When you spend time with Shopify agencies that live inside the platform every day, the signal gets clear fast: Shopify is no longer just talking about storefronts. It is pushing hard toward being the operating system for commerce.

That shift came through clearly in the recent Shopify .dev event in Toronto and in the latest Editions release. In this podcast, you’ll learn what the biggest themes actually were, which updates matter most for merchants.

We're joined by highly respected Shopify experts Mike Warwick, Senior Director of Solutions at Shero Commerce, & Liam Quinn, Director of Innovation at Visualsoft.

Why listen:

• Get the real take on Shopify’s direction beyond the hype.
• Hear which updates actually matter for merchants.
• Understand why Sidekick and AI are becoming strategically important.

The Big Themes:

1) Why Shopify Is Moving Beyond the Storefront

Shopify is clearly evolving from a storefront platform into a broader commerce operating system. The biggest shift is toward owning more of the merchant workflow; data, operations, reporting, merchandising and AI-assisted tasks. The message from the event was simple: Shopify wants to be the place merchants run their business from, not just where customers check out.

2) What Stood Out Most at Shopify .dev Toronto

The move from a one-day to a two-day event made a real difference. It gave attendees more time for sessions, conversations, and partner meetings, which mattered because many talks were oversubscribed. The event felt less like a keynote showcase and more like a chance to dig into what Shopify is actually building and where it’s headed next.

3) The sessions that drew the most attention

• AI, especially practical applications.
• Product catalogue work.
• Sidekick and AI-assisted operations.
• Retail and POS improvements.
• Smaller operational updates that are easy to miss but useful in practice.

The smaller updates were often the most valuable: improvements to inventory, collections, reporting, and other operational basics. The strongest theme was that Shopify is focusing on practical tools that save merchants time and reduce friction, not just headline features.

4) Sidekick Is Becoming More Useful Than People Realise

Sidekick came across as one of the most important products in the room. It’s becoming genuinely useful for Shopify-specific questions, reporting and workflow support through Shopify Flow. It’s not perfect, but it’s moving from novelty to real utility. That matters because it could become the main way merchants interact with the platform day to day.

How Ellis Brigham Is Building a Modern Retail Experience Through Technology

tl;dr - what you'll get:

• Learn how Ellis Brigham approached a major ecommerce platform migration to Centra and the commercial considerations behind the decision.
• Discover how investments in delivery experience, customer data and personalisation are helping strengthen customer loyalty.
• Get practical insights into balancing retail heritage with digital innovation, including real-world experiences of adopting AI across ecommerce operations.

Summary:

In this episode, we speak with Mark Oldham, Head of Operations at Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, about the evolution of one of the UK's best-known outdoor retailers and how the business is modernising its ecommerce ecosystem while staying true to its heritage.

The conversation explores the commercial thinking behind Ellis Brigham's move from Magento to Centra, examining the operational challenges that prompted the migration. Mark explains the importance of building a flexible technology stack that supports growth, improves efficiency and delivers a better customer experience.

Customer experience is a central theme throughout the podcast, with insights into the implementation of Ingrid to transform delivery choice and customer communication. The discussion highlights why transparent fulfilment and post-purchase experiences have become critical drivers of customer loyalty and lifetime value.

We also explore how Ellis Brigham has successfully balanced nearly three decades of retail expertise with the demands of modern digital commerce. Mark shares his perspective on preserving the unique identities of Ellis Brigham, Snowboard Asylum and Outsiders, while ensuring each brand delivers a consistent experience across every customer touchpoint.

The conversation then turns to data and personalisation, looking at how Voyado is helping consolidate customer data and unlock more meaningful CRM strategies. From understanding customer intent during product discovery to creating more personalised onsite experiences, the discussion examines how retailers can make better use of the data they already collect.

Finally, the episode explores the growing role of artificial intelligence within ecommerce teams. Mark shares how AI is being introduced into day-to-day operations, the efficiencies it can unlock and the practical challenges businesses face when embedding AI into established workflows.

Chapters:

[0:30] — Intro to Ellis Brigham and the episode topic[1:30] — Mark introduces Ellis Brigham and his role[4:05] — Why the move from Magento and the replatforming drivers[9:15] — Why Centra was the right fit[13:15] — Ingrid / order communication and customer experience[19:35] — Blending store expertise with digital content[25:05] — Omnichannel fulfilment and store operations impact[28:00] — Why Ellis Brigham keeps distinct brand identities[33:30] — Voyado, customer data and intent signals[35:55] — AI adoption across the business[38:30] — AI governance and data controls[42:20] — Dashboards, AI and the future of analytics

The debate around native apps versus mobile websites has changed significantly. Thanks to Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), improved mobile browsers and advances in web technologies, many capabilities that once required a native app are now available through the mobile web.

