The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

“We had no idea writing the word “SHITI” on a napkin and taping it to an old cooler would have such a following behind it”In 2016, Trevor and Austin Zacny founded SHITI® Coolers with a basic mission: To keep using that same damn Coleman with the rusted lid and squeaky hinges in hope there were more people out there just like them. A simple SHITI sticker was enough to represent the lifestyle they had been living for years.This is the journey of a brand that started wiuth $400 in parody stickers back in 2016 and by 2019 had grown into a seven-figure lifestyle brand.Show LinksSHITI Coolers - (Use code UNOFFICIAL10 for 10% off.)App: BACK IN STOCKBackpack Cooler@shiti_coolersNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In today's listener Q&A episode, you asked, we answered:Should you advertise on Pinterest?What's the deal with financing apps?Remarketing strategies with a new storeWhat is the best sales funnel for a high ticket item?How to launch into another marketSEO for products with variants...and more.Links MentionedSezzle - Use referral code SZXRLQJ to get one month free, no strings attached.WorkMacroBold Returns ManagerNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave a reviewSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsGet powerful marketing automation with Klaviyo's revenue-driving email platformTry Bold Product Upsell, free trialSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme - Use code PODCAST20 at checkoutImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

Jake Starr, a former firefighter, started Recycled Firefighter in 2013 when he noticed decommissioned fire hoses being thrown into the landfill, took some home, and turned it into an iPad case he sold on Etsy. "I feel bad for whoever bought it."Today, Jake's Shopify Plus store has sold thousands of wallets, backpacks, tool rolls and more made from recycled canvas fire hose material. He owes his success in part to the Every Day Carry community on Instagram where he has nearly 100,000 followers.In this candid interview, Jake joins us in studio to discuss his journey, what he's learned, and why he's chosen to keep his business intentionally small, bootstrapped, and fun.Links MentionedRecycledFirefighter.comIG:@RecycledFirefighterSnapseedEvery Tool's a Hammer by Adam SavageFour Hour Work WeekThe Ruthless Elimination of HurryCompany of OneNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave a reviewSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsGet powerful marketing automation with Klaviyo's revenue-driving email platformTry Bold Product Upsell, free trialSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme - Use code PODCAST20 at checkoutImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

Last Spring, a listener invited me to lunch with the Courtrights, a couple who ran a business that invested in Shopify stores– hundreds of Shopify stores– and offered a guaranteed rate of return to investors.On January 14th, the SEC announced that, "it filed an emergency enforcement action and obtained a temporary restraining order and asset freeze against Illinois resident Kenneth D. Courtright, III and his company, Todays Growth Consultant Inc., in connection with an alleged Ponzi-like scheme that raised at least $75 million from more than 500 investors throughout the United States and abroad."Let's unpack that.Links MentionedSEC StatementChicago Tribune: SEC freezes assets of suburban owner of The Income Store, allegedly a $75 million Ponzi-like website investment schemeNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave a reviewSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsGet powerful marketing automation with Klaviyo's revenue-driving email platformTry Bold Product Upsell, free trialSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme - Use code PODCAST20 at checkoutImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

Our guest today is Thomas "Tommy" Tartaglia, the self-described World's Okayest Exerciser, who sold more than $100k in t-shirts with "World's Okayest Exerciser" printed on it last year on Shopify. You'll hear: Why Amazon is a double-edged sword How offline events helped jumpstart their business The synergistic warehouse space they established How planning was game changing for Tommy's success (and how you clone it) Tommy's practical approach to mindfulness Where you should start with a new business Thomas Tartaglia has a bunch of degree's from various colleges, a significant amount of time in the Military, and a handful of years trying to figure out E-Commerce. He relies on other people to make himself look good. Tune in for more details! Resources Tango Charlie Apparel Recon Rings Tacticalories BestSelf SELF Journal How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this Listener Q&A episode, we talk:Post-purchase email marketingContent strategies when you can't run adsMigrating sales from Amazon to ShopifyNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave a reviewSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsGet powerful marketing automation with Klaviyo's revenue-driving email platformTry Bold Product Upsell, free trialSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme - Use code PODCAST20 at checkoutImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

