
    * Discussions on how AI could revolutionize personalized shopping experiences on platforms like Amazon.

A Primer on Optimizing for Rufus and AI-Driven Search with Julian Galindo & Predrag Vetnic - Episode 387

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

It’s time for another episode of the Retail Round-Up, March edition!

From a new fee structure on promotions to a longer Prime Day event and expanded advertising capabilities, these updates could reshape how brands approach pricing, marketing, and overall strategy.

Joining us today are resident experts Ross Walker, Director of Retail Media at Acadia, and Armin Alipahic, Operations Team Lead.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Armin discuss:

 * Amazon’s New Fee Structure for Deals & Coupons – Amazon is introducing performance-based fees for Lightning Deals, Best Deals, Coupons, and Prime Exclusive Discounts starting June 2nd. These changes could significantly impact brands’ profitability, particularly ahead of Prime Day.

 * Prime Day Extended to Four Days – Amazon quietly announced that Prime Day 2025 will be a four-day event, giving brands more time to compete but also raising concerns about increased promotional spending.

 * Amazon’s Push Into TV Advertising – The launch of Complete TV aims to streamline TV ad buying, including both linear and streaming placements. This move aligns with Amazon’s broader strategy to dominate the traditional TV advertising space.

 * Search Query Performance (SQP) API Launch – Amazon is making SQP reports available via API, allowing brands and tech providers to automate and integrate search data more efficiently. This could be a game-changer for search optimization and ad performance tracking.

 * Steeper Discounts for Better Visibility – Amazon is incentivizing brands to offer discounts of 40% or more by promising additional deal placements, though the specifics remain unclear. However, higher promotional costs may make deep discounting unsustainable for many brands.

The Retail Round-Up - “You Complete Me” - Episode 386

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re excited to welcome back a familiar voice on the show—operations expert Armin Alispahic. Armin is here to bring us up to speed on a recent phenomenon in the Vendor space — the availability of true channel P&L analysis.

We’ll explore why this trend is only showing up now and what it means for how brands assess their business with Amazon.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Armin discuss:

Understanding Vendor Profitability on Amazon:

 * Two main metrics: Net PPM (Net Pure Profit Margin) and Internal Brand P&L.

 * The hidden third factor—Amazon’s internal costs (fulfillment, packaging, and shipping expenses).

Why Profitability Analysis Is Becoming Crucial:

 * Amazon is tightening vendor margins, requiring brands to have a clear view of their own and Amazon’s profitability.

 * Increase in CRaP (Can’t Realize a Profit) items, making it essential to assess profitability at the SKU level.

Technology Driving P&L Insights for Vendors:

 * Amazon's 2023 API improvements have enabled better data access for vendor P&L analysis.

 * New tools now provide automated, SKU-level profitability reports.

Key Factors That Influence Vendor Profitability:

 * Fixed Costs: Vendor terms (co-op, damage allowances, freight).

 * Variable Costs: Chargebacks, shortages, advertising, and promotional spend.

 * Operational Efficiency: Packaging, fulfillment optimization, and inventory management.

How Brands Can Leverage P&L Insights:

 * Smarter Assortment Decisions: Identifying SKUs that drive profitability vs. those that hurt margins.

 * Optimizing Advertising Spend: Allocating budget toward high-margin products rather than just high-volume ones.

 * Better Negotiations with Amazon: Using data to drive conversations in annual vendor negotiations (AVNs).

 * Cross-Team Collaboration: Breaking down silos between marketing, finance, and operations.

Vendor P&L Proliferation - Why It’s Happening and Why It Matters with Armin Alispahic - Episode 385

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we're catching up with Ross Walker, Director of Retail Media, to discuss his recent workshop at the Commerce Media Brand Summit in Atlanta.

Ross led an in-depth session on all things bottom-of-the-funnel—what's evolving, why it matters, and how brands can maximize this critical stage.

Tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Ross discuss:

Defining the Bottom of the Funnel (BOF)

 * BOF focuses on conversion—turning interest into purchases or fostering brand loyalty.

 * Includes retargeting customers who have engaged with your product or brand.

 * Targets high-intent audiences like past visitors, brand searchers, and prior buyers.

Shift in Budget Allocation

 * Brands are moving budgets away from branded search and loyalty-based retargeting.

