Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

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Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Smarter Ecommerce

74 episodes

3 days ago

Will Google's new AI strategy kill ecommerce as you know it? In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller dissect the biggest news from DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne, Germany, and reveal their bold take on the future of paid search and online retail. Chris shares his on-the-ground insights from the conference, including his talk on a major stage in front of over 600 people. He and Mike dive deep into why Google Search is still an unstoppable "money printing machine" despite...

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Will Google's new AI strategy kill ecommerce as you know it? In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike Ryan and Chris Scharmueller dissect the biggest news from DMEXCO 2025 in Cologne, Germany, and reveal their bold take on the future of paid search and online retail. Chris shares his on-the-ground insights from the conference, including his talk on a major stage in front of over 600 people. He and Mike dive deep into why Google Search is still an unstoppable "money printing machine" despite...

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Episodes (20/74)

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Google Marketing Live Recap: AI Overviews, PMax reporting, AI Max, and more

Google is positioning AI at the center of its advertising ecosystem with substantial changes to search, shopping, and campaign management. The new "PowerPack" approach combines Performance Max, Demand Gen, and AI Max for search campaigns, though questions remain about how these components will work together without cannibalizing each other. • AI Overviews and AI Mode represent massive shifts in search, with Google generating answers directly and using "query fanning" to search multiple queri...

3 months ago

45 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Big exits & bold bets: Temu stops ads in US while OpenAI enters ecommerce. Plus, debating the marketwide pivot to profit.

We broke the news: Temu hit the brakes – hard. In this episode, Mike and Chris dig into Why Temu suddenly killed all ads in the US, and what happened nextSigns that Temu's ad spend shifted to EuropeOpenAI’s move into ecommerce, joining Amazon, Perplexity, and Microsoft in the AI shopping raceDoes Google’s silence might signal hesitation or confidence?A debate: how profit vs growth is now the defining tension in retail strategyThis one’s all about who’s advancing, who’s retreating, and who’s h...

4 months ago

35 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Will AI Break Google Search? Plus: Tariff Shocks & the Rise of Zero-Click

Google’s turning into an answer engine—so why does it feel like the internet’s disappearing beneath it? In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike and Chris tackle the search shake-up and what it means for everyone from advertisers to publishers: • AI Overviews (AIO) could kill clicks — We break down how Google’s zero-click model is reshaping the internet and threatening entire business models. • Can Google hold its ground in the AI era? Or are leaner, AI-native rivals closing in? • Wha...

4 months ago

44 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Instagram's Fake AI Influencers? Plus: A CSAM Scandal Rocks Google & Zuckerberg’s Moderation Cuts

Who’s real anymore? In this episode of Growing Ecommerce, Mike and Chris break down the chaos unfolding across the digital advertising world: • Instagram is testing AI-generated user profiles — Are we entering a world of fake influencers, and what does it mean for ad targeting? • Zuckerberg pulls back on content moderation — We dive into the actual data behind Meta’s shift in strategy. • Google's ads are showing up next to harmful content — A CSAM scandal rocks Google's Display Network....

4 months ago

36 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

2025 State of PMax Report, plus: Zuckerberg shrugs ads, Amazon shares its ad stack

Digital ads in 2025 are anything but boring. In this episode, Mike and Chris unpack: Mark Zuckerberg’s eyebrow-raising claim that ads aren’t important (despite 98% of Meta’s revenue coming from ads)Amazon’s move to sell its ad tech to other retailers—friend or Trojan horse?Plus details from our comprehensive new PMax research: How Google’s Performance Max is finally shedding its “black box” label, with fresh data from 500+ accountsWhy your PMax campaigns need 30–60 conversions a month, no mat...