One of the hardest parts of ecommerce entrepreneurship is manufacturing your first product, but as retail and technology has changed, it's also become easier than ever. Today we'll pull back the curtain on finding a manufacturer with a man who has decades of experience.Our guest today, Charles Kaliman, has helped big box retail stores launch new brands and find manufacturing supply chains. He collaborated in launching brands such as I.N.C., Structure, Everlast, and Gant.You'll hear:Finding the right factory partnerMistakes to avoidHow to vet a factoryWhy a great factory can help you financeHow digitization and changing retail has disrupted and democratized manufacturingWhy you should work backwardsWhat we can learn from Kim Kardashian's shapewear lineCharles has been in leadership positions holding operational responsibility at major retailers and brands. Charles’ international experience has provided him with a deep understanding of a dynamic and ever-changing global manufacturing base. He developed relationships with leading global vendors and travelled extensively to factories in Asia, India, Bangladesh, Central America and the USA.Show LinksKaliman ConsultingMAGIC Trade ShowNational Retail FederationNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Emily Jaime is the designer and founder of YIREH. She started the brand early in 2014 (when she was 22 years old!), without a background in fashion or business. She has built her online boutique with the desire to not only design functional and easy to wear clothing for women, but to also empower and encourage them to live their best lives. Show Links YIREH - Use code UNOFFICIAL for 15% off your order. Book: Building a StoryBrand IG: @YIREH_ Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Today's guest has twenty years of ecommerce experience and believes that "You can't survive as a commodity dropship retailer. You have to differentiate or Amazon will eat your lunch. If not today, then tomorrow."In this episode, he'll tell us how he differentiated Karmaloop and more.You'll hear:Lessons learned running a nine-figure brand acquired from AutoZoneThe simple strategies that Drew used to save KarmaLoop from extinctionHow to easily leverage direct mail to grow your businessIn 2013, Drew founded his first company, DesignPublic.com, with $500 cash. Today he's the CEO of nine-figure vertically integrated brand AutoAnything. In between, he's saved Karmaloop, got Teamwork to eight figures, and built a variety of software and retail businesses.In order of discussion:AutoAnything.comTraction80/20 RuleKarmaloopKettle & FireTeamworkEcommerce is a BearPostPilot - Get 15% off your first purchase with code KURT15Nerd MarketingNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

This episode is also available on YouTube.Shopify merchants broke records with $2.9+ billion in worldwide sales over Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.In this episode, we unpack the biggest shopping week of the year.You'll hear:Typical Facebook Ads ROAS statsHow our biggest clients performedAnd our key takeaways for our successful BFCM in 2020Links, in order of discussion:Cyber Week 2019 Statistics InfographicNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

Ryan Popoff founded a leather goods company after learning leather working as a creative outlet. Bootstrapped and run solo in 2013, Ryan is now leading a team of 12 full-time craftspeople in a 1,400 sq. ft. workshop in British Columbia. Popov Leather makes handmade leather goods like wallets, belts, watch straps, notebook covers, and more. They're made to order, reasonably priced, and have turned thousands of customers into devoted fans. In this episode, you'll learn: How to use Etsy to validate ideas Practical tips for effective photography A straightforward influencer strategy and how to know when to hire Popov Leather is the quintessential rural small town success story. A hobby turns into a micro business following spousal encouragement which then turns into a thriving fast-growth business. Six years after its first sale, Popov Leather today YOR revenue growth as more than 90% of their production is shipped to satisfied international customers. Show Links Popov Leather @popovleather Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

This episode is available on YouTube. Watch now: https://youtu.be/mjeP1M5cgEgIts too late to change anything on your store now this close to Black Friday, so instead, lets do something fun and talk about politics.In today's episode: How Presidential Candidates Maximize eCommerce SalesWe'll compare the Shopify stores of President Trump's 2020 campaign, and four Democratic presidential candidates, to see where they could improve and what they did right.Listener note: While politicians are the subject of our teardown, we have entirely avoided political issues. Nothing about this episode should be considered political commentary. Fight the urge to send us your political opinions. Please.In order of discussion:TrumpButtigiegYangSandersWarrenNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

First we'll hear Dave's journey from Hollywood Producer to High School teacher to international mobile filmmaking seller.At the end of the episode, Dave gives us the crash course on how you can radically improve the quality of video you're producing with the iOS device you already have.Stick around for the end to learn how to win giveaway our iOgrapher Multi Case for mobile phones and the iOgrapher Flexible tripod! x3!Links MentionedioGrapherCmd-PDave's About PageShapeways 3D PrintingKickstarter: iOgrapher Support Case for iPad MiniSwitcher Studio AppVidCon YouTube ConventionAgoraPulse Social Media ToolTubeBuddyFILMIC ProNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

Megan Auman is a jewelry designer, metalsmith, educator and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in selling art through a variety of channels. In this episode, Megan reveals how she built her own high-end handmade jewelry business, what it takes to sell art and handmade products online, and the mistakes artists make when selling online. You'll learn: Where to steal free time from The problem with Etsy for makers The steps you should take today if starting from scratch A sane content strategy Why you need a strategy for making money today, and another for money long-term. In addition to running her eponymous jewelry line, she is the founder of Designing an MBA, which features business thinking for artists and makers, and Artists & Profit Makers, an online mentorship community. A best-selling CreativeLive instructor, her designs have been featured in Elle Decor, Better Homes & Gardens, Cooking Light and on top-rated blogs like Design*Sponge. Show Links Megan's Shopify store Book: How to Break With Your Phone Book: Digital Minimalism NY NOW Course: Market Your Selfie MeganAuman.com Megan's new book: Try It & See: How to Get Sh*t Done While Overanalyzing Everything Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

