In this episode, we skip the usual news roundup and dive deep into one topic ecommerce brands struggle with more than they realise: branding.

This is about branding that works, not branding that just looks good.

We break down real-world branding lessons from brands like Allbirds, Gymshark, and Who Gives A Crap, and explain why effective brand positioning drives conversion, retention, and long-term growth on Shopify.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why branding should be built for effectiveness, not personal preference

• How standout brands win by going against the category norm

• The difference between scalable branding and trendy design

• Why consistency beats cleverness every time

• How brand trust directly impacts conversion rate and repeat purchase

• Why changing your logo “to keep it fresh” usually hurts growth

• How to define what your brand stands for — and what it stands against

We also walk through:

• Choosing colour palettes with intention (not trends)

• Why logos should be recognisable, not descriptive

• How typography and tone of voice shape trust

• Why every brand needs a clear “brand bible” before scaling

This episode also feeds into what we’re building for 2026 - the newly named The Unofficial Shopify Growth Vault, a central hub of practical Shopify growth content launching September 2026.

If you run a Shopify store, ecommerce brand, or agency, this episode will help you rethink branding as a growth lever, not a design exercise.

👉 Don’t forget to sign up for the Shopify Growth Vault 2026, launching 1st September

Visit: ⁠⁠https://wwspodcast.com/pages/shopify-summit-2026

Follow us on socials:

⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/winningwithshopifypodcast⁠

⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@winningwithshopify⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@winningwithshopify

Join our newsletter: ⁠⁠https://wwspodcast.com/⁠⁠

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In this episode, we break down what ecommerce brands should be focusing on right now - from email marketing and customer loyalty, to TikTok shifts, brand visibility, and platform updates that could impact growth in 2026.

Topics covered:

• Why email remains one of the most underused revenue channels

• 4.6 billion global email users - and why retention matters more than acquisition

• The risks of over-reliance on Google Ads and paid traffic

• How to build a more resilient ecommerce business using existing customers

• TikTok’s US algorithm split and what it means for brands and advertisers

• Why change creates opportunity for marketers who move quickly

Platform & partner updates:

• Yoast’s new Site Kit by Google integration (WordPress)

• Tracking brand visibility in Google Gemini with Yoast AI Brand Insights

• Agentic commerce and why it matters as AI search evolves

• Sales tax changes for SaaS and cloud services in the US (via TaxCloud)

Quivia (quick facts from the episode):

• Average UK child spends 92 minutes per day on YouTube

• 64% of the world’s population uses social media

• TikTok was the most downloaded app of 2025

If you run a Shopify store, ecommerce brand, or digital agency, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you prioritise channels, reduce risk, and build long-term growth.

👉 Don’t forget to sign up for the Shopify Summit 2026, launching 1st September

Visit: ⁠wwspodcast.com⁠ → Shopify Summit 2026

Follow us on socials:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/winningwithshopifypodcast