5 months ago

36 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

New co-host, same chaos: Amazon Haul, Nike's DTC regrets, Perplexity AI Shopping, and more

Big changes on Growing Ecommerce! Chris Scharmueller joins Mike Ryan for a fresh, unscripted take on the latest in online retail. In this episode: Amazon vs. Temu: What Amazon’s “Haul” launch says about their playbook and profit risksPerplexity AI: Can it challenge Google by fusing search and shopping?Nike’s DTC misstep: When cutting out retail partners backfiresMarketing strategy: Are you spending where influence occurs?All that and more, plus a hot take or two. Hit play.

5 months ago

37 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

2024 Year End Recap: Google’s Legal Challenges, Amazon vs. Temu, and Other Platform News

Discover the forces reshaping the ecommerce landscape leading into 2025 as host Mike Ryan guides us through a labyrinth of game-changing developments and strategic maneuvers. From the Department of Justice's legal challenges against Google to the emerging battleground between Amazon and Temu, Mike gives insight into how these seismic shifts might just redefine what we know about monopolies, market dynamics, and consumer engagement. Could the verdicts against Google have unintended consequence...

9 months ago

34 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Q2 Highlights: Wins and losses for Netflix, Amazon, Pinterest, and Google

Can a new low-price, slow-shipping strategy from Amazon truly rival Temu's direct-from-China model? On this episode of Growing ecommerce, host Mike Ryan dissects some of the biggest headlines from Q2 including Amazon's attempt to fight back against Temu, and Netflix's advertising woes, which led to another VP dismissal just one day after earnings were reported. He also discusses how Pinterest's ad deal with Google is shaping up, changes to Meta's remarketing mix, first reactions to Prime Day,...

1 year ago

34 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Tech's Impact on Health & Beauty with Rob Davis of THG

(Recorded live at IRX Birmingham)Rob Davis is Acquisition Marketing Director at THG Beauty, a division which is responsible for £1.2B of THG's total revenues, and which includes brands such as LOOKFANTASTIC, Cult Beauty, and Dermstore. Rob tells how growth in the Beauty ecomm sector is shaping up, and which tech and consumer trends he's watching now. Plus, we get Rob's take on economic trends including the resilience of the luxury market and mythbusting the Lipstick Effect. Lastly we get Rob'...

1 year ago

43 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Google Marketing Live: Ads in an AI-First Search Experience

Join Mike Ryan for a discussion of his highlights from GML 2024. Was the event overshadowed by Google I/O? Do advertisers need to worry about the biggest shake-up ever to Google's SERP? He answers these questions and unpacks the news around core ecommerce feature announcements like profit bidding, interactive Shopping ads, and improvements to asset and video reporting in Performance Max campaigns. All in all it was a good GML for paid teams, but a worrying one for organic teams and publishers...

1 year ago

33 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

The State of MarTech with Daniel Smulevich

Learn about the future of marketing from Daniel Smulevich of Jellyfish, as he guides us through the MarTech revolution in a landscape brimming with change. This episode isn't about chasing shiny new tech; it's about strategic problem-solving and making tech work for your marketing needs.We dissect the tech FOMO that grips the industry, using platforms like Roblox as cautionary tales, and emphasize the importance of thoughtful tech adoption. Daniel describes the imperative for realignment of d...

1 year ago

47 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Behind Temu's Digital Advertising Landslide

Temu's advertising has been at the center of countless headlines in recent months. However, journalists don't know advertising well enough and don't have the data necessary to tell the full story. Mike has monitoring Temu for months – and mega-advertisers like Amazon, Wish, and eBay for years. He ties together all of his research on Temu so far into a single story exploring their dramatic rise, and their performance impact on other advertisers. This episode isn't Wall Street analysts or regul...

1 year ago

39 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Google's MMM Answer to Meta's Robyn, plus a change in Temu's strategy

Mike shares updates about two trending areas to watch this year. First is the rise of marketing mix modelling. He digs into Google's new Meridian model, including a refresher on Marketing Mix Modelling, a reminder of Meta's competing offer (Robyn), and Meridian's USPs. Then he shares a big change in the marketing activity of fan favorite Temu. We'll leave you in suspense on that one – listen to find out!Discussed in this episode:A recording of Mike's webinar, "What's IN and what's OUT in 2024...