After early success in 2017 with SMS while working at Lumee - Kim Kardashian's favorite selfie case - Jeremy Horowitz went all in on SMS marketing.You'll hear:The advantage of personalizing SMS for your clientsHow to get a 95% SMS open rate and 25% clickthrough rate on your SMSGetting started with SMS in 30-minutesWhat to absolutely NOT to do with SMSNew Buzzword: "Owned Channels"The most effective way to grow an SMS listEasy tactics for BFCM, advanced tacticsJeremy has been working in the eCommerce space for 5 years building both eCommerce brands and tools for eCommerce companies. He currently runs an agency and podcast of the same name – Messenger Mastermind – where he works with 7-Figure eCommerce companies to build out their Owned Channels (Email, SMS, Push Notifications, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook Groups) to drive more profitable revenue growth.Previously, Jeremy was LuMee's (aka Kim Kardashian's favorite selfie case) eCommerce Manager where he owned the DTC experience of LuMee.com and built tripled the Revenue generated from Email year over year. In addition he also built the SMS, Messenger and Push programs to drive a combined 6-Figures in Revenue per year.Links MentionedDownload the Messenger Mastermind Launch Optimization PDFMessenger Mastermind Podcast - Jeremy's PodcastMessenger Mastermind - Jeremy's AgencyLumee - Merchant exampleJeremy's Podcast episode on more advanced tactics in SMS.PostScriptSMSBumpRetention RocketSMS in KlaviyoChubbies - Sign up for their newsletter for inspirationNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

You asked, we answered:"So Kurt if you were to start a store what niche would you start in?""You mentioned the importance of building an email list- any practical ideas for how to get people to sign up?""Timing for social media posts for holidays. Aka when to release your Black Friday deal on social.""What to budget for your one day ads on social for black Friday, etc.""What type of ads should we run for BF? How can the ads be aligned with the emails per Ezra’s email campaign?"Plus Kurt goes to SEMA to rub elbows with a few celebrities.Links MentionedHoliday Email GuideSEMANerd MarketingBufferTailwindNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Ever wonder the best time and day to promote a product or sale? Or what strategy to use to get orders all day long? In this episode, 7-figure Shopify merchant Mark Arruda breaks down the exact strategy he's using.You'll hear:How Etsy made (and almost broke) Mark's businessRisks around trademarksWhat to do when Facebook ads get too expenseHow to focus on profitabilityMark's next level launch strategyWhy you should never do a weekend launchThe ideal day to launch a productMark is the founder and CEO of Constantly Varied Gear, co-host of the Messenger Mastermind Podcast and an avid community builder and marketer.Show LinksDownload: Mark's Product Launch BlueprintConstantly Varied GearMark's podcast: Messenger MastermindPodcast Recommendation: Ecommerce InfluencePodcast Recommendation: Business LunchPodcast Recommendation: Perpetual TrafficManyChatKlaviyoOctane.aiPostScriptPushOwlNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

In this episode, 7-figure merchant Tyler 'Sully' Sullivan from Bombtech Golf teaches us his approach to customer service and how his focus "is shocking customers with amazing service so price and repeat orders are a given." You'll hear: How a Facebook Group drives 100x ROI Why customer service can let you double or triple your prices Why revenue is a vanity number Examples of how to wow your customers In 2018, BombTech Golf sold 170,000 golf clubs resulting in mid seven figure revenue with just three employees and a four hour work week. Tune in for more details! Resources Bombtech Golf - Sully's Shopify store Klaviyo - Sully's preferred email marketing automation platform EcomGrowners - Sully's agency Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this episode, you'll learn a three stage strategy to set your Facebook ads funnel up for success before and during Black Friday.Facebook Ads are more expensive than ever, and Black Friday is going to bring the muppets out of the woodwork which will drive costs up even more.You'll the hear answers to:A 3-stage approach to Facebook Ads success on Black FridayHow to plan your budgetSetting your site up for successWhy you should try Dynamic Ads for Broad Audiences (DABA)Links MentionedBFCM Strategy GuideNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

In this episode, we open with a deep dive into conversion rates across devices and traffic sources, and how you can apply that info to your store.This episode is also available as a video interview on YouTube.You'll the hear answers to:When looking at mobile vs desktop conversion rates, what is the expected drop off on mobile?What app do your best stores use for returns/exchanges on Shopify?How to scale creative.Why use Privy if we are using Klaviyo?Is there a step by step process you use to test product pages to optimize for conversions?How do you suggest you make your business stand apart from the others in a saturated market?How to choose which apps make the cut and which ones don’t?Ways to improve signups from pop-up forms by using data?Any 'outside the box' Black Friday promotion ideas?Links MentionedShopify Behavior ReportsContent 10x BookBold Returns ManagerNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

We've seen SMS drive 20x ROI for our clients, but Shopify merchants have been slow to adopt SMS marketing. If you've been ignoring SMS as a channel, this episode addresses the common objections and risks around SMS marketing, and breaks down how to run SMS as a successful channel for your store.You'll learn:Why SMS gets a 99% open rateThe objections, rules, and regulations to know when texting customersHow to build your SMS lists (and monetize them in the process)How to run successful text campaignsUsing SMS for customer serviceMihail is the founder and CEO of SMSBump, Shopify's first texting marketing platform. He has 8+ years worth of eCommerce experience and has worked with brands such as Facebook, MasterCard, Amazon Pay, Google, Square etc.Show LinksSMSBump.comSMSBump in the Shopify app storeMerchant to watch: Fashion NovaSpecial offer: EMail [email protected] and mention The Unofficial Shopify Podcast for white glove onboardingNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.

