bigcommerce

Sean Callihan

Sean Callihan Discusses Commerce’s Evolution and AI-Powered Data Optimization

Live from Ecomm Forum

Welcome to another episode of Talk Commerce, where host Brent Peterson sits down with industry leaders to discuss the latest trends shaping online retail. Recording live from the e-commerce forum in Minneapolis, this conversation features Sean Callihan, a partner manager at Commerce—the company formerly known as BigCommerce. During this engaging discussion, Sean shares insights into the company’s strategic rebrand, its growing focus on B2B solutions, and how the organization is positioning itself in the emerging world of AI-powered commerce. The conversation offers merchants and technology partners valuable perspectives on data optimization, platform flexibility, and the changing landscape of product discovery.

Key Takeaways

  • Commerce has evolved from BigCommerce into a parent company with three distinct products: BigCommerce (the SaaS platform), Feedonomics (a feed management and data optimization platform), and Makeswift (a low-code, no-code page builder)
  • B2B has become a strategic pillar for Commerce, with dedicated product development and go-to-market teams serving wholesale and B2B merchants alongside traditional B2C clients
  • The open SaaS approach allows merchants to integrate legacy systems without ripping and replacing their entire infrastructure, particularly important for B2B distributors
  • AI readiness centers on data optimization, with Feedonomics helping merchants prepare their product data for discovery through conversational AI and large language models
  • Product data enrichment serves dual purposes, improving both AI discoverability and on-site shopping experiences by pulling information from reviews, sizing charts, and social media
  • Makeswift will soon replace the native page builder within the BigCommerce platform, bringing advanced marketing capabilities directly into the core product
  • The low-code, no-code approach benefits both marketers and developers, allowing faster execution while still providing technical teams with workflow customization options

About Sean Callihan

Sean brings a unique perspective to his role at Commerce, drawing from six years with the company and an earlier six-year stint working within digital agencies. As a partner manager, Sean works extensively with both traditional system integrators and digital marketing agencies, helping them navigate the Commerce ecosystem and build successful merchant relationships. His agency background gives him valuable insight into the challenges partners face when implementing e-commerce solutions. Throughout his tenure at Commerce, Sean has witnessed the company’s transformation from a single-product SaaS platform into a multi-product organization serving diverse merchant needs across B2C and B2B segments.

Episode Summary

The conversation begins with Sean explaining the reasoning behind BigCommerce’s rebrand to Commerce. The strategic shift wasn’t merely cosmetic—it reflected the company’s evolution following two significant acquisitions. After purchasing Feedonomics, a leading feed management platform, the organization found itself in an awkward position. Feedonomics is platform-agnostic, meaning it works with any e-commerce system, including BigCommerce competitors like Shopify. This created messaging challenges when BigCommerce representatives tried to discuss the benefits of Feedonomics with merchants on other platforms.

The solution was creating Commerce as a parent company housing three distinct products. BigCommerce continues as the SaaS e-commerce platform that’s been serving merchants for years. Feedonomics operates as the data optimization engine, helping merchants push products to any channel they choose—whether that’s Walmart, TikTok, Instagram, or countless other marketplaces. The platform’s core strength lies in optimizing product data for each channel’s specific requirements, improving search rankings and return on ad spend.

The third product, Makeswift, came through a more recent acquisition. This low-code, no-code page builder solution doesn’t even require an e-commerce context—it works for informational sites as well. Marketers and developers both appreciate the tool because it brings stories to life on websites without requiring extensive technical knowledge. All three solutions can work together or independently, giving Commerce flexibility in how it approaches different market segments.

Sean then shifts the discussion to B2B, which has emerged as a major strategic pillar for Commerce. The company recognized that many merchants wanted to add wholesale or B2B arms to their businesses but lacked the tools to do so effectively. Rather than forcing merchants to cobble together various apps and workarounds, Commerce invested heavily in B2B-specific functionality. This wasn’t just a product decision—the company established dedicated B2B teams for product development, go-to-market strategy, and sales.