1 year ago

32 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Marketplaces: Navigating the Digital Storefront Landscape with Vinny O'Brien

Get a heap of ecommerce & marketplace insights from Vinnie O'Brien, whose expertise from eBay to DTC brands sets the stage for a riveting discussion. Together with host Mike Ryan, he tackles the contrasting marketplace ecosystems across the US and EU, dissecting how these differences influence business tactics, and debates whether retail media networks are now indispensable in today's digital economy. For up-and-coming brands, Vinnie gives his seasoned perspective on navigating Amazon's p...

1 year ago

53 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Temu & SHEIN: Dissecting China's Ecomm Conquest with Stefan Wenzel

Unravel the complexities of the ecommerce universe as we sit down with Stefan Wenzel, veteran leader from eBay Germany, Otto Netherlands, and McLaren Automotive. This episode holds a wealth of insights, from understanding Otto's metamorphosis into a leading marketplace to examining the undercurrents that differentiate established goliaths like Amazon and eBay from emerging powerhouses Temu and SHEIN. Stefan's seasoned perspective guides us through the convoluted terrain of marketplace dynamic...

1 year ago

1 hour 1 minute

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

The Future of Ecommerce Advertising in the Post-Cookie Era

Join us as we navigate the choppy waters of ecommerce remarketing with Phillip Ivellio-Vellin, exploring the ramifications of the impending Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Google Consent Mode's implementation deadline of March 6, 2024. This episode promises to equip you with the knowledge and strategies to t thrive in an environment where privacy regulations and tech giants' policies collide. From the implications of user consent to the future of cookie tracking, our deep dive into t...

1 year ago

29 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Google Ads' New Frontiers: Performance Max, Demand Gen, and YouTube Shorts

Are you ready to uncover the future of Google Ads? Brace yourself as we navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of Google's advertising platform, with a specific focus on the rising dominance of Performance Max (PMax), Demand Gen campaigns, and YouTube shorts. Mike dissects how PMax is transitioning from a mere extension of Smart Shopping campaigns to a possible replacement for all campaign types, and grapples with the changing nature of this technology.He dives into the prospect that PMax co...

1 year ago

31 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

The Future of Pay-Per-Click Advertising: A Conversation with Wijnand Meijer

Unveiling the hidden world of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising and software development is none other than one of the founders of True Clicks, Wijnand Meijer. Meijer joins us to guide us down his unique path into PPC and software development - a journey sparked by a simple idea to bridge a gap in the market. This lightbulb moment led to the genesis of the PPC Survey, a community-led initiative that aims to share invaluable, up-to-the-minute data within the PPC industry. Since its May 2022 ince...

1 year ago

38 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Product Segmentation for Ecommerce: Tackling Efficiency and Scale

Wondering about the hidden potential of product segmentation in ecommerce? Join as we peel back the layers on this fascinating topic. We'll discuss the tension between efficiency and scale, and explore how product segmentation can help you navigate these opposing forces. Discover the relevance of the 1970s BCG Matrix in today's ecommerce world, learn about the role of algorithms in solving the fascinating "multi-armed bandit" problem, and get insights into Google's Shopping Graph and Audience...

1 year ago

30 minutes

Growing Ecommerce – The Retail Growth Podcast

Google's Auction Games: Beneficial or Manipulative?

Are you ready to peel back the curtain on Google's shadowy world of search auctions? Prepare for a shocking journey that will explore the murky details of Google's alleged auction manipulation, as revealed in the Department of Justice antitrust investigation. This is an absolute must-listen for anyone in the e-commerce space, as we navigate the mechanics of their reserve price increases, the mysterious RGSP system, and the controversial practice of 'squashing.' We'll dissect how these manipul...

1 year ago

36 minutes