Aileen McCauley is a mom to two kids, a school psychologist and, together with her husband James, is co-creator of The Wriggler, which is the first portable changing pad for babies and toddlers who wriggle during diaper changing. Aileen and James created The Wriggler after experiencing the problem with their own little one. When they couldn't find a solution, James, who is a part-time teacher and part-time stay-at-home dad, borrowed a sewing machine, learned to sew and came up with a solution that returned diaper changing to the calm, predictable experience it had once been. Still in its first year in business, The Wriggler is now a multi-award winning changing pad that has been called a 'sanity saver' and a 'miracle mat' by the many independent parent product testers who have reviewed it. You'll hear: How they went from idea to product in 18 months How did you generate awareness about The Wriggler / marketing strategy? What have been some highlights of your first year in business? How has the journey on both stores differed? How Aileen's shot their most succesful video ad on an iPhone The launch formula they used Show Links The Wriggler (US) - Use code unofficial for 30% your Wriggler mat. The Wriggler (UK) Perpetual Traffic (Podcast) Ecom Crew (Podcast) Ecommerce Influence (Podcast) Contagious (Book) Wizard of Ads (Book) Tipping Point (Book) Launch (Book) Bold MultiCurrency (App) Geolizr (App) Bold Cashier (App) FOMO (App) Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In today's episode we open with ecommerce news, Shopify feature updates, and some lingering questions from Klaviyo:BOS.This episode is also available as a video interview on YouTube:https://youtu.be/S-9CqspYpDMYour questions, answered:Customer retention techniquesStrategies to increase conversion rates from blog visitsHow often should you be emailing customers? And and at what point do you go for the sale?How to think about migrating to Shopify PlusWhat's the best app/solution for wholesalePlus Kurt survives the #onechipchallenge.Links MentionedPaqui One ChipSimon Gilt NewsGoogle Shopping NewsShipping Profile DocsShopify Multi CurrencyKurt's Guide to PlusNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Today's guest has had tremendous adventures in ecommerce – from managing Jack Threads' 16-million person list to earning $38mm in 10 weeks selling hover boards – and today he's going to share it all with us.The first twenty minutes of this episode are possibly the most value-packed show we've ever recorded.You'll hear:The exact exit intent strategy they're using with Privy and KlaviyoWhy a Repeat Nurture Series could be your most overlooked flowHow kicking subscribers off their list is driving revenueWhy best subject line could be "a deal to good to pass up"The case for plain textHow to ensure your emails land in the inboxUsing Google Trends to find seven-figure product ideasJosh writes, "My career has taken an interesting path over the past 16 years, from accounting to digital marketing, I have seen it all. After 7 years into my career, I finally realized I was not enjoying my day to day life as a public accountant and was given an opportunity to become the Controller to one of the clients. This was my first introduction to e-commerce and marketing. After 6 months into my Controller position, I was able to skim the surface into marketing and quickly became hooked! From this point, I began my transition out of accounting and solely into digital marketing. I was given opportunities from a variety of well-known streetwear brands such as Jack Threads and Black Pyramid and multiple freelance projects, which really allowed me to hone my craft and accelerate each brands revenue. I am currently the Digital Marketing Director at Amerex Group."Links MentionedAmerex GroupPrivyKlaviyoNosto@jbehr919Never miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

On September 25th & 26th, Kurt went to Boston to attend Klaviyo:BOS Conference 2019. You'll hear interviews with real merchants using Klaviyo to own their marketing and grow their business, plus learn the new features coming to Klaviyo.Described as, "the ultimate experience to take your ecommerce marketing to the next level. It’s where the brightest industry leaders, fastest-growing brands, and expert product specialists come together to share real-world examples and actionable strategies that’ll help you own the entire customer experience and grow your brand."Show LinksKlaviyo:BOSNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Want to know what's working for us with Klaviyo right now? We turn to ecommerce marketing wizard Kurt Bullock to get an update and learn the exact blueprint he uses to achieve 20% revenue increases for Shopify merchants.First we'll discuss some quick wins for existing Klaviyo users, and then we'll walk throughYou'll learn:When & how to use split-testing in emails to maximize revenueThree examples of Klaviyo quick wins you can implement todayHow and why to segmentWhich must-have automation workflows to start withStep-by-step how pro's set up Klaviyo accountsGrab a notepad and tune-in 'cause this one is full of actionable advice.Show LinksRegister your Klaviyo accountExample store: Ballistic FabricationKickboxTw:@kurtbullock5 Data-Backed Best Practices for Email Subject LinesHow to Craft Email Subject Lines that Drive Open RatesProduceDeptNever miss an episodeSubscribe on iTunesJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe on iTunesWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