The B2B approach makes sense given Commerce’s B2C heritage. Business buyers increasingly expect shopping experiences that mirror consumer-focused websites. Since Commerce already excelled at B2C experiences, extending that expertise to B2B was a natural progression. The company maintains separate B2C teams to continue serving that market without alienation, while B2B teams focus on the unique requirements of wholesale, distribution, and business-to-business transactions.

Sean emphasizes the importance of Commerce’s open SaaS philosophy, particularly for B2B merchants. Many distributors and manufacturers work with legacy industry-specific systems they can’t easily replace. Commerce’s open API structure allows these companies to integrate existing systems without ripping out their entire technology infrastructure. If a merchant outgrows one solution, they don’t need to replace their e-commerce platform—they simply swap out the specific component that no longer serves their needs.

This approach acknowledges a fundamental reality: no single platform can feasibly build everything that’s perfect for every merchant. The e-commerce ecosystem contains numerous specialized players, each solving specific problems. Commerce’s extensibility allows merchants to assemble the right combination of tools for their unique business requirements, both today and as they scale tomorrow.

The conversation then turns to artificial intelligence and agentic commerce. Sean explains that Feedonomics provides Commerce with a significant advantage in this space because it’s fundamentally a data platform. This expertise positions the company well as it forms relationships with OpenAI, Perplexity, and other large language model providers. The way consumers shop continues to evolve, and merchants need their brands to be discoverable through these new channels.

Traditional search engine optimization focused on scraping websites and indexing whatever product information appeared on pages. AI-powered search works differently. Consumers have conversations with AI assistants, asking specific questions and expecting detailed answers. Merchants need their data structured to respond to these conversational queries. That data doesn’t come solely from product descriptions—it includes reviews, sizing charts, social media interactions, message boards, and other non-traditional sources.

Commerce is helping merchants prepare their data for this new reality through what Sean calls AI data readiness. An interesting byproduct of this work is that the enriched data optimized for LLM discovery can also feed back into the merchant’s own website. If the company is pulling proof points from multiple sources to educate AI systems, why not use that same enriched content to improve the on-site shopping experience? Merchants benefit twice: better AI discoverability and more robust product pages on their branded websites, where they maintain the highest profit margins.

Sean also discusses the future of product discovery pages. Many merchants currently provide minimal information—perhaps a few bullet points—on their PDPs. This approach doesn’t serve AI-powered search well. Through Feedonomics and its AI readiness initiatives, Commerce is helping merchants understand what data they need and where to source it. The result is product pages that satisfy both human shoppers and the AI systems that increasingly guide purchase decisions.

Regarding Makeswift’s roadmap, Sean shares his excitement about the tool’s integration into the core BigCommerce platform. Currently, Makeswift has been used primarily with Commerce’s Catalyst product for building headless websites. The next iteration will replace the native page builder within BigCommerce itself. This represents a significant user experience upgrade because Makeswift was built from the ground up with modern marketing workflows in mind.

The existing page builder serves its purpose, but it wasn’t designed with contemporary marketing needs as a priority. Makeswift brings that marketing-first thinking directly into the platform. Sean notes that the tool appeals to both marketers and developers, even though it’s positioned as low-code, no-code. Developers appreciate it because they can build out workflows and frameworks that marketers then leverage independently. This doesn’t eliminate development jobs—it shifts developer focus to enabling marketing agility rather than executing every individual page change or content update.

Sean wraps up by reflecting on why he returns to the e-commerce forum year after year. He’s attended four consecutive years, plus the virtual edition during COVID. He appreciates that Irish Titan, the event organizer, has created something inclusive rather than exclusive. Unlike some high-profile conferences that feel corporate and buttoned-up, the e-commerce forum welcomes the entire Midwest ecosystem—partners, merchants, and service providers all learning together in a relaxed environment.

The forum gives Sean opportunities to connect with the partner ecosystem he works with daily while also meeting merchants who attend to learn and network. Everyone arrives with their guard down, ready to share knowledge and have genuine conversations. It’s quirky, fun, and educational—a combination Sean clearly values as he makes the annual trip to Minneapolis.