 * More investment is going toward non-branded bottom-of-funnel keywords and audiences.

 * Capturing new customers efficiently is now a bigger priority over maximizing ROAS.

4 Tactics for BOF Success

Day Parting:

 * Optimizing spend by adjusting bids based on high-conversion hours and days.

 * Late-day bidding can be effective when competitors run out of budget.

Paid & Organic Interdependency:

 * Product listings must align with high-intent keywords to maximize visibility.

 * Strong keyword optimization remains essential for organic rankings and paid efficiency

Video Ads for BOF:

 * Vertical video performs better for high-intent searchers.

 * Feature-driven videos convert better than broad brand storytelling at BOF.

AI & Automation in Bidding:

 * AI is effective for optimizing bulk campaigns but still requires human oversight.

 * Best use: Let AI handle 80% of the catalog while manually fine-tuning the top performers.

The State of Lower Funnel Media + 4 Tactics to Minimize Leakage with Ross Walker - Episode 384

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome Robert Estill, Head of Global Amazon and Marketplaces for all Beauty at The Hut Group. 

With extensive experience leading E-commerce teams at powerhouse brands like Unilever, Prestige, Coty, and Versace, Robert offers invaluable insights into the ever-evolving world of online retail. 

Having collaborated with him across multiple brands, we’re excited to dive into his insights on building high-performing E-commerce teams, overcoming the challenges of international expansion, the key lessons he’s learned throughout his career, and his outlook on the industry's future.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Robert discuss:

E-Commerce Success Requires Adaptability

 * The industry evolves rapidly, and what works today may not work tomorrow.

 * Being comfortable with ambiguity and continuous learning is essential.

The Importance of Cross-Functional Collaboration

 * E-commerce isn't just marketing and sales—it involves supply chain, finance, legal, and operations.

 * Effective communication with leadership and across departments is as crucial as technical expertise.

Understanding P&L is Key to Growth

 * E-commerce leaders must think beyond top-line revenue and focus on sustainable, profitable growth.

 * Inventory forecasting, fulfillment costs, and operational efficiencies all impact success.

1P vs. 3P on Amazon: A Strategic Choice

 * 1P (Vendor Central): Easier operations but less control over pricing and inventory.

 * 3P (Seller Central): More control but requires strong operational capabilities.

 * The decision depends on a brand’s financial structure, goals, and ability to handle fulfillment.

Expanding Internationally Requires a Localized Approach

 * Each market has unique consumer behavior, dominant platforms, and regulatory requirements.

 * Logistics and fulfillment strategies must be planned carefully, as shipping timelines and compliance vary.

 * Partnering with local third-party logistics (3PL) providers can help navigate complexities.

AI & AMC (Amazon Marketing Cloud) Are Game Changers

 * AI tools for content creation, search optimization, and analytics will shape the future of e-commerce.

 * AMC provides deeper insights into customer behavior, helping brands refine their advertising strategies.

Breaking Down Barriers: Cross-Functional Success in E-Commerce With Robert Estill - Episode 383

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

It’s time for another episode of the Retail Round-Up, February edition!

Major shifts are happening in the world of e-commerce, and this episode explores the cutting-edge developments, innovations, and the impact they are having on brands, retailers, and customers alike.

Joining us today are resident experts Ross Walker, Director of Retail Media at Acadia, and Armin Alipahic, Operations Team Lead.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Armin discuss:

 * Amazon's New Direction:

    * Amazon will direct customers to brand sites when products are unavailable on Amazon.
   
    * Insights into potential motivations, benefits, and downsides for Amazon, brands, and consumers.
   
    * Speculations on how this will impact Amazon’s relationship with brands and their existing models.

 * Ulta Beauty and Omnichannel Integration:

    * Ulta's integration of in-store inventory with brand D2C sites using the Lucky platform.
   
    * Examination of the implications for brands, customers, and potential for other retailers to adopt similar strategies.

 * Sponsored Content in AI Platforms:

    * Discussion around Rufus AI containing sponsored ads in its search results.
   
    * Predictions on Amazon's strategy for monetizing Rufus and parallels drawn to traditional advertising platforms like Google.