In 2018, Ezra Firestone generated $700K over Black Friday, with $100k alone on Thanksgiving for his Shopify store BOOM by Cindy Joseph.This year he plans do 30% more and he's going to tell us exactly how.Master Marketer Ezra Firestone breaks down the exact Black Friday and holiday email campaigns he'll be running this year.You'll learn:Ezra's content marketing strategyIndustry gossipWhy to set up pre-sale campaignEzra's ten email Black Friday strategyBest times to send emailHow to setup landing pages for holiday promosShow LinksEzra on InstagramShopify buys 6 River SystemsZipify PagesSmart MarketerBoomNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear nine questions from merchants preparing for Black Friday:How to manage your app addictionThe power of SMS marketingWhen to update your product descriptionsConsiderations when selling on Amazon and ShopifyThe top mistake merchants make on Black FridayMulti Currency in a nutshellShould you block site traffic from other countries?Plus: Kurt terrifies his children, and Paul kills Moby Dick.Show LinksRetention RocketSMSBumpPingdom ToolsThe Truth About Google PageSpeed Insights for ShopifyBold Multi CurrencyNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your podcastsJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe wherever you get your podcastsWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.SponsorsTry Bold Product Upsell free for 90 daysSave 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify themeImprove your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta ManagerOutsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Rivky Itzkowitz is a 24 year old fashion designer living in NYC. As a practicing Orthodox Jew, she was frustrated at not being able to find modest special occasion wear that actually fit, so she set out to create her own. This episode is about the inspiring journey of hardship and success that came next. You'll learn: How to have the best relationships with your retailers Why wholesale may be the best way to start a business The differences in how to market wholesale vs. retail Her company, Impact Fashion is the only size inclusive modest special occasion fashion line on the market. Every style is fitted to perfection and is available in sizes 2-24 because there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. Her wholesale line is stocked in over 25 boutiques nationwide. In September 2018 she launched the B2C arm of her company on Shopify, impactfashionnyc.com. Tune in for more details! Show Links ImpactFashionNYC - Use code UNOFFICIAL on impactfashionnyc.com for free shipping with purchase IG: @impact.fashion.nyc Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Who else wants lower bounce rates and higher conversion rates from visitors to their homepage? We discuss: Should your homepage be a squeeze page? What in Turbo theme should be tweaked to improve the mobile experience? What content should go on the home page? Is HERO a must? Should the value prop be the hero image headline? Should your homepage be a branded experience or a long form sales page? Plus Kurt develops an unnatural love for leather goods, and Paul lays out what niche he'd start a store in. Show Links Popov Leather The Contract Shop Skyline Socks The Greek (not Latin) phrase that's the origin of "call a spade a spade" Welsh Otter Shipping Countdown Timer app Motiv Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Shopify Plus merchant Tactical Baby Gear is disrupting the booming world of baby products — estimated this year to produce more than $11 billion in revenue worldwide — by specializing in military-style baby gear. Founder Beav Brodie and COO Alex Alexander Kristoff join us to discuss their seven-figure success. We'll find out: Why you should want to fire your customer service people Why they believe in business partnerships The candid challenges they've faced Beav's social media & content marketing strategy ...and more in this candid interview. Tune in for more details! Show Links Tactical Baby Gear Beav Brodie Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

You'll hear the answers to: With all the shiny toys available for merchants, how should you prioritize them? If someone feels totally overwhelmed as a merchant, what’s the one thing they should hire out to alleviate the stress? What's the formula to determine product pricing? Are there good methods for testing different price points with your customers? How do you properly split test multiple ad creatives for a new product, prior to launching conversion campaigns? Plus Kurt gets a new jacket, and Paul knows who shot JFK. Show Links Headed to Klaviyo Boston? Unofficial Shopify Podcast listeners get $300 off by using code UnofficialShop300 at checkout. Kurt's rad denim jacket, a gift from Pak Rat Ink. Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Creative husband and wife team Matt Snow and Meredith Erin, owners of Boredwalk T-Shirts, take us through their entrepreneurial journey building a cult of customers around their lifestyle apparel brand. You'll hear: Why you should embrace the suck The one tactic that helped me them gain early sales Why they hate Amazon The customer-centric content-first marketing strategy that has grown their business Why you should start a podcast now These artists-turned-ecommerce professionals produce clever original graphic goods, including apparel, accessories, and decor items. Known for their dark humor and sharp wit, Meredith and Matt have created a corner of the internet where fellow misanthropes can laugh at the world and themselves. Tune in for more details! Show Links BoredWalk The Boredwalk Podcast Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Instead of waiting until November to take action, let's discuss what you can do right now to put your store in the best possible position to capitalize on Black Friday sales. You'll hear: high ROI traffic options other than paid Facebook, Instagram or google the best way to get featured in places like Buzzfeed converting lookers into buyers! Top conversion rate optimizations techniques for product pages. Plus Kurt sees Weird Al, and Paul needs his ear drops. Show Links RockAuto - Example of a successful site left intentionally dated Adam's Polishes Quick Detail Spray - Great example of a PDP Turbo - Use Code PODCAST20 to save 20% off the purchase price of Turbo. Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Want to know what's working with Facebook ads right now? We turn to ecommerce marketing wizard Kurt Bullock to learn the exact blueprint he uses to achieve 10x returns on ad spend.You'll learn:The exact strategies & tactics working for us right nowSpecific examples of targeting new customersThe hot ad formats to try nowWhat's new: Broad Match Dynamic Product Adsand strategy for September's campaign budget optimization requirementGrab a notepad and tune-in 'cause this one is full of actionable advice.Show LinksDownload KB's FB ads blueprint: ProduceDeptKurt Bullock's brother's store: Ballistic FabricationCanvaOver (iOS)Videoshop (iOS)Boomerang (iOS)GorillaPodTw:@kurtbullockNever miss an episodeSubscribe on iTunesJoin Kurt's newsletterHelp the showAsk a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook GroupLeave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one.Subscribe on iTunesWhat's Kurt up to?See our recent work at EthercycleTake a ride with Kurt on YouTubeApply to work with Kurt to grow your store.This episode made possible by Rewind