Final Thoughts

Sean Callihan’s insights reveal how Commerce is positioning itself for the next evolution of online retail. The rebrand reflects strategic maturity, acknowledging that serving modern merchants requires more than a single platform. By housing BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift under one parent company, Commerce can meet merchants wherever they are in their growth journey without forcing awkward product conversations. The B2B focus addresses a significant market opportunity while leveraging existing B2C strengths. Most importantly, the emphasis on AI readiness and data optimization demonstrates forward thinking about how product discovery will work in an increasingly conversational commerce landscape. As merchants prepare their businesses for AI-powered search and agentic shopping experiences, having clean, enriched, multi-source product data isn’t optional—it’s foundational to remaining discoverable and competitive in tomorrow’s market.

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Sharon Gee

Sharon Gee Is Transforming Ecommerce with AI and Agentic Commerce

In this episode of Talk Commerce recorded live from Ecom Forum in Minneapolis, host Brent Peterson sits down with Sharon Gee, Senior Vice President of Product at Commerce, to discuss the seismic shifts happening in ecommerce. The conversation explores how artificial intelligence and agentic commerce are reshaping the way merchants connect with customers. Sharon brings extensive experience from her six years at Commerce, where she oversees AI offerings across BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift. What emerges from this discussion isn’t just another tech conversation but rather a roadmap for merchants navigating the transition from traditional SEO to a world where agents shop alongside humans.

Key Takeaways

  • Data has become the new storefront as consumers increasingly turn to answer engines rather than traditional search
  • Merchants need to provide structured, contextual data to AI agents, not just visually appealing websites for human shoppers
  • The adoption rate of AI tools like ChatGPT has outpaced every other consumer technology in history, including cell phones
  • Product data must now exist on multiple levels, from basic ad information to unstructured content hidden in PDFs
  • B2B commerce stands to benefit significantly from agentic AI, particularly through AI-powered sales assistants
  • Trust protocols are being established to manage transactions between shoppers, shopper agents, merchants, and merchant agents
  • AI democratizes marketing tools, allowing creative thinkers to execute ideas without engineering expertise
  • User reviews represent a treasure trove of search terms that should inform product descriptions

About Sharon Gee

Sharon serves as Senior Vice President of the Product Organization at Commerce, where she focuses on AI offerings across the company’s portfolio. She played a key role in leading the acquisition strategy for Feedonomics four years ago and served as General Manager of that business during its successful integration. Before joining Commerce, Sharon spent time agency-side in New York City. Her expertise spans ecommerce platforms, enterprise data feed management, and visual editing solutions. Outside her professional life, Sharon owns a flower farm and coffee shop in Colorado, offering her a unique perspective that balances digital commerce with hands-on retail experience. Throughout the industry, Sharon has become recognized for her insights on how AI and data optimization can transform merchant visibility and customer acquisition.

Episode Summary

The conversation begins with Sharon outlining her role at Commerce and immediately diving into what she describes as the most exciting development in ecommerce: agentic commerce. She explains that for decades, commerce professionals have been optimizing data for advertising channels, trying to improve conversion rates and return on ad spend. However, the fundamental rules remained consistent—acquire customers through Google or Meta, drive them to your website, and hope to convert them at rates between two and five percent.

“Somebody came along and bopped the board game and now we get to reset all the pieces,” Sharon explains. The game-changer is that consumers now turn to answer engines for their most basic questions. These aren’t simple queries based on price or size filters. Instead, shoppers ask complex questions like wanting a dress for a wedding in Italy in a specific color and size, delivered by tomorrow. This shift requires merchants to bring together data from marketing channels, internal systems, and content teams because data has become the new storefront.

Sharon emphasizes that answer engines need deep context to respond to long-form queries effectively. The challenge for merchants becomes ensuring their products are discoverable wherever shoppers are looking and making it easy to shop however the consumer prefers—whether that means clicking through to a personalized product page where they can visualize furniture in their living room or buying mascara with a thumbprint because they already know what they want.