For most ecommerce brands, the decision is no longer driven by technology limitations but by customer behaviour, retention strategy and commercial return on investment.

This podcast explores where native apps still deliver meaningful advantages, including push notifications, deeper integration with mobile devices, offline functionality and richer customer experiences.

It also examines which types of retailer genuinely benefit from investing in an app, highlighting examples such as Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein, where apps support loyalty, exclusive product launches and community engagement rather than simply replicating the website.

The conversation concludes with a practical framework to help retailers determine whether a mobile website is sufficient or whether a native app can drive higher customer lifetime value through repeat purchasing, personalisation and stronger customer engagement.

What you'll get from listening:

• Understand why the native app versus mobile web debate has fundamentally shifted in the last few years.
• Learn which capabilities native apps still offer that even modern websites ecannot fully match.
• Discover why customer lifetime value and retention are now the strongest commercial reasons to build an app.
• Hear practical examples of how brands including Gymshark, Represent and Myprotein use apps to strengthen loyalty and increase repeat purchases.
• Understand how push notifications, loyalty programmes and exclusive product launches can transform customer engagement.
• Learn which retail sectors are most likely to generate a positive return on investment from a native app, and which are unlikely to benefit.

• Get a practical decision-making framework to help determine whether your business should invest in a native app or continue focusing on delivering the best possible mobile website.

Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.

Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.

In this panel, leading experts on affiliate marketing explain the current framework for affiliate marketing, exploring how the market has shifted and the mindset and toolkit that marketers need to drive incremental revenue.

Gabrielle McLeod & George Whitmore from Vervaunt give expert advice on the following:

• The strategic market shift.
• The four levers for effective affiliate marketing.
• Practical advice for retailers.

View ⁠all Pulse panels⁠.

About Pulse

Pulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing.

FOLLOW US:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/

Our Pulse Special episodes feature the hottest content from the 2026 event, including panel discussions with leading brands and technology vendors.

Exclusive to Inside Commerce, these discussions share interesting insights from respected industry practitioners.

In this panel, Shamoli Miah from Vervaunt hosts a discussion with the leadership teams of some of the most innovative and dynamic ecommerce technology vendors in the market. The panel includes Jessika Odling from DEMA, Sarah Young from Harper, Marc Adelman from Visually & Vidar Trojenborg from Emfas.

View all Pulse panels.

About Pulse

Pulse is an ecommerce conference designed for ambitious high-growth retailers and brands looking for inspiration and innovation from some of the top speakers in ecommerce and digital marketing.

FOLLOW US:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inside-commerce/

Replacing An Entire Tech Stack - John Smedley’s Migration Journey From Magento to Centra.

Most brands are afraid to overhaul their legacy systems for fear of losing their identity but John Smedley’s story proves that a strategic replatform can elevate a storied heritage brand without diluting its uniqueness.

Our guest, Jamie Austen, is the Head of Ecommerce Operations at John Smedley, who has been the driving force for transforming a 240-year-old British heritage icon into a digitally agile, premium experience without sacrificing its timeless appeal.

Jamie explains how they navigated the complex journey from Magento to a headless, customer-centric architecture on Centra, building a stronger foundation that drives commercial results and sharpens brand storytelling.

Chapters:

[00:30] — Intro: John Smedley’s move from Magento to Centra

[05:30] — Managing a lean team through a large replatforming project.

[09:00] — Building the business case for modernising the tech stack.

[12:00] — Working with LimeSharp and phasing the build.

[15:15] — Rebuilding the wider tech stack around Centra.

[25:10] — Choosing Dato CMS and improving content management.

[29:00] — Impact on the internal team after launch.

[32:30] — Centra wholesale/B2B plans and adoption considerations.

[38:30] — Challenges and lessons from the replatform.

[42:45] — Future priorities: loyalty, in-store connection and digital gift cards.

What drives a heritage brand like John Smedley to completely rethink its tech stack?

Jamie explains how market change, technical debt and the need for agility pushed them to embrace innovation while safeguarding their rich history.

You'll discover the key decision points:

• Shifting to a flexible, headless setup with Centra
• Replacing legacy platforms with tools like Voyado Elevate and Engage
• Creating a seamless, multi-channel customer experience that balances tradition with modernity.

We discuss the internal dynamics of managing a lean team through a complex transition, the importance of ruthless prioritisation during launch and how a strong partner, both technically and culturally, is essential.

Tune in for insights into:

• Overcoming internal resistance
• Centralising the customer experience
• Building a future-proof stack that supports personal relationships, wholesale channels and international complexity.

If you’re contemplating a replatform or curious how strategic tech choices can preserve brand equity while unlocking new opportunities, this conversation offers proven lessons, practical frameworks, and inspiration to move confidently into the future.