Facebook ads are getting increasingly competitive and expensive– and it's not stopping anytime soon. That's scary for those of us that rely on Facebook ads to power their business and their income. In this episode, social media advisor Andrew Foxwell talks us through tactics to make Facebook ads a more reliable part of your business. You'll hear: Why Facebook ad costs are rising How to recognize and overcome facebook ad fatigue What mandatory Campaign Budget Optimization (CBO) means for you Why social proofing is an algorithmic game changer How to accelerate engagement on your ads Since co-founding Foxwell Digital in 2012, Andrew Foxwell and his wife Gracie have worked with hundreds of businesses, non-profits, and organizations to launch, optimize, and manage more than $10 million in Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns. Andrew's past & present clients include Square, Eventbrite, Fitbit, Blenders Eyewear, Pura Vida Bracelets, Bryan Anthonys, Grand Ole Opry, and more. Andrew regularly teaches training courses with Jon Loomer on various topics such as Facebook Analytics, Business Manager, Dynamic Ads, Scaling, and much more. Andrew is also the co-host of the Ecommerce Influence podcast and has been featured in the New York Times, TechCrunch, and various other print/online publications. Tune in for more details! Resources Andrew's consulting site: Foxwell Digital FB Training Ads: Jon Loomer Twitter: @andrewfoxwell FB Group: eCommerce Heavyweights Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear the answers to: What is the biggest factor conversion rate? Where should you send cold traffic? What should go in a email welcome series? What are typical image requirements for Shopify product photography? and what to do if you have a cash-eating monster business Plus Julie gets a surprise, we geek out about cars, and Kurt disappoints Paul. Show Links Adam's Polishes Old School Shirts Orglamix Cats Trailer Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

What happens creativity and comedy empowers your business? Weekend shorts purveyor Joey Avery, the Ecommerce Content Manager at Chubbies, will tell us what's working when building a shorts empire, and reveal solid gold advice on finding your brand's voice and entertaining your customers. You'll learn: The origins of the Chubbies brand voice and messaging Why they hired a comedian with no marketing experience to handle content The power of creative culture Chubbies exact email and social media strategies Chubbies lifecycle email strategy advice on how to start your own podcast After starting his career in Cape Town, South Africa Joey Avery brought his positive and energetic brand of comedy to San Francisco and received the Jimmy Gunn award for Best Newcomer to the Bay Area comedy scene. He was recently honored by the SF Chronicle as one of the Bay Area's Comics to catch. Joey appeared on Fox and AJ+ as well as in the San Francisco Sketchfest Comedy Festival and the San Diego Sun God Music and Arts Festival. He hosts the Chubbies Podcast, the Pier 69 podcast, and creates content for Chubbies Entertainment. Show Links Chubbies Klaviyo Looker Iconosquare The Chubbies Podcast Twitch Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this episode, we talk about why we choose to stay small, and the tools we use to maximize efficiency and profits. Ultimately, our goal is to build a business that supports the life we want. A life that lets us enjoy time with our families. We’re running a small business by choice. We don’t want to spend our days managing employees. Instead, we want to treat our time as a scarce resource and invest in helping others build businesses for the lives they want too. Show Links Adam's Polishes Kurt on Instagram Book: Company of One Zapier Bench TextExpander TubeBuddy Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this episode, you'll learn how to use YouTube Ads to grow your brand and drive sales from recurring guest Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce, a digital marketing agency and Google Premier Partner. You'll hear: What does YouTube advertising look like? Who is a good candidate for YouTube ads? How do the YouTube ad types work? Keys to a good YouTube ad How to retarget store visitors with YouTube ads In addition to running OMG Commerce, Brett is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Google Shopping published by Shopify. He is also the host of the eCommerce Evolution Podcast highlighting what’s new and what’s next in eCommerce. He and his team manage Google, Amazon, and YouTube ad campaigns for over 100 growing brands. His insights into Amazon and Google Advertising have been featured on stage at top industry events like IRCE, Seller Summit, and Social Media Marketing World. His articles are featured on leading industry sites like Shopify, Big Commerce, and Search Engine Journal, and he’s a frequent guest on top marketing podcasts like Ecommerce Fuel, Perpetual Traffic, Social Media Examiner and many more. Tune in for more details! Show Links Brett's Agency: OMG Commerce Brett's Article: How I Recovered 2,328 Abandoned Shopify Carts With YouTube Ads Harmon Brothers Book recommendation: Tested Advertising Methods Book recommendation: Ogilvy on Advertising Grammarly Video: Brett's YouTube Ad Tips Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Rewind