The conversation then shifts to the technical differences between old SEO practices and the new reality of AI-driven discovery. Sharon points out that ChatGPT reached 100 million users faster than any other technology in history. This rapid adoption creates both opportunity and challenge. Answer engines need data, and while they can scrape websites for it, those websites aren’t optimized for agents. They’re full of HTML, images, and visual elements designed for human brains, not for AI consumption.

Sharon introduces a framework for thinking about data levels. Level one includes basic information needed for Google ads—title, description, image, size, color, and weight. Level two encompasses the significantly more extensive data required to list on marketplaces like Amazon. Level three consists of product specifications sitting in Product Information Management systems—manufacturing details, materials, origins, and technical specs. Levels four and five venture into unstructured data territory, including PDFs on websites and user reviews.

“That’s not the kind of data you usually show on a product detail page,” Sharon notes. This creates what she calls a bifurcated experience. Merchants now need to provision different experiences because agents are customers too. When an agent visits a site, it doesn’t need pretty pictures—it needs structured data and links to images it might want to reference.

Brent raises the question of whether this means adding data below the fold on product pages or creating entirely separate experiences. Sharon confirms the latter. When a merchant senses that an agent rather than a human is visiting, they should render a different version of the website filled with data rather than images. This aligns with what Sharon identifies as three fundamental truths: the customer is the channel, data is the new storefront, and agents are customers too.

The discussion moves to whether merchant sites might eventually become pure APIs without customer-facing elements. Sharon argues for a both-and approach. The brand site remains one channel where people interact with data, and it’s the one channel merchants fully control. However, on third-party agentic channels, merchants don’t control visualization—they only control the data they provide. This makes data investment critical for visibility on channels merchants don’t control, while simultaneously requiring deep investment in owned channels.

Sharon draws a parallel to how marketers have always known that sending better data to Google results in lower cost-per-click because the data more relevantly answers searcher queries. She observes that data specialists are inheriting the earth—the people who once led organic search, then paid advertising, now lead agentic strategy. This mirrors how creative directors once ran websites before being replaced by people who could read website analytics.

The conversation touches on both first-party and third-party AI applications. Sharon describes the baby version of what’s coming as shopper assistants or chatbot experiences on brand websites. However, she sees massive potential in B2B sales assistants trained on the same documentation as human sales representatives. If three-quarters of the sales cycle could progress overnight while sales reps sleep, those reps could focus on high-touch human interactions. Sharon believes B2B commerce will leapfrog B2C experiences through agentic AI because B2B companies are manufacturers with deep data, extensive documentation, and sophisticated pricing structures with custom price books and customer groups.

Brent raises concerns about AI reliability, noting his frustrations with coding assistants that make illogical mistakes and assumptions. He envisions scenarios where an agent searching for hiking shoes for Tuscany presents three options but autonomously purchases one without confirmation. Sharon acknowledges these valid concerns and explains that commerce platforms, channel partners, and payment partners are collaborating on protocols to address exactly these issues.

“You’ve seen more open protocols released in the past six months than like the previous 10 years combined,” Sharon observes. Companies across the industry recognize that nobody wants an internet that isn’t safe or trustworthy. Trust becomes paramount when authorizing agents to shop on behalf of consumers. The human-in-the-loop component requires careful protocol design because transactions now involve four parties: a shopper, a shopper agent, a merchant, and a merchant agent. All four must trust each other.

Sharon mentions specific initiatives like Stripe ACP and PayPal protocols, as well as Google’s AP2 and other agentic protocols. Technology companies are leaning into these challenges because the problems are both complex and exciting. Meanwhile, attorneys are appropriately concerned about data security. Sharon frames this moment as one where the new rules of the internet are being written in the agentic space.

The opportunities this creates excite Sharon tremendously. She asks Brent to imagine rewriting an entire product catalog with a button click using generative AI, based on search terms from various channels. A merchant could refocus their entire catalog around Halloween instantly. Previous limitations—insufficient copywriters or creative resources—no longer apply. While many discuss AI primarily as a cost-reduction tool for operational efficiency, Sharon emphasizes its role as a growth enabler. AI provides jet fuel for existing team members, unlocking capabilities and scale never before possible because humans are freed from operational tasks that robots handle better.