https://www.tiktok.com/@winningwithshopify

⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@winningwithshopify⁠

Join our newsletter: ⁠https://wwspodcast.com/⁠

Proudly powered by Spec Digital, a world class SEO Agency and PPC Agency

Become a sponsor: ⁠https://wwspodcast.com/pages/sponsorship⁠

Most Shopify brands think they’re data-driven… until they compare Shopify vs GA4 vs ad platform numbers and realise nothing matches.In this episode of Winning With Shopify, Nick sits down with Tom Armfelt (ex–TK Maxx eCommerce + analytics) to break down the hidden tracking issues, why “best practice” can slow you down, and the metrics that actually matter when you want profitable growth.You’ll learn how enterprise teams (like TK Maxx) approached fast experimentation, why A/B tests often fail in the real world, and how to simplify your Shopify stack without losing performance - while focusing on powerful metrics like Revenue Per Visitor (RPV) and Profit Per User (PPU).What you’ll learn in this episode:Why your tracking can look “correct” but still be wrong (GA4 dashboards ≠ truth)The biggest Shopify analytics mistakes (and how to fix funnel consistency)Why RPV beats conversion rate as a growth KPIHow PPU changes your ad strategy (and reveals what’s truly profitable)The real reason A/B testing often isn’t reliableHow app overload silently slows sites + muddies your dataWhy buying your own product reveals UX problems instantlyLessons from TK Maxx: product turnover, SEO constraints, and moving faster at scale🎟️ Shopify Summit — Sept 1, 2026: Visit www.wwspodcast.com to join the newsletter for updates, speaker teasers, and sponsor opportunities.📩 Want to sponsor an episode or get involved? Email: hello@winningwithshopify.comEXCLUSIVE WWS OFFERS:Get a short, tactical session with insights on things like tax reconciliation, returns, compliance, and more - all led by experts from the tools top brands rely on. Sign up now at ⁠⁠https://taxcloud.com/summer/⁠⁠Join the bootcamp and elevate your inventory game: ⁠⁠https://info.brightpearl.com/winning-with-shopify-holiday-planning-bootcamp⁠⁠Winning With Shopify listeners get 20% off the first three months of Seguno Email Marketing with code WWS20: ⁠⁠⁠https://seguno.com/winningwithshopify⁠⁠Check out Yoast and get 15% off ALL monthly Shopify purchases for the first 6 months using code WWS15! ⁠⁠https://yoast.com/winningwithshopify-exclusive/⁠⁠Key Takeaways:00:02 – Beyond E-commerce Best Practices03:02 – TK Maxx’s E-commerce Journey Explained05:48 – Startup Agility vs Corporate Processes06:45 – TK Maxx: A Startup With Enterprise Backing08:10 – Corporate Budgets & Idea Socialization09:42 – How to Move Faster in E-commerce10:15 – The Unique TK Maxx Customer Buying Cycle10:42 – SEO Strategy: Removing Google URLs11:32 – Aligning SEO, PR & Merchandising12:17 – Organizational Knowledge Retention Challenges15:09 – Leveling the E-commerce Playing Field16:49 – Shopify App Overload Pitfalls17:16 – Hidden Website Data Layers & Plugins19:37 – Using AI for E-commerce Data Integration20:17 – The Challenges of Reliable A/B Testing22:09 – Buy Your Own Product: See the Customer View26:03 – Implementing Product Reviews Effectively30:29 – Revenue Per Visitor (RPV) Explained31:43 – Profit Per User (PPU) for Shopify Stores38:17 – Homepage vs Product Page Landing StrategyFollow us on socials:https://www.instagram.com/winningwithshopifypodcast/https://www.tiktok.com/@winningwithshopifyhttps://www.youtube.com/@winningwithshopifyJoin our newsletter: https://wwspodcast.com/Proudly powered by Spec Digital, a world class SEO Agency and PPC AgencyBecome a sponsor: https://wwspodcast.com/pages/sponsorship

In this episode of Tuesday Tea Break Talks, we announce one of the biggest projects we’ve ever launched - the unofficial Shopify Summit 2026.

Our goal is simple but ambitious: to create the largest collection of Shopify-focused content ever released on a single day - completely free for merchants worldwide.

This episode breaks down:

• Why most ecommerce conferences fail to deliver real value• How the Shopify Summit will work differently (fast, practical, on-demand)

• Our goal to build the world’s biggest Shopify content library

• How merchants, brands, agencies and app founders can get involved

We also share the full structure of the summit, including seven dedicated stages:

• Brand stories

• Marketing & sales growth

• Customer retention & lifetime value

• Finance & back office

• Warehouse & logistics

• HR & legal

• Shopify apps showcase

Every stage is designed to give Shopify merchants practical, actionable insights - without the fluff.

Plus, we cover key updates from:

• Yoast — AI brand visibility tracking and Gemini mentions

• Shopify — new category-level return insights to reduce refundsUseful links mentioned in this episode:

• Site Kit by Google integration now available for all Yoast customers (WordPress only) https://yoast.com/yoast-seo-january-7-2026/

• New Track Brand Visibility in Gemini with Yoast AI Brand Insights https://yoast.com/yoast-ai-brand-insights-january-13-2026/

• My latest Search Engine Journal article on agentic commerce and UCP (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/agentic-commerce-what-seos-need-to-consider-acp-ucp/563503/)

If you run a Shopify store or ecommerce brand, this episode explains why the Shopify Summit 2026 could become the most valuable free learning resource in the industry.