On this show, we've found a common pattern to merchants' entrepreneurial journeys on Shopify. This is not one of those stories. This is the journey of Cesar Torres who turned a merch store for his sci-fi book series into a fitness leggings brand with a big impact on LGBTQ+ fans of the brand. You'll hear: What Cesar learned working at the Wirecutter How listening to customers pivoted his business to success How an uncommon journey led to uncommon success Cesar is the author of two sci-fi book series: The Coil and How to Kill a Superhero. He is also the CEO and Designer of LED Queens fitness apparel, which is a direct spinoff from both of his book series. He earned his journalism degree at Northwestern University and a computer science masters degree at DePaul University. He's currently based out of Chicago. Tune in for more details! Resources Cesar's site: LED Queens Wirecutter Cesar's books: The Coil and How to Kill a Superhero Instagram: @LEDQueens App: Returnly App: Smile App: Privy Cesar's personal site: CesarTorres.me Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

If this show had a mantra, it might be, "People buy from people, not brands." There is no personal commerce channel than conversational commerce. Today, Shopify and Apple announced that Shopify Merchants can now use Apple's Business Chat, a tremendously powerful new way for organizations to connect with customers directly from within Messages. Previously only available to Fortune 500 business like 1800Flowers and Home Depot, it's now available today for your Shopify store. That's exciting, but what does it mean for your business? To find out, we're joined by Shopify's Director of Product, Michael Perry. You'll learn: The game changing feature coming to Shopify Ping How to improve your customer relationships (and build a competitive moat around your business) Why you can't ignore conversational commerce How to use chat to 3x conversion rates up Michael Perry founded Kit, which was acquired by Shopify in 2016. He's now Director of Product at Shopify, and fiercely passionate about conversational commerce and its potential for the future of ecommerce. Show Links Shopify Ping Tw:@michaelperry Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Last week Shopify announced their most ambitious features to date at the fourth annual Shopify Unite partner conference. Paul and I attended, and break it down for you here. How Shopify is going after Amazon Why it's going to be easier than ever to manage your store And why Shopify is now the entrepreneurship operating system Show Links Shopify Blog: Everything Announced at Shopify Unite 2019 Shopify Unite Shopify Fulfillment Network Shopify Plus Blog: Unite 2019: New Tools to Unlock Meaningful Customer Experiences Kurt's Unite Notes What's new on Shopify? These are the notes I took during the Shopify Unite keynote: Online store: Site-wide sections Apps can add sections Product pages have parent and child templates Content portability: all content lives outside theme, simplifying theme changes Native video & 3-D support on product pages Check-out app extensions for native integrations of things like subscriptions Multi-currency checkout rolling out to all merchants Multi-language API for native localized content POS: Tap & chip case for mobile orders. Apple store like experience. Printed with a custom logo. Cart extension apps. Entirely redesigned POS interface Native “buy online pick up in store” Admin: New “shipping profiles” to assign product-specific shipping rules. Order editing!!! Plus: All new interface: centralized view of multiple stores Multistore dashboard for customers, orders, Flow automation, etc Future: cloning & store sync Multi-store staff managed in one place Apps: Command line interface tool to make dev easier Shopify App Bridge: one library to rule them all, and create more embedded apps GraphQL improvements mean faster apps More stable apps because of API versioning. (Keeps apps from breaking when the API changes.) Shopify Fulfillment Network: 2 days to deliver 99.9% order accuracy Multichannel support Custom packaging & branding Returns/exchange support Now: Merchants of every size. (10-10,000 orders/day) Later: Merchants of every size. (3-30,000 orders/day) Beta complete, apply for early access at shopify.com/fulfillment When: Most updates had a timeline of "Available later this year" Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear: The hardest decisions we've ever made in our business Why Kurt thinks retail arbitrage is better than dropshipping Why business partnerships are sexless marriages and a spirited debate on toilet paper Show Links Spotify: The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals - The 1960s, Vol.1 App of the week: Bonjoro BioBidet Supreme BB-1000 Never miss an episode Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Four years ago, today's guest found herself dreaming of pursuing a more creative path, and she started to look for alternatives to her in-house legal job. She explored everything from teaching yoga to becoming a freelance graphic designer to opening an Etsy shop. In the process, she ended up coming full circle by creating a business that brought the benefit of her legal training to help her fellow creatives. Joining us is Christina Scalera, the attorney turned ecommerce entrepreneur behind The Contract Shop, a contract template store for creative entrepreneurs, wedding professionals, and coaches. In this candid episode, Christina walks us through her journey from how she made her first sale four years ago up to today where her annual sale now does six-figures. You'll learn: How she found her business idea by accident The exact method that launched her store with $4K in pre-orders How she scaled that success to drive business growth Tune in for more details! Show Links The Contract Shop Nick's Consultancy: Draft Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Today's guest put his money where his mouth is when he joined ecommerce incubator Chillest Capital to launch and manage direct to consumer brands selling things like premium beef jerky, CBD supplements, and more. You'll learn: The legality of CBD Why CBD is so hot right now How a lifestyle brand is an acquisition channel Working around advertising limitations for sensitive advertising The dangers of high-risk payment gateways Andy has worked in eCommerce across several different categories and brands from fast scaling start-ups to enterprise level brands such as Proactiv and Coca-Cola. Prior to Co-Founding Holiday, a Chillest Capital portfolio company, he served as Chief of Stuff at Brand Value Accelerator and as a project manager at Gotham Alpha. His passion lies in driving innovation and growth within organizations looking to adapt to the ever-changing digital world. Show Links Chillest C-Star Provisions Beef Jerky Holiday CBD Gummies LinkedIn: Dylan Whitman BVAccel LinkedIn: Andy Muntean RetentionRocket Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