“I would love it if our generation is the last one to use a mouse and a keyboard,” Sharon declares, capturing her optimism about AI’s potential to improve user experiences fundamentally.

Brent agrees and adds that AI’s greatest value for merchants might be identifying what they’re not doing rather than what they should be doing. Instead of worrying about generating content, merchants should focus on finding patterns in their data that reveal missing content opportunities.

Sharon confirms that many Commerce customers use tools to define simulated personas based on actual users, then understand what queries those personas might ask on various channels. Based on those questions, merchants can determine what content they need. She returns to the example of someone in Colorado planning an Italy vacation—does a merchant have the right content to ensure their products get referenced instead of competitors’ products?

Sharon believes marketers who understand what shoppers actually want and can articulate their unique value proposition will win because AI has democratized tooling. All platforms are working to ensure an open, trusted transactional experience with secure data presentation. For brand marketers, this represents an extraordinary opportunity. An army of agents can now support goals that previously required engineering expertise. If someone can think it, dream it, and believe it would deliver good outcomes, they can do it.

As the conversation concludes, Sharon reflects on why she values Ecom Forum. She praises Darin and the Titans group as heartfelt humans in commerce who curate thought leaders dealing with real implementation problems. Despite AI’s omnipresence, Sharon reminds listeners that commerce still centers on humans. Sharon Gee’s insights reveal that success in this new landscape requires merchants to embrace data as their most valuable asset while never losing sight of the human experiences they’re ultimately trying to enhance.

Final Thoughts

The transformation Sharon describes isn’t coming—it’s already here. Merchants who recognize that data has become their new storefront and invest accordingly will capture outsized visibility in channels where attention is rapidly shifting. The bifurcation between human and agent experiences requires technical sophistication, but platforms are building the infrastructure to make this transition manageable. What remains constant is the need to understand customers deeply and articulate unique value clearly. As protocols establish trust frameworks for this four-party transaction ecosystem, the merchants who win won’t just be the ones with the best technology. They’ll be the ones who recognize that while agents are shopping, humans are still the ones making the final decisions—and both deserve experiences built specifically for them. In the end, you might say the future of commerce isn’t just about making transactions easier—it’s about making discovery more intelligent and trust more transparent, one data point at a time.

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Talk Commerce - elena- leonova

Power of Sophisticated Commerce: Insights from Spryker’s SVP of Product with Elena Leonova

In this episode of Talk Commerce, Brent Peterson sat down with Elena Leonova, the Senior Vice President of Product at Spryker, to explore the world of complex ecommerce solutions and the art of effective product management.

“Ultimately, what they want to do is they want to run digital commerce, how they’ve been running their commerce practice in general. And that also means that in most of the cases, the available solutions that fit everybody don’t work for them.”

  • Elena Leonova

Navigating the Complexities of Sophisticated Commerce

Elena shared her insights on how Spryker, a digital commerce platform, caters to the needs of large enterprises with intricate business models and processes. She highlighted examples of Spryker’s customers, including those selling to dealers, powering small grocery shops, and managing supply chain complexities for industrial-grade printers.

“We built our platform to specifically be extensible in all those places to solve for those complexities.”

  • Elena Leonova

The Evolution of Product Management Across Platforms

Brent and Elena discussed how Elena’s product management experience evolved as she transitioned from Magento, an open-source platform, to BigCommerce, a multi-tenant SaaS solution, and now to Spryker. They explored the challenges and opportunities that arose in each environment, from managing an ecosystem of partners to navigating the data-rich world of SaaS platforms.

“The role of the product manager is to make sure that we as software company make the right decisions. Ultimately, we’re building a product or a platform that is going to last for many, many years.”

  • Elena Leonova

Mentoring the Next Generation of Product Managers

Elena’s passion for product management extends beyond her work at Spryker. She shared her insights on the importance of understanding the nuances of platform products and the need to balance customer-centric thinking with commercial viability.