Smarter Ecommerce Promotions with Revlifter

Key takeaways:

• Blanket discounting often reduces profitability and can negatively affect customer experience.
• Intent-based personalisation enables retailers to engage shoppers with more relevant messages at the right moment.
• Personalisation isn't only about promotion; it can also support education, reassurance and product discovery.
• Smarter popup strategies can increase conversions while significantly reducing unnecessary discounts.
• Premium brands can use behavioural targeting to improve customer experience without relying on discounts.
• Creative gamification offers opportunities to increase engagement beyond traditional prize wheels.
• Measuring incrementality through robust testing is essential for understanding the true commercial impact of personalisation.
• Granular A/B testing and audience segmentation help retailers continuously optimise campaigns and maximise performance.

In this episode, we explore how ecommerce brands can move beyond blanket discounting to deliver more relevant, profitable customer experiences.

The conversation focuses on why traditional promotional strategies often frustrate shoppers, how intent-based personalisation is changing the way retailers engage customers and how brands can measure the true impact of their campaigns.

Our guest is Dan Bond from Revlifter. Revlifter's technology helps retailers personalise onsite marketing campaigns based on real-time customer intent rather than relying on broad promotional tactics.

A key theme throughout the episode is the downside of poorly targeted promotions. Irrelevant offers can damage trust and create frustration; for example, when loyal customers are excluded from incentives designed only for new shoppers.

We cover (rant about) the common mistakes retailers make, the commercial impact of those decisions and why brands need to create more intelligent promotional strategies.

We also discuss the growing importance of customer intent signals. Instead of treating every visitor the same, Dan explains how retailers can identify whether a shopper is actively ready to purchase or still in the discovery phase, allowing brands to tailor messaging and offers accordingly.

Moving beyond discounts, the discussion highlights how intent scoring can also power non-promotional experiences, such as providing buying guidance, product advice and reassurance during more complex purchasing journeys. This demonstrates how personalisation can improve customer experience without sacrificing margin.

Dan shares a real-world success story from Sportshoes. Discover how a refined popup strategy delivered a 7% uplift in conversions while suppressing more than 2,000 unnecessary discounts, resulting in savings of approximately £25,000.

Our attention then turns to premium brands, where discounting is often less appropriate. Using examples such as Radley, we discuss how exit-intent campaigns can be used across product listing pages, product pages and the cart to deliver value through personalised messaging, product recommendations or reassurance rather than price reductions.

Another topic is gamification, challenging the assumption that engagement begins and ends with the familiar "spin-to-win" mechanic. The discussion explores alternative campaign formats and creative approaches that ecommerce teams can test to increase engagement and conversion while maintaining brand value.

👍 What Ecommerce Businesses Can Learn from Patchworks’ Product Strategy & View on Tech TrendsIn this episode, we speak with Jim Herbert, CEO of Patchworks - recent winner of the 🏆 Ecommerce Technology Vendor of the Year award - about the technology trends shaping ecommerce right now. Three reasons to listen:1️⃣ Learn what tech trends are actually affecting ecommerce businesses — from AI search to PIM adoption and integration architecture.2️⃣ Understand how AI can improve operational efficiency — especially by speeding up implementation and reducing repetitive manual work.3️⃣ Hear practical examples of smarter ecommerce problem-solving — including white-label integration, self-healing workflows and scalable connector strategies.The conversation focuses on what’s changing in the ecommerce stack, why product data quality matters more than ever, and how AI is reshaping integrations, operations and discovery.A major theme is the rise of Product Information Management (PIM) for more complex data models, as businesses look to improve data quality, support cross-border commerce and make products more discoverable in AI-driven search. Jim explains why reliable integrations sit at the heart of ecommerce performance, especially when retailers are managing complex systems, large product catalogues and high-volume order flows.The episode also explores Patchworks’ new AI Studio, including how AI can speed up flow building, reduce manual mapping work and help teams launch integrations faster with less technical friction. Jim shares examples of practical automation, including self-healing data workflows and faster implementation timelines.Another important discussion point is partnership strategy. Jim outlines how Patchworks is broadening its ecosystem beyond a single platform dependency, creating more flexibility for retailers and technology partners as the ecommerce landscape continues to shift.Key chapters:

• [01:00] Intro,, Patchworks overview and why the episode matters
• [04:15] Tech trends in ecommerce: AI, PIMs, product data quality, discoverability and cross-border commerce.
• [12:40] Partnerships and ecosystem strategy: Shopify, Acumatica, Epicor, Centra, Scale.
• [17:20] AI Studio deep dive: implementation agent, mapping agent, connector builder, MCP, and self-healing workflows
• [28:25] Innovative use cases and edge cases: pricing automation, custom agents, partner-built tools and rapid migration.
• [33:00] White-label / embedded iPaaS: Blueprints, marketplace integrations and partner-led distribution.
• [36:30] Future roadmap, what’s next for AI Studio and closing remarks.