In today's listener mailbag episode, we discuss topics and questions chosen by you. You'll learn: How the shadiest internet villains illicitly advertise How to advertise when you can't use Facebook or Google How to make Shopify Plus make money for you and the "must have" mostly-free apps for your store Show Links “What’s Shopify Plus got that regular Shopify doesn’t?” Metafilter: Where was the effing monkey? Klaviyo Bold Brain Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

According to Wikipedia, Hoonigan Industries is "an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts." According to its 20 million fans, it's an car culture movement. Either way, they're on Shopify Plus, and have an incredible story to share starting back in the 2000's when co-owner and rally driver Ken Block appeared on BBC show Top Gear and filmed the hit YouTube video "Gymkhana 2", making the most viral video of 2009. You'll learn: The origin story of Hoonigan, Gymkhana, and Ken Block. The authentic content that got them to an audience of 20million people and three daytime Emmy nominations What's changed in social media and the one thing that will separate you Ron Zaras is a man who has somehow snuck his way into the ranks of automotive media. Starting life as an automotive journalist (read: intern) directly out of college working for 0-60 magazine, he learned that he could sustain a living telling automotive stories - and has been attempting to do so ever since. After an 8 year stint working directly for Ken Block under the Hoonigan Racing Division banner, he moved over to the Hoonigan Industries home base in Long Beach, California to help evolve their marketing in both media and apparel segments. Tune in for more details! Show Links HOONIGAN - RZARAS2042 for 20% off at Hoonigan.com! GYMKHANA TWO Garage Garage: Racecar Bed Scumbag Labs: Steer Left, Turn RIGHT?? Opposite Steering Jeep Melts Our Brains! Instagram: @roncar Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

Websites should be fast. No one is arguing about that. What constitutes fast has somehow been perverted by an anxiety-inducing score assigned by the cruel mistress known as Google PageSpeed Insights. In this episode, we throw Google PageSpeed in the bonfire. You'll learn: Why Google PageSpeed Insights is an awful boogeyman that needs to be stopped A sane approach to making your website faster When to upgrade Shopify plans and strategies to setup your main menus correctly (again) The boys get extra salty in this one. Tune in for more details! Show Links Pingdom Tools Crush.pics Paul's website - It gets a perfect PageSpeed score. Shopify Pricing Kurt's Shopify Plus breakdown Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Try Bold Product Upsell free for 90 days Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager Outsource your Shopify customer service with Simplr

At the age of 24, she quit her job to freelance full time— and in her first year, she earned $137,000. Joining me in studio is Kelly Vaughn, founder of all-female Shopify agency The Taproom. Kelly will tell us how she got her start, and how she helps high-growth Shopify stores go from six to seven figures. You'll hear: The tactics Kelly uses to scale stores from six to seven-figures Recommendations for a successful subscription service What successful merchants do that others don't Kelly's advice for staying competitive in the fashion & apparel niche Kelly Vaughn is a Shopify Expert and founder of The Taproom Agency, a Shopify marketing agency rooted in Atlanta. Kelly and her team have helped hundreds of Shopify merchants build wishful marketing strategies, map out customer journeys that convert, and provide the insight, experience, and tools businesses need to keep growing. When she doesn't have her nose in a Macbook, Kelly is traveling across Europe with her 9.8/10 husband, experimenting with new gin and tonic combos, and putting on all her sweaters at once because she just loves sweaters SO MUCH. Tune in for more details! This episode is made possible through a sponsorship from Rewind. Rewind creates a daily, automatic backup of your Shopify store – protecting your most valuable online assets. Recover from small mistakes and huge disasters in minutes. Start your free trial. Show Links thetaproom.com Tw:@kvlly Kelly's Newsletter ReCharge Klaviyo Smile Never miss an episode Subscribe on iTunes Join Kurt's newsletter Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings & reviews help, and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes What's Kurt up to? See our recent work at Ethercycle Take a ride with Kurt on YouTube Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store. Sponsors Rewind