“Besides just kind of what we just talked about, the platform products, a lot of people also don’t realize that product management is not about just building the product that customers love. You build products that you ultimately need to sell to customers.”

  • Elena Leonova

As the podcast drew to a close, Elena invited listeners to connect with her to discuss platform products and explore product management mentorship opportunities.

Brent’s Takeaway: Elena’s deep dive into the complexities of sophisticated commerce and her insights on the evolving role of product management were incredibly valuable. Her commitment to mentoring the next generation of product leaders is truly admirable and showcases her dedication to advancing the industry.

WordPress Tags: ecommerce, product management, platform products, Spryker, Magento, BigCommerce, sophisticated commerce, enterprise commerce, mentorship

https://youtu.be/pG9AQ2rIv_0

Key Takeaways:

  • The complexities of sophisticated commerce and how Spryker addresses them
  • The challenges and opportunities of product management in open-source, SaaS, and platform environments
  • The importance of balancing customer-centric thinking with commercial viability in product management
  • Elena’s commitment to mentoring and sharing her knowledge with aspiring product managers

Don’t miss this insightful conversation packed with valuable lessons for anyone interested in the world of ecommerce, product management, and platform-based solutions. Watch now and unlock the power of sophisticated commerce!

Talk-Commerce Tim Bucciarelli

Exploring the Ecommerce Landscape with Tim Bucciarelli 

In this episode of Talk Commerce, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tim Bucciarelli, the Director of Engagement at Iron Plane. Tim brought a wealth of knowledge from his diverse background, covering everything from his daily role to his passion for technology and writing. Our conversation spanned various intriguing topics, including the evolution of ecommerce platforms, the agency-client relationship, and speculative trends shaping the future of ecommerce. If you’re navigating the ecommerce landscape or seeking insights into effective client communication and platform selection, this blog post distills key takeaways and personal reflections from our enlightening discussion.

The Multifaceted Role of an Ecommerce Agency

One of the first insights Tim shared was about his role at Iron Plane, which encapsulates marketing, sales, client success, and partnerships. This “engagement” role is crucial because it ensures a cohesive approach to interacting with all stakeholders. From my perspective, such a role is vital in today’s fragmented digital world, ensuring that all aspects of an ecommerce business are aligned towards common goals.

The Importance of Communication in Client-Agency Relationships

Tim emphasized the significance of open communication in preventing misunderstandings and last-minute surprises, especially when dealing with complex technology projects. This resonated with me deeply. As someone who has been on both sides of the table, I understand how vital clear and timely communication is to the success of any project. It’s about setting the right expectations and being transparent about the process, time, and costs involved.

Navigating Platform Choices: Magento, Shopify, and BigCommerce

Our conversation took an interesting turn when discussing the differences between being a merchant and an agency, particularly in terms of platform choices. Tim’s journey from a Magento merchant to advocating for BigCommerce and Shopify highlighted the evolving needs of ecommerce businesses. It’s a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all solution; the choice depends on a myriad of factors including business size, budget, and long-term objectives.

The Future of Ecommerce Platforms

Looking at the future, we delved into the potential shifts in the ecommerce platform landscape, including the role of open source solutions like Magento and emerging players like Shopware. This part of our discussion underscored the importance of adaptability and forward-thinking in selecting an ecommerce platform. It’s not just about what works now but what will support growth and adapt to changing market dynamics in the future.

Total Cost of Ownership and the ROI of Ecommerce Investments

A critical takeaway from our talk was the concept of total cost of ownership and its impact on platform selection. As Tim aptly pointed out, businesses need to consider not just the upfront costs but the long-term investment in a platform. This is where insights from an experienced agency like Iron Plane can be invaluable, helping businesses make informed decisions that align with their financial and operational goals.

Thoughts on what we heard:

Our discussion with Tim Bucciarelli was a deep dive into the intricacies of the ecommerce ecosystem. Through his insights, we explored the importance of engagement, communication, and strategic platform selection. The ecommerce world is vast and complex, but with the right approach and guidance, businesses can navigate it successfully. Whether you’re considering a platform switch, looking to improve client-agency relations, or simply curious about the future of ecommerce, there’s a wealth of knowledge to be gleaned from this conversation.