 * AI for Catalog Management:

    * Amazon's use of AI for filling in missing product attributes and mapping spreadsheets to ease catalog management.
   
    * The challenges and benefits this presents to brands, particularly those with large catalogs.

 * Amazon's Performance Plus and Brand Plus:

    * Analysis of these tools for optimizing advertising on and off Amazon's platform.
   
    * Examination of their effectiveness, particularly in targeting new customers vs. retargeting existing ones.

 

The Retail Round-Up - Slap a Plus on It - Episode 382

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re thrilled to welcome back Mike Black, former CMO and current Chief Growth Officer at Profitero. 

We’ll be diving into key insights from Profitero’s latest reports, exploring the ROI of improving search placement and the vital role that ratings and reviews play in driving success. 

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, and Mike discuss:

 1. Introduction and Welcome: Mike Black’s background

 2. Profitero’s Report Series
    
    * Background on Profitero and its role in E-Commerce analytics.
    
    * The digital shelf concept and its components.
    
    * The need for factual ROI data to support digital investment.

 3. Impact of Search Placement on ROI
    
    * Importance of moving from page two to page one in search results.
    
    * Stats on sales increase with better organic placement.
    
    * The difference in ROI between organic and paid search placements.

 4. Consumer Research and Behavior
    
    * Shoppers researching product reviews online even while in-store.
    
    * Importance of reviews in omni-channel influence.
    
    * The challenge of internal silos in brand side teams handling reviews.

 5. Review Importance and Strategy
    
    * Sales impact of moving reviews from below four stars to four stars.
    
    * Review velocity significance in achieving high organic search ranking.
    
    * The connection between review quality and sales.

 6. Future of Profitero Reports
    
    * Upcoming updates and new benchmarks in content reports.
    
    * Profitero’s focus on deeper content analytics and recommendations.
    
    * Invitation to provide ideas or questions for future research.

Winning Search, Unlocking Reviews, and the ROI of Content With Profitero’s Mike Black - Episode 381

Welcome to The Ecommerce Braintrust podcast, brought to you by Julie Spear, Head of Retail Marketplace Services, and Jordan Ripley, Director of Retail Operations.

Today, we’re excited to welcome back our Director of Retail Media, Ross Walker, who will be sharing surprising insights from his work with a major beauty brand. 

We’ll dive into a compelling case study on full-funnel advertising, exploring the evolving role of Streaming TV in the retail media landscape.

We’re also thrilled to welcome a new guest to the show! Pat Petriello, a veteran in the retail media landscape and the new Director of Retail Marketplace Strategy at Acadia, is making his podcast debut and sharing some amazing insights with us.

Make sure you tune in to find out more!

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

In this episode, Julie, Jordan, Ross, and Pat discuss:

 1. Definition and Understanding of "Full Funnel" Advertising
    
    * Discussion on what "full-funnel" means in e-commerce
    
    * Different goals of advertising campaigns at various funnel stages

 2. Changes in Streaming TV Advertising (2023 vs. 2024)
    
    * Year-over-year changes in streaming TV campaign tactics
    
    * Supply differences: off-the-shelf vs. curated inventory
    
    * Targeting enhancements using AMC
    
    * Impact of different creative approaches

 3. Effects and Measurement of Streaming TV Campaigns
    
    * Assessment of upper and lower funnel metrics
    
    * Use of AMC for multitouch attribution and enhanced audience targeting

 4. Engagement and Retargeting
    
    * Strategy of retargeting viewers of streaming TV ads
    
    * Improvements in purchase and engagement rates with better-targeted campaigns

 5. Strategic Use of Streaming TV in E-Commerce
    
    * Integration of streaming TV as part of a broader e-commerce strategy
    
    * Expansion of brand reach and enhancement of consumer engagement
    
    * The importance of a full-funnel approach and its results

 6. Challenges and Future Considerations
    
    * Consideration of cost vs. reach in streaming TV campaigns
    
    * Encouragement to continually test and adapt strategies

Full Funnel Then vs. Now - A Case Study a Year in the Making - Episode 380

Get access to the world's best brains when it comes to building momentum online for established consumer brands. Join our hosts and their expert guests for conversations about ecommerce strategies, trends, and innovations. Access our brain trust and boost your brand's ecommerce potential. Ecommerce Braintrust

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