📅 Launching September 1st, 2026

🎟️ Free to attend

👉 Sign up now at wwspodcast.com and click Shopify Summit 2026

What happens when you combine ethical production, parent-to-parent word of mouth, insanely fast delivery, and simple, customer-first SEO?

You build a Shopify brand that’s doubling year on year!

In this episode, Nick sits down with Liam Charlton, founder of Ethical Schoolwear - a Shopify store changing the school uniform game with better quality, better ethics, and a surprisingly powerful growth engine: the school playground.

We cover:

• How Ethical Schoolwear started (and why ethics became the mission)

• The “playground marketplace” and how word of mouth really works

• Why fast delivery creates 5-star reviews (and repeat customers)

• The simple SEO approach that drives sales

• What products sell best

• How to scale without losing what makes the brand special

• Plus: a teaser for the biggest online Shopify Summit launching September 2026

Visit Ethical Schoolwear: ethicalschoolwear.com

EXCLUSIVE WWS OFFERS:

Join the bootcamp and elevate your inventory game: ⁠https://info.brightpearl.com/winning-with-shopify-holiday-planning-bootcamp⁠

Winning With Shopify listeners get 20% off the first three months of Seguno Email Marketing with code WWS20: ⁠⁠https://seguno.com/winningwithshopify⁠

Check out Yoast and get 15% off ALL monthly Shopify purchases for the first 6 months using code WWS15! ⁠https://yoast.com/winningwithshopify-exclusive/⁠

Get a short, tactical session with insights on things like tax reconciliation, returns, compliance, and more — all led by experts from the tools top brands rely on. Sign up now at ⁠https://taxcloud.com/summer/⁠

Key Takeaways:

00:00 – Shopify’s CEO on Doing Good (and Why It Matters)

02:28 – Meet the Founder of Ethical Schoolwear

08:49 – Why Buying a Farm in Wales Beat Selling the Business

13:35 – The Reality of Multiple Suppliers in School Uniform

17:53 – Rethinking the School Uniform Industry

23:20 – Weight Loss, Capsules & Consumer Trust

26:25 – “Uber for Dads”: The Best Business Lesson Learned

32:25 – Tesla, Trustpilot & the Power of Brand Reputation

37:23 – School Uniforms: Ethics, Scale & Impact

41:17 – The Biggest Challenges Facing the Business

43:29 – One Lesson Every Founder Learns the Hard Way

46:07 – How to Double Your Business in One Year

We’re kicking off 2026 by breaking down how shopping habits are changing, what the latest Shopify and BFCM data tells us, and where ecommerce brands should focus this year.

In this episode:
• Ecommerce trends shaping 2026
• AI’s real impact on Shopify, CRO and content creation
• UK Black Friday visibility winners and retail shake-ups
• Why authenticity, reviews and UGC still drive conversions
• The return of subscriptions (done smarter)
• Why Boxing Day is still a critical sales moment
• The biggest marketing blind spots heading into 2026

Key stats we cover:
• Shopify BFCM hit $14.6B (+27% YoY)
• 81M+ shoppers bought from Shopify brands
• 39% YoY growth in Shop Pay
• Smartphones now drive 77%+ of retail site traffic
• Nearly 40% of Gen Z use TikTok or Instagram instead of Google

Quivia – test your ecommerce knowledge:
• What % of holiday shoppers planned to shop Boxing Day sales?
• Did “Black Friday” search volume rise or fall YoY?
• What % of shoppers use Google or YouTube to shop?
• True or false: Over half of users leave if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load?

If you’re responsible for Shopify growth, ecommerce marketing or CRO, this episode will help you reset and refocus for 2026.

New year, fresh opportunities, and a reality check for ecommerce brands heading into 2026.

This week, we break down the shifts that actually matter: AI-driven personalisation that’s now powering real-time selling, shopping that’s happening everywhere (from TikTok to AI assistants), and why first-party data is becoming the backbone of growth as privacy tightens.

We also unpack the biggest Q4 lesson: brands cutting marketing to “save money” aren’t fixing the real problem - tracking and performance are.

Add in faster mobile expectations, Gen Z searching on social instead of Google, and what Shopify’s latest trends signal for 2026 - and you’ve got a short, sharp reset for the year ahead.

Grab a drink and join us for a Tea Break designed to spark smarter decisions.