For those eager to explore these topics further, I encourage you to listen to the full episode of Talk Commerce. And remember, whether you’re an established ecommerce business or just starting, the journey towards success is a continuous learning process. Stay curious, stay informed, and don’t hesitate to seek expert advice when needed.

Talk-Commerce Jamin Arvig

From Amazon to Everywhere: Navigating the Multichannel Landscape with Jamin Arvig

In a recent podcast episode, I welcomed Jamin Arvig, the co-founder of aiC Brands, a company that owns, operates, builds, and buys e-commerce brands. Jamin is also a co-founder of AIcommerce, a service company that provides multichannel marketing and growth benefits to brands. He is also involved in the Junior Presidents organization, which aims to teach kids about entrepreneurship and starting businesses.

The Importance of Multichannel Strategies for E-commerce Brands

Our conversation quickly shifted to the importance of multichannel strategies for e-commerce brands. Jamin explained that diversification is crucial for business stability and higher valuations. With the increasing competition and costs on platforms like Amazon, having a presence on multiple channels becomes even more important. Additionally, being present across various channels increases brand value and awareness.

Amazon’s Expansion Beyond Its Platform

We also discussed how Amazon is expanding beyond its platform through initiatives like Buy with Prime. Jamin explained that Amazon wants to capture customers who start their product searches elsewhere, and they are partnering with e-commerce platforms like Shopify to grow their infrastructure. Buy with Prime allows brands to leverage Amazon’s fulfillment network and benefit from quick delivery and lower shipping costs.

The Importance of Customer Experience and Branding Strategy

We addressed the misconception that Amazon is a soulless marketplace with limited opportunities for brand differentiation. Jamin explained that Amazon has added various features over the years that allow sellers to tell their brand story, such as branded pages, plus content, ads, comparable products, matrices, and videos. However, he acknowledged that there are still limitations to fully expressing a brand’s story on the Amazon platform.

We emphasized the benefits of creating a customer experience on your own website, where the possibilities are limitless. By leveraging the “Buy with Prime” button, sellers can combine the advantages of Amazon’s two-day shipping and name recognition with the ability to tell their brand story in any way they want on their own site.

The Need for Differentiation

We discussed how having a generic product on Amazon can make it difficult to stand out among the competition. Jamin highlighted the need for differentiation, including a strong supply chain, intellectual property (IP) protection, and a unique customer experience or community. He mentioned that having patents, trademarks, and even an app can make it more challenging for others to copy your product.

Choosing a Platform for Direct Sales

We discussed the considerations that bigger brands must make when choosing a platform for their direct sales. One advantage of using Amazon Prime is the happy feeling that comes with knowing your order will be delivered. However, Shopify Plus charges an additional fee for using an external gateway, and it’s unclear if Prime is even available for Shopify yet. Shopify has limited payment options compared to BigCommerce, which allows more flexibility.

Jamin agreed and added that regardless of the platform, there are costs involved in fulfillment, shipping, and labor. The difference lies in the commission charged by Amazon. He explained that deciding which platform to choose depends on factors like conversion rate increase and overall cost-effectiveness.

Expanding into New Channels

When expanding into new channels, Jamin explained that companies can either invest in building the capability internally, acquire a company with the desired capability, or partner with someone who already has it. He suggests that partnering with a fractional team can be more effective and cost-efficient, especially when resources are limited.

We mentioned aiCommerce as a potential partner, and Jamin agreed, stating that their reason for existing is to serve brands as they explore new channels. He mentioned that many brands achieve success by partnering with them.

Our conversation with Jamin provided valuable insights into the world of e-commerce, the importance of multichannel strategies, and the role of branding in differentiating products on platforms like Amazon. It’s clear that the future of e-commerce lies in diversification, customer experience, and strategic partnerships.

For more podcasts about Commerce

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*Meta-description: Jump right into an exciting multi-store front showdown between BigCommerce and Shopify. Discover why BigCommerce emerges as the victor with its flexibility and scalability.

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